Rik Leaf's Blog, page 16

Tasting Notes February 2014

MontGras Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 is an excellent value wine. MontGras estates is located in Chile”s Colchagua Valley. The winemakers hand pick their grapes and use oak barrels to enhance complexity, structure and style.

The Gush- This Cab Sauv is a deep lush ruby red. It’s an aromatic wine that leads you down the garden path with ripe plum, black berry, mocha, toast and cedar. At 14% it is a high alcohol, but is still a medium body, fruity wine that finds a good balance with medium tannins and acidity. You’ll enjoy a nice long finish.

Playing Matchmaker – will pair well with roasted veggies, teriyaki ribs, grilled steak, hamburgers or game birds.

Bottom Line – I enjoyed this wine. The inexpensive price isn’t necessary to recommend it, but it sure makes it that much more compelling. This is an excellent value every day wine, that will be of particular interest to those looking for a good Cabernet Sauvignon on a budget. I’ll happily buy this again.

World Travel Videos

I’ve worked on some spectacular sets and studios and loved every minute. But the reality is, a great story can compensate for a lack of budget, but it doesn’t work the other way around. I produced a series of World Travel Videos during the year we toured the world. I had one pocket size HD video camera, one point and shoot and a laptop in my backpack. And that’s all I had to produce the Where in the World are Zion & Riel? Story trumps all!

Four Homeless Millionaires – Book Trailer

Where in the World Are Zion & Riel? – Stokum Falls, B.C.

Where in the World Are Zion & Riel? – British Columbia

Where in the World Are Zion & Riel? – O’ahu, Hawaii

Where in the World Are Zion & Riel? – Christmas in Malaysia

Where in the World Are Zion & Riel? – Australia

Where in the World Are Zion & Riel? – Viva Australia

Where in the World Are Zion & Riel? – New Zealand Adventures

That’s What She Said

Where in the World Are Zion & Riel? – France

Where in the World Are Zion & Riel? – Legoland, Denmark

Where in the World Are Zion & Riel? – England

Horror Attack

 

 

 

For all the videos please visit the Four Homeless Millionaires YouTube Channel

The post World Travel Videos appeared first on Rik Leaf.

World Tour Videos

Four Homeless Millionaires – Book Trailer

Where in the World Are Zion & Riel? – Stokum Falls, B.C.

Where in the World Are Zion & Riel? – British Columbia

Where in the World Are Zion & Riel? – O’ahu, Hawaii

Where in the World Are Zion & Riel? – Christmas in Malaysia

Where in the World Are Zion & Riel? – Australia

Where in the World Are Zion & Riel? – Viva Australia

Where in the World Are Zion & Riel? – New Zealand Adventures

That’s What She Said

Where in the World Are Zion & Riel? – France

Where in the World Are Zion & Riel? – Legoland, Denmark

Where in the World Are Zion & Riel? – England

Horror Attack

 

 

 

For all the videos please visit the Four Homeless Millionaires YouTube Channel

Live Productions

Live in Concert

Rik Leaf & Tribe of One

Instrumental Storytelling – Fort St John, B.C.

Rik Leaf – A Master Storyteller

What If – Slam Poetry

Tribe of One – Gathering Of Nations, New Mexico

Rik Leaf & Tribe of One – Festival du Voyageur

A Wicked Winnipeg House Concert – April 2012

Rik Leaf & Tribe of One – Rather Be Held/Silver Lining

Rik Leaf & Tribe of One – Featuring Capoeira

The post Live Productions appeared first on Rik Leaf.

Concert Videos

Live in Concert

Rik Leaf & Tribe of One

Rik’s solo show at Cenote Lounge in Victoria, B.C.

Rik Leaf & Tribe of One – Festival du Voyageur

Instrumental Storytelling – Live in Fort St John, Music Capital of Northern B.C.

A Wicked Winnipeg House Concert – April 2012

Rik Leaf – A Master Storyteller

What If – Slam Poetry

Rik Leaf & Tribe of One – Gathering of Nations, New Mexico

Rik Leaf & Tribe of One – Rather Be Held/Silver Lining

Rik Leaf & Tribe of One – Featuring Capoeira

Rik’s Concert Videos

Live in Concert

Rik Leaf & Tribe of One

Rik’s solo show at Cenote Lounge in Victoria, B.C.

Rik Leaf & Tribe of One – Festival du Voyageur

Instrumental Storytelling – Live in Fort St John, Music Capital of Northern B.C.

A Wicked Winnipeg House Concert – April 2012

Rik Leaf – A Master Storyteller

What If – Slam Poetry

Rik Leaf & Tribe of One – Gathering of Nations, New Mexico

Rik Leaf & Tribe of One – Rather Be Held/Silver Lining

Rik Leaf & Tribe of One – Featuring Capoeira

Ft St John Concert – Cancelled

 

Hey FSJ I hope you’ve heard about the show coming up Saturday, February 8th – 7:00 p.m. at the Cultural Centre.

I think I’ve performed in FSJ almost every year since 2005 at almost every live music venue in town, from Egan’s, Whole Wheat & Honey, the Casinao, some backyard parties and house concerts, The Lido, Evangel Chapel, The Breakfast Room and a handful of schools. But never the Cultural Centre…until now!

I’m in your community for two weeks teaching slam poetry workshops in schools. During this concert I am going to be joined on stage by 9 of the top youth slam poets from the city all performing original work. The poets are from Bert Ambrose, Central and Alwin Holland. Hopefully there will be a good crowd from each school on hand to cheer on and support their poets.

I produce the types of fun, exciting concerts I like to go with my own family. The show combines lots of songs folk, funk & blues, instrumental soundscapes, slam poetry and stand up comedy storytelling.

It’s the type of show you’d expect from a guy so committed to wild adventures that my wife and I sold our house in Winnipeg and traveled the world for a year with our two kids. Four Homeless Millionaires. I love creating inspiring experiences that encourage people to invest in their dreams at all stages of life.

Tickets are available through the Cultural Centre, online and at the ticket office.

Fort St John Concert Extravaganza

 

Hey FSJ I hope you’ve heard about the show coming up Saturday, February 8th – 7:00 p.m. at the Cultural Centre.

I think I’ve performed in FSJ almost every year since 2005 at almost every live music venue in town, from Egan’s, Whole Wheat & Honey, the Casinao, some backyard parties and house concerts, The Lido, Evangel Chapel, The Breakfast Room and a handful of schools. But never the Cultural Centre…until now!

I’m in your community for two weeks teaching slam poetry workshops in schools. During this concert I am going to be joined on stage by 9 of the top youth slam poets from the city all performing original work. The poets are from Bert Ambrose, Central and Alwin Holland. Hopefully there will be a good crowd from each school on hand to cheer on and support their poets.

I produce the types of fun, exciting concerts I like to go with my own family. The show combines lots of songs folk, funk & blues, instrumental soundscapes, slam poetry and stand up comedy storytelling.

It’s the type of show you’d expect from a guy so committed to wild adventures that my wife and I sold our house in Winnipeg and traveled the world for a year with our two kids. Four Homeless Millionaires. I love creating inspiring experiences that encourage people to invest in their dreams at all stages of life.

Tickets are available through the Cultural Centre, online and at the ticket office.

Tasting Notes

Caliterra Reserva, Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown, 2010, Chile

For a wine that falls easily into the inexpensive category of under $20 a bottle, this Cabernet Sauvignon shows surprisingly well.

The Gush: Let your nose wander into the general vicinity of your glass and you’ll catch the aromatic expression full of ripe black currant, black cherry and oak. It’s like that friend that sees you a block away and starts waving and calling your name. I found this endearing rather than embarrassing or off putting.

Take a taste and you’ll enjoy dark fruit flavours along with some mocha, spice and oak.

I think the tannin structure will be polarizing and you’ll either love the firm grip of this high tannic wine, or it will be too much. Could be the mood I was in, cause I definitely had some emotional capital to invest in a thriller or scary movie and this wine was perfect for that emotional moment. A high tannic wine is great if it’s not out of balance and overwhelms the fruit.

Playing Matchmaker: Pair this wine with any full flavoured red meat coming off the BBQ and you have a win-win. Charlie Sheen’s food pairing note would probably just say, ‘winning!’

Bottom Line: This is another really solid wine that shows the varietal characteristics well, and falls into the Inexpensive category of being under $20.00 a bottle. If you’re looking for a wine with character that has a lot to say and an unapologetic voice to say it…try it!

Pinotage – South Africa

Pinotage is South Africa’s signature grape variety; a red wine grape that was made back in the 20’s by crossing Pinot Noir and Cinsault, (known at the time as Hermitage) hence the name Pinotage.

The Gush: Swirl the wine in your glass, close your eyes and inhale deeply and savour the rich coffee and chocolate aromas along with plum, blackberry and sweet cherry. Stay in that posture as long as you like, cause there is a lot to enjoy and few things you have to do are more important. Each of these aromas deliver on the palate along with coffee, vanilla and oak. Seriously…this wine is super sexy. It’s not over the top, it doesn’t try too hard, the tannins, acidity and alcohol are all perfectly balanced…it’s just awesome.

Playing Matchmaker: Absolutely enjoyable on its own, or with smoked meats or anything you might have coming off the BBQ.

Bottom Line: At $14.99 in B.C. it’s an incredible value wine for the price.

Nerding Out: Barista is produced by Bertus Fourie, the winemaker who actually created this coffee-style of Pinotage. Fourie has called it, ‘the most controversial style of Pinotage in the world.’ Where most wines, particularly Old World wines, seek to represent the terroir, which refers to the soil and terrain where the grapes are grown, Barista lets oak play the primary role in this style. Toasting the oak barrels produces the rich coffee flavours and the creamy chocolate richness.

 

Cabernet Sauvignon  - Chile

MontGras Reserva 2011 - MontGras estates is located in Chile’s Colchagua Valley and along with the Maipo Valley  is one of Chile’s best known wine regions. It is known for producing full-bodied Malbecs, Cabernet Sauvignons, Carmeneres and Syrahs. These winemakers hand pick their grapes and age their wine in oak barrels to enhance complexity, structure and style.

The Gush- This Cab Sauv is a deep lush ruby red. It’s an aromatic wine that leads you down the garden path (by the nose) with ripe plum, black berry, mocha, toast and cedar. At 14% it is a high alcohol, but is still a medium body, fruity wine that finds a good balance with medium tannins and acidity. You’ll enjoy a nice long finish.

Playing Matchmaker - will pair well with roasted veggies, teriyaki ribs, grilled steak, hamburgers or game birds.

Bottom Line - I enjoyed this wine. The inexpensive price isn’t necessary to recommend it, but it sure makes it that much more compelling. This is an excellent value every day wine, that will be of particular interest to those looking for a good Cabernet Sauvignon on a budget. I’ll happily buy this again.

 

Syrah 2011

This Syrah has an intensely intellectual personality, and is unapologetically full of gutsy aplomb and sex appeal. At a dinner party I imagine this wine as a combination of Jon Stewart and Sunni Patterson…poetically political by nature.(and I mean that in a complimentary way)

The Gush: This wine is produced by vines planted sky high at 1700 meters above sea level in the Cafayate Valley of Argentina. It’s deliciously intense. Fully of spicy aromas, cassis and cloves. The tannins have a delicious weight woven seamlessly with the dark fruit flavors of blackberry and plum. The wine has aged for 12 months in American and French oak barrels, which produces the overt hints and suggestions of vanilla and oak.

 Playing Matchmaker: Drink with roasted vegetables, Teriyaki ribs, rich, spicy pastas and basically anything coming off the BBQ.

Bottom Line: Want an excellent value wine that will leave your friends convinced you broke the bank to afford such luxury? Priced around $15 a bottle, it’s amazing. I don’t honestly know how they do it. Try it, and tell me what you think.

 

 

Folonari Ripasso, Valpolicella, Classico Superiore – comes from the celebrated Valpolicella wine region in Northern Italy.

 The Gush: Decant for an hour to let this wine open up and it’s amazing. It’s wonderfully balanced with low acidity and tannins. Enjoy the bouquet of cherry, vanilla, floral and pomegranate. This a dry, warm red wine, full of black fruit flavors and spicy black pepper that lingers wonderfully on the tongue.

 Playing Matchmaker: Think of traditional Italian dishes, rich pasta, wild mushroom risotto and game meats. It’s a delicate wine that could be overpowered by really strong, spicy foods. Enjoy just sitting back sipping this on it’s own.

 The Bottom Line: Under $20.00 a bottle, this falls into the ‘Inexpensive’ category and is an excellent value! I seriously can’t say that enough. This is one of those wines you want to keep in the back of your mind…or better yet, keep a picture of the label in your phone so you don’t forget.

 

Cabernet Sauvignon

Xanadu,  Next of Kin, 2010 - Xanadu vineyards were named after the poem Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. They are located in Margaret River, a famous wine region in South West Australia with over 200, mostly boutique size wineries. Though the region only produces 3% of Australia’s grape production, it is responsible for over 20% of Australia’s premium wine.

The Gush: This Cabernet Sauvignon has a lot of what you’d expect. An earthy bouquet of black fruits like black currant, plum are balanced with mocha and oak, which is primarily what you’re going to taste as well. It’s high in tannins and acidity, which obviously is going to appeal to some and not others. It’s stupid to say a wine is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ simply because of what we like personally. I find the structure of a wine like this is usually polarizing. If you enjoy the mouth drying effects of high tannins, then you’ll likely really enjoy this wine.

 Playing Matchmaker: Would be great with fusilli and feta with lemon capers, a beef stir fry or sweet potato gratin with caramelized onions.

The Bottom Line: I’d call this an every day wine. For an inexpensive wine it manages to be expressive and interesting enough you’re not likely to complain, especially for the price.

 

Tempranillo

Anciano,  Valdepenas Aged 10 years - Tempranillo is a black grape variety grown widly in Spain. To legally be labeled a Gran Reserva in Spain, wines must be aged a minimum of 5 years before being released.

 The Gush: This wine has great complexity for such a modest price. Enjoy the bouquet of ripe red cherries, sweet spice, pepper and hints of cedar and vanilla. Take a taste and you’ll discover a dry wine with low tannins that produce a soft feel in your mouth. The 24 months ageing in oak barrels produces some interesting flavors to compliment the black fruit, red cherries and ripe cassis, like leather, tobacco and coffee. Decant this wine and let it breath for at least an hour to really open up.

Playing Matchmaker: Enjoy with roast, grilled or BBQ meats, stews or a sharp cheese of your choice.

Bottom Line: I really enjoyed the intensity of this wine. Ageing in oak provides a complexity to the fruit flavors and aromas that make this a pleasure to sit and sip. Excellent value wine that exceeds expectations!

 

Malbec, Bonarda and Syrah – Trapiche, Extravaganza, Red Blend

Trapiche Winery is located in Mendoza, Argentina. I picked this wine up for three reasons, its inexpensive price range, cool label and a personal interest in blends.

The Gush: This wine provides a great opportunity to review a wine I’m not personally a fan of, but by no means think that many people won’t love it. Its rich, sweet and fruity…almost thickly so, at least for me. It has a full mouth feel to it, which for me personally it was just a bit too much. The low acidity gives it a very round almost texture. But again…I know some people love that. It reminded me of Apothic red.

Playing Matchmaker: I imagine chocolate or other dessert. Maybe BBQ chicken or pork sausages if it was done in a rich savoury sauce.

The Bottom Line: It falls in the inexpensive range, which means you could easily afford to try it out. If you know that you like slightly sweeter wines, often find red wines too dry or are just looking for a wine with low tannins and acidity, then I’d say you should definitely check this out.

 

Malbec Syrah – Leon de Tarapaca

This wine is produced in Chile’s Maipo Valley, a renown wine growing area outside the city of Santiago. There are three distinct regions in the Maipo Valley that produce a variety of conditions that appeal to different grapes. Alto Maipo runs along the foothills where the majority of Cabernets are grown. Central Maipo has the longest history of grape growing and produces the widest variety. Coastal, or Pacific Maipo enjoys the cool maritime influence that make it ideal for Carmenere and Syrah.

The Gush: This blend of Malbec and Syrah is a really good one, combining Malbec’s dark purple, high tannin, plum, raisin and earthy tobacco flavors with Syrah’s dark black fruits and spicy, black pepper aromas.

Playing Matchmaker: Think BBQ…full flavoured hamburgers, kabobs, steaks, meatballs or lasagne.

Bottom Line: Super affordable wine that delivers way beyond expectations for a wine priced under $15.00 Highly recommend.

Shiraz - Rolling, 2011

The label features the whimsical and carefree cyclist Beatrice, proudly wearing the scarf of the local Orange Emus football team. Any wine that proudly features someone named Beatrice who apparently cheers for the Orange Emus is worth a try.

The Gush: The wine has the deep red colour characteristic of a Shiraz. But it also has a bright party style aromatic personality full of of raspberry, spice and pepper that says, ‘hey everyone…I’m here!’ Your taste buds are going to be glad they were invited to such an exquisite party with just the right combination of tannin, acidity, alcohol and fruit…pulled together with time ageing in oak barrels.

Playing Matchmaker: Sip this wine on its own, or enjoy it with roast, BBQ burgers, steaks, kabobs, casseroles or with hard, sharp cheese.

Bottom Line: Super affordable wine ideal for a party. Beatrice and her Orange Emus will have you cheering and dancing in no time.

 Oyster Bay – NZ Sauvignon Blanc



Sauvignon Blanc

It’s been called the varietal that woke the world to New Zealand wines, and if I’m looking for a dry, bright, citrusy white wine it’s definitely top of my list of favourites.

The Gush - Everything from soil and climate to winemaking style goes into making a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc an aromatic masterpiece. We often talk about aromas in terms of how intense they are. With these wines the aromas are so pronounced they literally leap out of the glass in an explosive potpourri of green bell pepper, gooseberry and passionfruit. Sometimes there are hints of greenery that will make you think of fresh-cut grass, tomato stalks, melons & lime. (I also imagine lithe, super sexy, elves gracefully sipping from elegant flutes in Rivendell…but that might just be me) The style from the North Island can tend to have a little more tropical characters, while the more southern style is a bit crisper and vibrant.

Playing Matchmaker -  Pairing with food think green. Sauvignon Blanc is all about its herbaceous notes so it typically pairs well with green herbs like parsley, rosemary, basil, cilantro or mint. It’s amazing with grilled fish, especially oily fish like mackerel, whitebait and fish and chips. Also great if you’re doing Greek or Mexican food with avocados, tomatoes, green onions, olives and sharp cheeses like feta.

Bottom Line - you can find some great inexpensive varieties that won’t break the bank or the budget. Fat Bird & Oyster Bay from Marlborough or Matua from Hawkes Bay are great. This is a youthful expressive wine that’s not meant for ageing and falls into the ‘drink now’ category. Find something in your price range and enjoy the adventure!

 

 Malbec – Flat Roof Manor

Malbec

Most Canadian’s are used to drinking Malbec from Argentina, myself included. So I was interested to see how the style of South African winemaker, Estelle Lourens would be similar or different.

The Gush – This is a great inexpensive Malbec that has really well balanced fruit, tannins and alcohol.

The aromas are a subtle mix of black fruit, red cherries, plums and cloves with a hint of smokiness.  It’s a dry wine, with fairly high tannins and a smooth medium body. At 14% it falls into the ‘high alcohol’ category, but doesn’t have any of the burn that can be associated with high alcohol wines.

It has all the flavours you’d expect, red and black fruit, plum, cassis, black currant leaf and oak.  I caught a bit of pepper, vanilla maybe even some sour cherry on the finish.

The Bottom Line – At $12-13 a bottle, you’re getting a great Malbec at an amazing price. The only thing you really need to do, is just make enough time in your schedule so you can appreciate the artistry of this South African wine. Estelle Louren’s winemaking motto is “happiness rubs off” so you can see if you can pick that up on your palette as well!

 

 Tokaji

Tokaji

If you would like to take your taste buds on a wildly adventurous journey, let me recommend Tokaji.

The Gush - Tokaji is made from the Furmint grape, which has a high level of acidity that provides a perfect balance to this sweet wine.

It comes from a region in Hungary so highly regarded for this wine that the Hungarian national anthem actually thanks God that, “Tokaj szőlővesszein nektárt csepegtettél”… ‘into the vineyards of Tokaj you dripped sweet nectar’

(This is one political endorsement I encourage you to take seriously)

The sweetness of Tokaji aszu wines is indicated in ‘puttonyos’. Three puttonyos indicates the lowest sugar content and thus the least sweet of the aszu wine styles. Each additional puttonyo indicates a sweeter wine. A dry style of Tokaji wine is becoming increasingly popular. The wine will be labeled with the name of the grape variety from which it is made, which most often will be Furmint.

 

Playing Matchmaker - Food pairing can include strong, sharp, blue cheeses where it balances the  richness and saltiness, as well as custards, crepes and desserts containing fruit and caramel.

Bottom Line - During one recent tasting, a sommelier turned to me and said, “The only real question is how to make Tokaji a part of every day!” Another commented that his wife commonly refers to Tokaji as ‘sex in a bottle.’ Here in B.C. a bottle of Tokaji will typically cost around $55.00, and be worth every penny. Enjoy!

Wine Trivia To Geek Out To - The Tokaji region is located close to Slovakia in an area is protected by the Carpathian Mountains, along the banks of the Bodrog river. Basically the geography creates the ideal environment for botrytis, a beneficial fungus that dehydrates the grape berries on the vine, concentrating their sugars and flavor compounds, leaving a trademark honeysuckle aroma in the wine. A non technical description of the effects of botrytis could include, ‘frigging amazing’ ‘incredibly delicious’ and ‘wow!’

 

Shiraz – Juno

Juno Shiraz from South Africa

“The mythical goddess Juno celebrated and jealously guarded the passion and strength of women. The spirit and skill of our four women winemakers is captured in every bottle of Juno wine, with alluring complexity and expressive style.” this is an excerpt written on the bottle

The Gush - I could sit by myself in a room just smelling this wine and have a great night. Which I pretty much did. I enjoyed making my way through the initial layers of black cherry and black currant before discovering the spicy, peppery secondary aromas. Eventually I got around to tasting the wine, which was a continuing adventure of the flavours the aromas suggested. The wine is rich with black fruit flavours, oak and spice.

At 14% alcohol it’s a full-bodied, high alcohol wine with pretty high tannins and medium acidity. Tannins produce that dry mouth feeling you get that makes your tongue automatically slide up over your teeth. Acidity is the mouthwatering characteristic that you feel at the back of your mouth along your gums. When tannins, acidity and alcohol really find their sweet spot with the fruit flavours, you end up with a work of art, where every glass you pour tells a story.

I admit I’m a fan of Shiraz, and Juno doesn’t disappoint. Producing wine is like creating art, telling a story or writing a song. Everything from climate, to the style of irrigation, the type of soil and the way the grapes are grown in the vineyard influences a wine. The winemakers at Juno actually share this information on their website. It’s pretty interesting, and I encourage you to check it out.

Juno Wines

Playing Matchmaker - Juno is a spicy shiraz and will pair well with spicy, intense, highly-flavored dishes that might overpower other soft-centered red wines. Grilled hickory-smoked steak or beef served in a reduction sauce, honey and spice glazed chicken, lamb with a chocolate-chili sauce or baked dishes incorporating beef, beans and lentils. This is a really enjoyable shiraz easy to drink with food or without.

Bottom Line - I found this on sale for $13.00. It’s an excellent value for an inexpensive wine. These winemakers succeeded in making their story come alive.

Wine Trivia to Geek Out To - Shiraz is also known as Syrah. Someone who’d probably watched too many crime shows on TV ran some DNA testing and discovered Syrah is the offspring of Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche…a couple of super obscure grapes from France that almost no one has ever heard of. (except for a guy name Pierre…but he’s not talking) Feel free to pull this useless piece of trivia out the next time you’re at a party and a pompous palette is blathering on about the nuanced aromatics of ‘wet forest floor’ and ‘pencil shaving compost’ composition in the wine, and how it makes the perfect pairing for ‘roast muscovy duck with late-harvest Himalayan mint jelly.’

 Tempranillo

Tempranillo Gran Reserva

If you’re open to trying an ‘Old World’ wine, check out Anciano, Gran Reserva. I just tried a 2005 and a 2003.

The wine is made from Tempranillo, which is a black grape variety that has been called Spain’s noble grape. It makes full-bodied red wines that often have plum and strawberry flavours.

Tempranillo isn’t as aromatic as varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, but both of these vintages have spent extended time ageing in oak barrels, which allows the wine to take on some unique characteristics and flavours from the oak.

When a wine is meant for ageing, it means that things like the composition of the grapes and tannins are such that the flavours will get more interesting with age. It’s actually hard to say they get ‘better’ with age, because not everyone will necessarily appreciate or enjoy what happens. Fruit flavours often begin to mellow as the wine starts to develop secondary and tertiary flavours. This is where sommeliers can sound a bit crazy throwing around descriptors like, wet forest floor, compost, leather, cigar box and petrol. But when you come across a developed wine that shows some of these characteristics, it’s fascinating and exciting.

Navigating Old World wine labels can be a bit of a clustermug for many New World wine consumers. In this case, Anciano refers to the winery. Under Spain’s wine laws, a wine has to be aged for a minimum of 60 months, 18 of those in oak barrels to be labeled a Grand Reserva. But not everyone buying the wine is from Spain and knows the law, so this winery has decided to SPELL. IT. OUT. FOR. YOU.

Tempranillo Gran Reserva

Tempranillo describes the grape used, (which just as an interesting side note you can use to blow your dinner guests minds… is known as Tinto Roriz in Portugal, which is one of five different grapes blended to produce Port)

Valdepenas refers to the wine region in Spain where the grapes were grown. It’s an area known for producing high quality Tempranillo at inexpensive prices. Oh yeah, and Hemingway apparently drank a holy ton of it. So heads up to all you aspiring, but starving-artist writers out there. It worked for Ernest…might work for you too.

I found both wines in the Spain section at the local BCLC. Both were on sale for under $15.00 and offer excellent value in the ‘inexpensive’ price category.

 

 

The post Tasting Notes appeared first on Rik Leaf.

Tasting Notes January 2014

Rik Leaf is a master storyteller and sommelier with a love of sharing (and sipping) great stories with friends. A lifelong passion for travel, culture and adventure has taken him around the world and fuelled numerous CDs, videos, articles and his book, Four Homeless Millionaires – An Odyssey of Adventure and Discovery

 

Oyster Bay – NZ Sauvignon Blanc



Sauvignon Blanc

It’s been called the varietal that woke the world to New Zealand wines, and if I’m looking for a dry, bright, citrusy white wine it’s definitely top of my list of favourites.

The Gush - Everything from soil and climate to winemaking style goes into making a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc an aromatic masterpiece. We often talk about aromas in terms of how intense they are. With these wines the aromas are so pronounced they literally leap out of the glass in an explosive potpourri of green bell pepper, gooseberry and passionfruit. Sometimes there are hints of greenery that will make you think of fresh-cut grass, tomato stalks, melons & lime. (I also imagine lithe, super sexy, elves gracefully sipping from elegant flutes in Rivendell…but that might just be me) The style from the North Island can tend to have a little more tropical characters, while the more southern style is a bit crisper and vibrant.

Playing Matchmaker -  Pairing with food think green. Sauvignon Blanc is all about its herbaceous notes so it typically pairs well with green herbs like parsley, rosemary, basil, cilantro or mint. It’s amazing with grilled fish, especially oily fish like mackerel, whitebait and fish and chips. Also great if you’re doing Greek or Mexican food with avocados, tomatoes, green onions, olives and sharp cheeses like feta.

Bottom Line - you can find some great inexpensive varieties that won’t break the bank or the budget. Fat Bird & Oyster Bay from Marlborough or Matua from Hawkes Bay are great. This is a youthful expressive wine that’s not meant for ageing and falls into the ‘drink now’ category. Find something in your price range and enjoy the adventure!

 

 Malbec – Flat Roof Manor

Malbec

Most Canadian’s are used to drinking Malbec from Argentina, myself included. So I was interested to see how the style of South African winemaker, Estelle Lourens would be similar or different.

The Gush – This is a great inexpensive Malbec that has really well balanced fruit, tannins and alcohol.

The aromas are a subtle mix of black fruit, red cherries, plums and cloves with a hint of smokiness.  It’s a dry wine, with fairly high tannins and a smooth medium body. At 14% it falls into the ‘high alcohol’ category, but doesn’t have any of the burn that can be associated with high alcohol wines.

It has all the flavours you’d expect, red and black fruit, plum, cassis, black currant leaf and oak.  I caught a bit of pepper, vanilla maybe even some sour cherry on the finish.

The Bottom Line – At $12-13 a bottle, you’re getting a great Malbec at an amazing price. The only thing you really need to do, is just make enough time in your schedule so you can appreciate the artistry of this South African wine. Estelle Louren’s winemaking motto is “happiness rubs off” so you can see if you can pick that up on your palette as well!

 

 Tokaji

Tokaji

If you would like to take your taste buds on a wildly adventurous journey, let me recommend Tokaji.

The Gush - Tokaji is made from the Furmint grape, which has a high level of acidity that provides a perfect balance to this sweet wine.

It comes from a region in Hungary so highly regarded for this wine that the Hungarian national anthem actually thanks God that, “Tokaj szőlővesszein nektárt csepegtettél”… ‘into the vineyards of Tokaj you dripped sweet nectar’

(This is one political endorsement I encourage you to take seriously)

The sweetness of Tokaji aszu wines is indicated in ‘puttonyos’. Three puttonyos indicates the lowest sugar content and thus the least sweet of the aszu wine styles. Each additional puttonyo indicates a sweeter wine. A dry style of Tokaji wine is becoming increasingly popular. The wine will be labeled with the name of the grape variety from which it is made, which most often will be Furmint.

 

Playing Matchmaker - Food pairing can include strong, sharp, blue cheeses where it balances the  richness and saltiness, as well as custards, crepes and desserts containing fruit and caramel.

Bottom Line - During one recent tasting, a sommelier turned to me and said, “The only real question is how to make Tokaji a part of every day!” Another commented that his wife commonly refers to Tokaji as ‘sex in a bottle.’ Here in B.C. a bottle of Tokaji will typically cost around $55.00, and be worth every penny. Enjoy!

Wine Trivia To Geek Out To - The Tokaji region is located close to Slovakia in an area is protected by the Carpathian Mountains, along the banks of the Bodrog river. Basically the geography creates the ideal environment for botrytis, a beneficial fungus that dehydrates the grape berries on the vine, concentrating their sugars and flavor compounds, leaving a trademark honeysuckle aroma in the wine. A non technical description of the effects of botrytis could include, ‘frigging amazing’ ‘incredibly delicious’ and ‘wow!’

 

Shiraz – Juno

Juno Shiraz from South Africa

“The mythical goddess Juno celebrated and jealously guarded the passion and strength of women. The spirit and skill of our four women winemakers is captured in every bottle of Juno wine, with alluring complexity and expressive style.” this is an excerpt written on the bottle

The Gush - I could sit by myself in a room just smelling this wine and have a great night. Which I pretty much did. I enjoyed making my way through the initial layers of black cherry and black currant before discovering the spicy, peppery secondary aromas. Eventually I got around to tasting the wine, which was a continuing adventure of the flavours the aromas suggested. The wine is rich with black fruit flavours, oak and spice.

At 14% alcohol it’s a full-bodied, high alcohol wine with pretty high tannins and medium acidity. Tannins produce that dry mouth feeling you get that makes your tongue automatically slide up over your teeth. Acidity is the mouthwatering characteristic that you feel at the back of your mouth along your gums. When tannins, acidity and alcohol really find their sweet spot with the fruit flavours, you end up with a work of art, where every glass you pour tells a story.

I admit I’m a fan of Shiraz, and Juno doesn’t disappoint. Producing wine is like creating art, telling a story or writing a song. Everything from climate, to the style of irrigation, the type of soil and the way the grapes are grown in the vineyard influences a wine. The winemakers at Juno actually share this information on their website. It’s pretty interesting, and I encourage you to check it out.

Juno Wines

The winemakers tell us the grapes were picked fully ripe. The physical and chemical components of the grape influence a wine’s quality, so determining the optimal moment of ripeness is crucial. They tell us the wine was fermented for 10 days using selected Rhone yeasts. This is another decision made to best express the varietal characteristics and retain colour and intensity of fruit flavours. Malolactic fermentation was used. MLF is a process that converts tart malic acids (found in apples) into smoother lactic acids (found in milk) and generally smooths out some of the rough edges. Finally they tell us that the wine was aged in oak barrels for 14 months, which adds additional maturity and complexity.

Playing Matchmaker - Juno is a spicy shiraz and will pair well with spicy, intense, highly-flavored dishes that might overpower other soft-centered red wines. Grilled hickory-smoked steak or beef served in a reduction sauce, honey and spice glazed chicken, lamb with a chocolate-chili sauce or baked dishes incorporating beef, beans and lentils. This is a really enjoyable shiraz easy to drink with food or without.

Bottom Line - I found this on sale for $13.00. It’s an excellent value for an inexpensive wine. These winemakers succeeded in making their story come alive.

Wine Trivia to Geek Out To - Shiraz is also known as Syrah. Someone who’d probably watched too many crime shows on TV ran some DNA testing and discovered Syrah is the offspring of Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche…a couple of super obscure grapes from France that almost no one has ever heard of. (except for a guy name Pierre…but he’s not talking) Feel free to pull this useless piece of trivia out the next time you’re at a party and a pompous palette is blathering on about the nuanced aromatics of ‘wet forest floor’ and ‘pencil shaving compost’ composition in the wine, and how it makes the perfect pairing for ‘roast muscovy duck with late-harvest Himalayan mint jelly.’

 Tempranillo

Tempranillo Gran Reserva

If you’re open to trying an ‘Old World’ wine, check out Anciano, Gran Reserva. I just tried a 2005 and a 2003.

The wine is made from Tempranillo, which is a black grape variety that has been called Spain’s noble grape. It makes full-bodied red wines that often have plum and strawberry flavours.

Tempranillo isn’t as aromatic as varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, but both of these vintages have spent extended time ageing in oak barrels, which allows the wine to take on some unique characteristics and flavours from the oak.

When a wine is meant for ageing, it means that things like the composition of the grapes and tannins are such that the flavours will get more interesting with age. It’s actually hard to say they get ‘better’ with age, because not everyone will necessarily appreciate or enjoy what happens. Fruit flavours often begin to mellow as the wine starts to develop secondary and tertiary flavours. This is where sommeliers can sound a bit crazy throwing around descriptors like, wet forest floor, compost, leather, cigar box and petrol. But when you come across a developed wine that shows some of these characteristics, it’s fascinating and exciting.

Navigating Old World wine labels can be a bit of a clustermug for many New World wine consumers. In this case, Anciano refers to the winery. Under Spain’s wine laws, a wine has to be aged for a minimum of 60 months, 18 of those in oak barrels to be labeled a Grand Reserva. But not everyone buying the wine is from Spain and knows the law, so this winery has decided to SPELL. IT. OUT. FOR. YOU.

Tempranillo Gran Reserva

Tempranillo describes the grape used, (which just as an interesting side note you can use to blow your dinner guests minds… is known as Tinto Roriz in Portugal, which is one of five different grapes blended to produce Port)

Valdepenas refers to the wine region in Spain where the grapes were grown. It’s an area known for producing high quality Tempranillo at inexpensive prices. Oh yeah, and Hemingway apparently drank a holy ton of it. So heads up to all you aspiring, but starving-artist writers out there. It worked for Ernest…might work for you too.

I found both wines in the Spain section at the local BCLC. Both were on sale for under $15.00 and offer excellent value in the ‘inexpensive’ price category.