The Best Wine You Never Had: Non-Shabby Chablis

As a lover of Chablis (and similar fresh whites), I was in my glory at the Burgundy Wine tasting last week. The 2008 Cote de Lechet 1er Cru from Domaine Bernard Defaix was teasingly described as, “the summary of Chablis in a bottle.” Pale straw with flinty-mineral flavours and a crisp, clean acidity, it begged for king crab legs teased with butter. That Chablis would not have remained long in the bottle at my house. Represented here by Lamprecht International.

Another delicious example was a certified organic Chablis made from vines planted in 1946 after the war. The Jean-Marc Brocard 2009 Vieilles Vignes is as elegant as Catherine Deneuve and as racy as Jules Bianchi. The company is unfortunately not represented in Canada so to drink this superlative wine, we have to go to source. Quel dommage.  marketing@brocard.fr

At the Hobbs & Co. Wine Merchants Inc. portfolio tasting, I was happy find their lovely 2008 Gilbert Picq Chablis. Enticing floral and peach notes were followed with fresh acidity, a clean minerality and a lip-smacking finish. All that’s missing is an excuse to pull the cork. Does waking up in the morning qualify?  hobbswines.com

Also posted on Tidings’ website.

By Brenda McMillan
Published: March 30, 2011
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The Best Wine You Never Had from a Portuguese Sparrow

Perched on the edge of a bird sanctuary like a robin on a bare branch (yes, they are back in Toronto), Herdade da Comporta has 12KM of unspoiled coastline, 2500 acres of rice fields, a turf farm, pine trees, marsh, and beehives, as well as 73 acres of vineyard (66 red, 7 white). Situated just south of Lisbon straddling the Alentejo and Setubal regions, the winery produces 200,000 bottles of very tasty vinhos. Fortunately (or unfortunately), I didn’t have to visit the estate to taste the wine. It came to Toronto via importer Daniel Santos of Tinto Wines.

The mid level offerings under the Herdade da Comporta label are delicious. The 2009 white, a combination of Arinto and Antão Vaz is a good expression of the grapes with its pineapple-floral nose, pale straw colour and tropical fruit and lemon flavours. Very clean and fresh. Grab some sushi or seafood… and why reach for Pinot Grigio when you can have something as tasty as this?

The 2007 Herdade da Comporta red, a blend of four indigenous grapes, has a strong ripe fruit nose, a deep cherry colour, a spiciness thanks to Trincadeira, and a soft acidity. Put it next to the cheese plate or pair it with anything you would use a shiraz for.

Parus, their premium wines, have a sparrow on the label (parus is Latin for sparrow). Pale gold 2009 Parus white is 100% Antão Vaz. Coastal weather ensures a balanced acidity in keeping with soft fruity flavours and aromas. Touch of sea salt on the long finish. Very elegant. Pass the seafood rice around.

Parus red, 80% Alicante Bouschet and 20% Touriga Nacional, is tall and elegant stork, I’d say. Deep burgundy with cherry edges, a soft fruit nose, ripe tannins and a full mouth feel make this one fly. Lovely long finish… please bring me a rare steak. 6800 bottles only.

Contact Tinto Wines for availability.

By Brenda McMillan
Published: February 9, 2011
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The Best Wine You Never Had: On Your Marka

Durham-Agrellos is a relatively new Douro winery with some impressive wines. I tried their Marka line at the Discovery Tasting of Port and Douro Wines where I met owner/winemaker Carlos Agrellos. He explained that the name, MARKA, is a tribute to his mother, MARjory KAthleen Durham Agrellos who unfortunately died before she could taste the first release.

Marka Colheita Branco 2009 is a blend of Gouveio, Viosinho and Muscat, so it has a powerful, floral nose and a pale, pale straw colour. Lots of summer-ripe stone fruit follow along with a fresh acidity and a long finish. This pretty wine would make a great party sipper but would also stand up nicely to spicy chicken/mango/cashew salad.

Their other food-loving wine is the racy 2008 Marka Reserva Tinto. Dark cherry hues set us up. Off the line, the nose of blueberries gets a running start with an elegance of fruit, a gob-smacking acidity, a touch of spicy herbs and well-rounded tannins following closely before all easily stride to a strong finish. This wine is a winner!

The blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, and Touriga Franca spent eight months in new French oak. It belongs on the table with winter cooking, so bring on the stews, roasts and casseroles.

Not available in Canada… yet.

Visit their website.

By Brenda McMillan
Published: October 13, 2010
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The Best Wine You Never Had. And a bit of horsing around.

Two years ago I explored and wrote about the connection between Portugal’s Ribatejo wines and their indigenous Lusitano horses. Quinta do Casal Branco, one of the wineries-with-horses I wrote about, generously gave me a bottle of their 2006 Estate Bottled Ribatejo DOC Vinho Tinto, which I promptly tucked away in my cellar. I stood it up a few days ago and pulled the cork last night.

Accompanying the wine was medium-rare prime rib and organic cauliflower with a parmesan-herb-crumb topping. The kitchen was filled with seductive aromas of roasting meat and toasting cheese as I decanted the wine (yes the whole bottle for two of us… isn’t getting to Wednesday enough reason to celebrate?)

In the glass, it was clear, clean ruby running to garnet on the edges. It smelled of nettles, mature black fruit, especially black currants, and black pepper. The first sip confirmed that the whole bottle would be consumed as this wine was fantastic, especially with the food. Smooth, round, elegant (I was jotting notes as I went along) with sweet black fruit and a soft but beef-ready acidity, this wine had well-integrated tannins that made it easy to quaff. It finished satisfyingly long, with a touch of cocoa at the end. It was perfect.

Grape varietals are Castelão, Trincadeira and Alicante Bouschet (all as indigenous as the horses) with Cabernet Sauvignon. If you can find it, buy lots because we have a long season of roasts, stews and casseroles in front of us, and this wine makes an excellent companion. Decant so that the fine sediment does not mar the clarity of the wine.

The photos were all taken at the stables of Quinta do Casal Branco.

By Brenda McMillan
Published: October 7, 2010
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Postcards from Spain: Day Cinco

The best way to see any city is to walk its streets, so I did that for four hours in the old part of Seville. I bounced around like a marble in a pin ball machine and deliberately chose small streets over large ones, and older architecture over new. It was a great way to explore.

There are little plazas at every turn with people sitting at scattered tables enjoying coffee and plates of food as kids run around on the cobblestones. These are families who live in neighbourhood flats who come to enjoy the outdoors. Scooters and motorcycles zoom by and sidewalks are sometimes mere suggestions.

Ironwork adorns almost every building. Balconies, gates, security doors and security windows are all covered in decorative iron. Building colours range from white to sienna and ocre with a surprise around every bend. Window shapes also vary and are often arched showing the influence of the Moors. Today I saw a church that was once a Moorish Mosque. The distinctive windows had been bricked up, but the evidence was still apparent.

As I hadn’t eaten paella since arriving and had a hunger for it, I kept my eyes open for a shady table and a menu board offering the dish. I found one just before I collapsed from starvation (no comment on how long I could live on my Spanish-food induced belly fat). The paella was rich with saffron, chunks of tender chicken, pork and octopus, and enough stock and olive oil to make it moist but not runny. It went really well with the glass of casa white wine (from Rioja, I’d say). With a beer for my fellow eater, the bill came to 6.7Euros.

I also stopped to photograph bits of Roman architecture. Parts of an aqueduct still stand as does a length of old wall bordering a park. As the Romans, Moors, and Christians all had occupancy of the region at one time or another, there is a mix of styles as often one group just moved in to the vacated premises of the other and made updates. Sometimes a lot of demolition happened, but oftimes, as in the case of the Mosque-turned-church, there were a few updates made and life carried on under new rule.

Seville is a wonderful city full of life, art, architecture, food and wine. I’m sorry to be leaving as I have only just started my exploration. I’ll be back, my pretty.

By Brenda McMillan
Published: September 26, 2010
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Postcards from Spain: Day Quatro

I’m in Seville to learn more about Andalusian gastronomy, vino, history, art, architecture and culture. No worries, I have three days to do it.

First, let me say that I have learned about siesta and have practiced and perfected the art. A rest after a lunch that includes wine is not just an indulgence – it is a necessity because the weather is hot, the sun is relentless and the shops are as closed as my eyes long to be. I haven’t actually slept soundly, but I have lazed with a book beside the cool tub (like a hot Jacuzzi, but with refreshing cool water) and dozed in a chair on a shady patio. I’m going to be in trouble when I go home.

After a flamenco show last night, we wandered until we found a tapas list that intrigued, and took a table outside of El Rincon, a tiny place with lots of busy tables. One beer, one cupa of vino and two tasty seafood tapas later, we paid the 7.90Euro bill (about $11) and walked to another place we’d passed the day before.

La Azotea was packed and all the tables were taken or reserved, so we ordered two glasses of premium Andalusian wine (large pours for 3.30 Euros each) and stood within sight of the bar.  Before long, a couple left and we took their spots, feeling quite lucky to be squeezed in at the bar. I ordered the tapas-sized ox mini-hamburguesa, an item I’d seen delivered to another table. It smelled like it would be perfect with my red wine. We also ordered the foie gras, which is so inexpensive and plentiful here that it amazes me.

We got two perfectly-grilled slabs (about as much as you’d pay $20 or more for) with caramelized mango for 4.75Euros, about $6.50. The mini-burger was raw in the centre, so I sent it back. When I got it again, it was still too under done to be free of e-coli for my taste, but my eating buddy didn’t care and demolished every last bit, proclaiming it to be superb. He is still alive, so I assume the kitchen knew what they were doing. I was left with the foie, but you won’t hear me complaining.

I like the life here, but the rhythm of the city takes a bit of getting used to as lunch is late and supper is later. Lots of restaurants open at 9:00pm and a usual reservation is for dinner at 10:30. On Friday and Saturday nights, there is still lots going on very late at night, and it is not unusual to find families, including babies and grannies, enjoying the cooler air, the roving entertainers, and the tapas. The city awakens at night, which is another reason why siesta is so popular during the day.

Hasta la vista!

By Brenda McMillan
Published: September 26, 2010
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Postcards from Spain: Day Tres

Talk about stumbling over a gem! I had a fabulous dinner last night at a place with a handful of tables on a skinny lane (no kidding, we were passed by the occasional scooter).

Meson Reino de Leon, a family business for 30 years, is housed in a building that is twelve hundred years old and has Moorish arches and Knights Templar emblems on the base of its internal column. In the 18th century, it was a hospital for TB patients. Of course, these days it is a bar/restaurant and the home of the owner. According to his son, José Luis Prieto, who is also the chef, “Behind the walls here are lots of secrets.”

José came out to chat with us as we lingered over tapas (a sinful mini terrine of layered foie gras with an aspic touched by Pedro Ximenez Sherry, grilled mushrooms with an Oloroso Sherry sauce, and the ultimate, a marshmallow of deep fried creamy goat cheese on a slather of Oloroso-carmelized onions capped with a thin slice of tomato jam). Nowt 29, José trained and worked in Switzerland and Spain (at posh, Michelin-starred restos) before slipping on the apron previously worn by his father.

His tapas are unlike the traditional ones I’ve tried (and enjoyed). HIs lean towards the international, so are more exciting than the boiled artichokes I ate the night before. I think José uses artichokes, but I’m willing to bet that they will be cooked with elan – and a splash of Sherry.

Dinner, which included a steak and a slab of foie gras (yes another – and yes I know how fattening it is, leave me alone, it was recommended by Chef José), and a bottle of Rioja, creme caramel and glasses of Pedro Ximenez Sherry, cost 48 Euros, about $60. For two, shared.

We are joined by Chef José.

By Brenda McMillan
Published: September 23, 2010
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Postcards from Spain: Day Dos

I love the coffee here. Espresso with a short shot of hot milk, it comes steaming hot with  crema on the top in a small cup or a glass. Smooth and sweet, rich with a touch of acidity, I can’t get enough and stop often during the day.

I also love the Sherry. Williams & Humbert, the makers of Dry Sack (and others), was my first stop of the day. Their Bodega, a few minutes by taxi from the hotel, is a huge building with arched columns and stack upon stack of black casks. It is very impressive, but their building pales next to their wines.

Williams and Humbert Collection Fino is a pale straw colour and has a slightly smokey, bacony nose which carries forward and blends with citrus in the mouth. Typically this sherry is paired with Iberico ham (more on that in a later blog), anchovies and other fish. It is a favourite with tapas and sings with any dish that contains vinegar.

The weather is glorious, the patios welcoming and the wine is superb.

Wish you were here?

With Francisco at Bodegas Williams & Humbert

By Brenda McMillan
Published: September 22, 2010
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The Best Wine You Never Had – Postcards from Spain: Day Uno

Jerez, the heart of Sherry, is my home for a few days while I nose around in Bodegas, sip Oloroso on patios and in tasting rooms, and siesta in my room at Hotel Bellas Artes overlooking the Cathedral. I will share my food and wine adventures with you daily so that you can travel with me vicariously.

It took a plane, train and rented automobile to get here, but at last I was able to dump my suitcase and burst into the sunshine in search of a table. Jerez has a main pedestrian area just a five-minute walk away from my hotel. It has restaurants every few feet with tables that spill out into the street like rice across the kitchen floor. I chose Restaurant/Bar Arenal because of its view of the fountain and carousel in Plaza del Arenal. It was a mistake.

Although I wasn’t hungry when I sat down, I saw others picking at plates so I ordered a bottle of Cadiz wine, 2009 Antonio Barbadillo Castillo de San Diego, made from Palomino grapes (the same ones used for Sherry), the fish soup and shrimps in garlic thinking that the seafood was bound to be fresh as the ocean was close by. Unfortunate choices all.

The wine, although tasty, was a flabby little number because of its lack of acidity; the soup was a salty tomato broth with slices of frozen fish fillets; and the garlic shrimp were as fresh as the freezer. But the view of the fountain and the families milling around the plaza made me forget all about the mediocre fare as I am basking in Spanish sunshine, breathing Spanish air and sipping wine in a town with walls a thousand years old. How could I possibly complain? Next time, however, I’ll stick to tapas at recommended eateries and drink Sherry with every course. When in Jerez…

Wish you were here.

It was worth it.

Zorro's horse on the carousel

By Brenda McMillan
Published: September 20, 2010
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The Best Wine You Never Had at 9 a.m.

While it is unusual for me to be drinking wine at 9:00 a.m., I certainly don’t object, especially if the wines are worth it. When Bernard Stramwasser (Le Sommelier Inc. Exclusive Wine Agents) brought along some of his gems for me to taste early one morning, we sat in my garden office and talked about Austrian Wine.

His first treat, Nigl Grüner Veltliner Gartling 2009 from Kremstal is from a single vineyard. Light and crisp in style, it smells like a bowl of peaches, lychees and grapefruit (all appropriate for breakfast). A slight spritz and solid acidity make this wine refreshingly delicious for $20.95.

Next, we moved to Loimer, a certified organic and bio-dynamic winery. Their Grüner Veltliner Kamptal 2009  is a richer, denser, chewier wine with citrus and peach flavours and a spicy finish. 12.5% alcohol. $19.95.

Also from Loimer (I like their fresh and simple labels) comes their Riesling Kamptal 2008. Dry, full of apple and citrus flavours and a wonderful minerality, it has a very satisfying finish. A steal at $19.95.

While these are invigorating beverages to begin a day, they don’t match breakfast as well as juice does, so save these wines for lunch, dinner and sipping. Available directly from Bernard Stramwasser, Le Sommelier.

Also see Tidings Magazine online.

All the details are saved for the back.

By Brenda McMillan
Published: August 30, 2010
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