A Life in Wine Jan 1 - 11: New Year, New Posts!

A new year tends to bring about resolutions: some choose to focus on health, some on personal relationships, among others. Although I don't actively practice New Years resolutions as I'm really good at starting things without seeing them through to finish, there are a couple of areas in my life I'd like to see change. One such area is this blog.

I got really lazy with posting blogs last year, and I was finding that the article-style posts I was writing were not keeping me motivated. I decided to try a different format this year to see if it would engage me more, as well as you readers. This new format contains 3 new sub-sections to each post:

1. My week in wine - What's been going on in my world these past week(s)?

2. This week in wine - links to some other blogs I follow and articles that have been shared with me, for some up-to-date news in the wine world.

3. What's in My Glass? Wine reviews and recommendations!

I have a couple of other mini-goals for 2020 when it comes to wine. My local wine school has released a new online course for food and wine pairings, an area I could use more education in. I'm planning to take the course a little later on in the year before I start studying for a Project Management designation at work. There is also a chance I'll be back in Ontario in the fall near the Niagara wine region, and if I'm there during harvest time and logistics allow, I would love to try my hand at helping harvest grapes! I'm looking forward to 2020 and all the opportunities it can bring!

This Week in the Wine World 

Wine Enthusiast: The Wine Regions Hit Hardest by the Australian Wildfires

Atlas Obscura: How an English Energy Crisis Helped Create Champagne Bottles

The Corkscrew Concierge: More about the Obscure Grape Varietal Tannat and Pairing with Food

What's in My Glass

The week before Christmas some of my colleagues and I participated in a Reverse Wine Lottery, and our team placed second! Each of us took home 8 bottles. Originally, I was going to post my reviews of each of mine on Instagram (Follow me on IG: @thewineconcubine) using the hashtag #EightCrazyNightsofWine, but in true fashion, I only posted my tasting notes of 4 bottles there. My tasting notes from 3 of the remaining 4 bottles:

My loot from the Reverse Wine Lottery

1.  Cabriz Colheita Selecionada Tinto, Dao DOC, Portugal: Aromas and flavours of dried red fruit and toasted hazelnuts intertwined with bright acidity, fine-grained tannins and a smooth finish. Lighter in body than some other reds from Portugal makes this wine great to drink on its own. This wine is priced around $20 CDN, excellent for weeknight sipping!

2. Guinea Fowl Chenin Blanc 2016, Stellenbosch, South Africa: Notes of underripe apricot, pineapple and a hint of ginger leading into a zesty citrus finish. Crisp acidity, dry with a subtle hint of sweetness. Very expressive in style of South African Chenin Blanc and another great value for sipping on its own or pairing with lighter dishes like grilled seafood.

3. L'Opaline Rose 2017, AOC Coteaux Varois-en-Provence, France: A very pale salmon colour in the glass, reflecting a very light, crisp mouthfeel on the palate. Bright and crisp acidity, with abundant citrus flavours, steely minerality and the slightest hint of baking spice on the bright finish. Best enjoyed on its own-would be great on a hot day!

Now that the temperatures here have plummeted into a Siberian deep freeze, I plan to spend the next week tucking into some red wine blends to help keep me warm this week.

Cheers!

My Top Wines of 2019

Happy New Year - and decade, everyone!

I found myself reminiscing over the entire decade as 2019 drew to a close. If I could sum up my twenty-teens in one word, it would be passion. I found so much of it within the past 10 years:

January 2010 - Started a new day job position in Airport Operations - Airside Services. This spawned my passion for aviation and the behind-the-scenes magic of airfield operations that continues to this day. I would remain in this position for 8 years.

March 2011 - My husband and I travelled throughout France and tasted our way through the Bordeaux, Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Champagne regions. While there, I learned about the WSET courses, as well as tasting the legendary Krug Clos du Mesnil vintage 1998 Champagne, kicking off my passion for wine and the deep desire to learn as much about it as I can. This photo was taken minutes before my first sip:



Feb 2012 - My first daughter was born. Although it was tough at times to adjust to life with a newborn at first (no one can truly prepare you for your firstborn IMO!), I experienced a deep love like no other for this beautiful human that we created.

July 2013 - Took WSET Level 3/Advanced. My course instructor made it very clear to me that she felt I didn't deserve to be there as I didn't work in the industry and that I hadn't tasted enough great wine. Her treatment of me in the course motivated me to make a name for myself and further fuelled my desire to prove her wrong. I passed WSET with distinction and re-branded myself in 2014 as the Wine Concubine, a blog that she apparently knows about. What that means, I don't know, but I consider my goal here as completed.

December 2015 - My second daughter was born and I spent 2016 on maternity leave from work to be with her, and I truly enjoyed every second of that year! My passion for my children grew immensely and I can't imagine my life now without my children in it.

August & October 2018 - Quite possibly the biggest year of growth for me in my entire life. Internal corporate restructuring forced me to leave the job I loved deeply and transfer to a new position within the company. Before the position transfer occurred, my husband and I jetted off to Europe to explore the Pfalz, Ahr and Alsace wine regions. Alsace is my go-to region when I'm drinking whites and Cremants, and getting to be in the heart of the region deepened my passion for wine and travelling to as many regions as possible on my own Bucket List.
On October 9, I started in my new position within the airport terminal and develop a new passion; not only for helping make our airport be the best it can be for our passengers, but also to grow my own career and chase a project management designation in 2020! 

Now to 2019's Wines of the Year! Since 2013, I've been putting together a list of my personal favourite wines tasted within the past year. It's a good way for me to remember my favourites, and perhaps you find some new wines or food & wine pairings on my list to try. Here we go:

Top Red Wines

As my tasting journey continues, I've found that the average price I spend on a bottle of red wine has increased quite a bit. On any given day I find myself spending $30-$35 CDN/bottle on reds, and this list includes bottles that exceed that price point. They are, however, worth the splurge! Australian Cab Sauvs have been stealing my heart as of late and the Bleasdale retails around the $20 price point!    

1. Abbazia Santa Anastasia Litra - Sicilia IGT, Italy

2. Domaine de Beaurenard - Chateauneuf-du-Pape AOC, France

3. Domaine Jacques Prieur Beaune-Greves Premier Cru - AOC Burgundy, France

Honourable Mentions

1. Wynn's Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon - Coonawarra, Australia

2. Bleasdale Mulberry Tree Cabernet Sauvignon - Langhorne Creek, Australia

Top Whites

This year seemed to be the “Year of the White Wine” as the list of my most memorable whites almost tripled the list of my Top Reds! These wines are also easier on the wallet than the reds above, ranging in price from $20 CDN (Nk'Mip) to $40 for the Eden Valley and Rioja offerings.

1. Penfolds Bin 51 Eden Valley Riesling - Eden Valley, Australia

2. Conde de los Andes Blanco - Rioja, Spain

3. Domaine Eugene Meyer Riesling - AOC Alsace, France

4. Nk'Mip Pinot Blanc - VQA Okanagan, Canada

Top Sparkling Wines

You are reading this correctly, I ranked an Alsatian Cremant ahead of an authentic Champagne! I have been very vocal online about my belief in the quality and value of the Cremants from other French regions; taste them yourself side by side to see what your palate thinks! 

1. Domaine Gustavo Lorentz Cremant d'Alsace Brut - Alsace, France

2. Moet & Chandon Champagne - AOC Champagne, France

3. Naveran Cava Brut, Vintage 2016 - Spain

Top Values

White wines swept the category this year. So many great values to be had, ranging from an off-dry blend to complex, full-bodied whites. I encourage those of you who swear to hate white wines to give some of these a try!

1. Domaine Hugel Gentil White Blend - AOC Alsace, France

2. Amalaya Torrontes-Riesling - Salta, Argentina

3. Fairview Cellars “Goats do Roam” White Blend - Western Cape, South Africa

4. Kono Sauvignon Blanc - Marlborough, New Zealand

Top Food and Wine Pairings

The Okanagan wine region in Canada produces outstanding food-friendly wines that pair extremely well with local dishes and this list truly reflects that. Hopefully one day the rest of the world will get to know these wines; for now, I recommend you visit both Alberta and British Columbia to see our natural beauty, Canadian hospitality, unique local food, and exquisite wines.

1. Laughingstock Syrah with Elk Striploin Steak (Okanagan, BC)

2. Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs Brut with Goats Cheese Gougeres (North Coast, California)

3. Bernard-Massard Cuvee de l'Ecusson Brut Rose with Spring Parmesan Frittata (Moselle, Luxembourg)

4. Wild Goose Vineyards Gewurztraminer with Roast Turkey (Okanagan, BC)

Wineries of the Year

I like to recognize the wineries that interact with their followers on social media, as well as produce quality wines. After almost a decade on social media, I find this is still the exception rather than the rule. These wineries do an excellent job of both:

1. J. Lohr Wines - Paso Robles, California. IG and Twitter: @jlohrwines

2. Wild Goose Vineyards - Okanagan Falls, BC, Canada IG: @wildgoosewine 
Twitter: @wildgoosewines

3. Vino Montefioralle - Tuscany, Italy Twitter: @MontefioralleWi  Facebook: Here

So what's next for 2020? I'm excited to announce a new format coming to my blog posts. I found that writing essay-style long articles was becoming less enjoyable for me to write. The new format will consist of 3 mini-segments in each post, which will hopefully allow me to write more frequently. 
Stay tuned!

Wishing you all the best in the year - and decade - ahead! May your glass be full of good wine, and your heart be full of happiness and joy. Cheers! 

Eh! Syrah, Syrah!

I'm a proud Canadian. What's not to like about living here: thousands of kilometres of natural beauty from coast to coast, we make 80% of the world's supply of Maple Syrup, we dominate each Winter Olympics in medals - and hey, for you believers, Santa Claus lives here ;)

Canadian wines are no exception to this list above. Although they aren't found widespread out of the country, our wine regions grow and create wines from a multitude of varietals, some of which are Chardonnay out of the Niagara region (where the annual International Cold-Climate Chardonnay conference, i4C, is held), Gewurtztraminer out of the Okanagan, and the sweet wines vinified in Quebec. In this post, I'm going to focus on the rapidly-growing popularity of Syrah in the Okanagan region.

British Columbia's vineyards are fairly young when it comes to the wine world; the first vines were planted in the early 1860s in order to make wine for the first settlement in the area. It wasn't until the mid-1970s, when experimental plantings of Merlot, Chenin Blanc, and other international varietals occurred, that diversity in the vineyards took off. Syrah plantings began shortly after, marking the oldest vines in the area at or under the age of 40 (like me!). The Syrah vines flourish best in the southern sub-regions of Oliver and Osoyoos due to higher average temperatures required for ripening; however, successful Syrah wines are also found north of Penticton on the Naramata Bench and in the Okanagan Falls regions.

Image from Okanagan.com. The Naramata Bench wine region is located Northeast of Penticton.

Laughing Stock Vineyards Syrah 2011 contains an ever-evolving flavour profile that includes stewed red cherries, cinnamon, and a hint of black licorice. A well-structured body of racy acidity and silky-smooth tannins lead into a finish that speaks to its oak aging. This wine is an excellent accompaniment with grilled game - we paired it with Elk striploin steak and were not disappointed!

Also located on the Naramata Bench near Laughing Stock is Hillside Winery. Their 2015 Syrah is bold up front, with focused acidity and muscular tannins. The body becomes more smooth and lush mid-palate, while maintaining complexity of flavour throughout. Notes of black plum and fresh raspberry evolve into a graphite finish. I consumed on its own; however, would be a wonderful accompaniment to aged cheddar.

Further south into the Osoyoos Region, Moon Curser's Syrah 2015 is brighter in style, with lively acidity and a smooth, clean finish. Notes of ripe plum, ground black pepper, and a hint of cloves create an expressive, succulent mouthfeel alongside lively acidity and velvety tannins. This Syrah is versatile enough to enjoy with a variety of foods, but is light enough that it can be enjoyed on its own.

Finally, the 2013 Painted Rock Estate Winery Syrah is composed of fine-grained tannins, a rich mouthfeel, notes of dried cranberry, red cherries, and a smoky cedar finish. Unfortunately, it fell a little flat despite decanting for almost 2 hours prior to tasting. I suspect I let this sit in cellar too long. With all of that said, the link above is for their 2016 Syrah and this newly released vintage will be easy to enjoy!

I found it intriguing to note that the majority of these wines expressed flavour profiles that differ quite a bit from the telltale flavours of Syrahs, but those wines all exhibited similar notes and structure to eachother - perhaps this is the Okanagan style developing! 

There are so many reasons I love Canada, and I am proud and grateful to get to live here, enjoy breathtaking landscapes, eat Canadian food and drink Canadian wine. I’m excited to see what the future has in store for all of our wine regions, and as time goes by, the future of our own unique style. 

For those of my readers in the USA, a happy early Independence Day. And for the proud Canadians everywhere, Happy Canada Day! May you celebrate by enjoying all that our beautiful country has to offer!