Sensational Friday Night

Please to not read this blog. I would like to keep this event a secret. I want to have a place for me and my wife at the table. I'm talking about Blackwood Lanes sensational Friday Night Wines challenges.
It is a very simple formate.

You arrive with a bottle of wine and an appetizer. Winery owner Carlos Lee then challenges the wine guest brings with a wine of his own. You get to taste some excellent wines from around the world while comparing them to Blackwood Lane BC wines.

On our last visit Carlos decide to make it a Merlot theme night. He did surprise us by starting the evening off with his yet to be released Riesling. The Riesling was so good I immediately ordered a case. Carlos then offered up something totally new. A locally ( Fraser Valley wine) that I'm not even allowed to tell you about. I suggest you visit the Winery.

We then sat down at the rather larger 16 seat table that has been reduce in size to fit the room and enjoyed some magnificent wines. They came from France, Italy, Washington state. the Okanagan and South Africa.

What a night! Carlos then surprised us by offering 2006 Merlot.

Good wines, good food and great conversation.
Blackwood Lane is home to 2008 The Referènce a wine Winesofcanada.com gave a 97

Previous visit

Sensation Valentine Dinner

A beautiful evening a short drive through the country side and we arrived at the Fraser Valley Chaberton Estate Winery. You could tell it was going to be a great evening the parking spot closest to the tasting room was vacant. The tasting bar as usual was busy, but my lovely wife was more interest in the numerous gift ideas in the shop.

I stood by patiently for a few minutes before finding an opening at the tasting bar. Where I enjoyed the 2013 Reserve Gewürztraminer, Reserve Siegerrebe, Reserve Dry Bacchus and Reserve Bacchus. Barbara joined me and tasted two red, 2012 Valley Red BC VQA and the 2011 Reserve Merlot.

It was now time for dinner. As we entered the very popular Bacchus Bistro we were greeted with a huge smile by a young lady dressed in an very nice uniform that said "welcome to a 5 star restaurant" Once seated we studied the wine list and menus. We noticed the new decor a very clean and cozy look. Well done Chaberton.

Our server for the evening approached with a lovely smile and greeted us by name. Jana served us last summer on the patio. I started with the Bacchus as Jana recalled that is wine I ordered in the Summer. Barbara went with a 2011 Merlot.

For the appetizer we both selected the Red Wine Poached Pear and Blue Cheese Tart. Do we know how to pick.. Simply delicious. For the main course Barbara selected the Pan Seared Halibut and I went with the Beef Bourguigon. Chef Ashley's and his staff are to be congratulation for producing such a outstanding meal. Our wine selection for the main course was 2011 Reserve Meritage. Today Barbara was still singing the praises of her Halibut.

Yes there was more to come. The desserts were next. Barbara selected the Chocolate Mousse and I had the Lemon Tart. Both were outstanding.

Both the Pan Seared Halibut and Beef Bourguigon along with the excellent service and wines will bring us back to the Chaberton Estate Bacchus Bistro. Thank you for a very memorial evening

Previous visit

 

 

 In My Backyard

 

 

Today the sun was shinning. It was a warm and beautiful day wit the snow gleaming on the mountains. We decided to drive over to Backyard Vineyards and check out their  renovated tasting.

What a great job they have done!  The room is larger and brighter providing a very inviting atmosphere.

 

 

 

 

 

we stayed long enough to chat with winemaker  James Cambridge and taste a few wines.

 

We tried the, yet to be released, Riesling . We shell return to buy a few bottles. We also tried the Cabernet Sauvignon  another great wine.

 

Backyard Vineyards (formerly called Neck of the Woods Winery) has been open for business in the Fraser Valley since 2009. In that short time they have been recognized for their  wines both locally and internationally, winning over 50 medals for our reds, whites and our bubble

 

 

Take time to visit your local winery during the winter month



Complications of Wine Language

Have you ever found yourself surround by friends or even strangers and been asked "how do you like the wine" Your mind searches for those wine terms, the wine language you read about in wine reviews.

"I like the rich fruity black cherry and smokieness in the nose and the even bitter finish." Is this the description that flashes through your mind. You want to say. "It's Good I like it." Well go ahead, say it! Wine tasting does not have to be complicated. You do not have to extend the boundaries of the English language to describe the wine.

I have never understood "bright black fruit with anise dill and leather notes." Bright is a term that describes light not taste, anise dill I understand, anise can be described as having a licorice flavour, leather denotes hmmmm okay. What if someone described the wine " with a touch of olive and saddle leather" Would you know if it was good or bad. Is a wine supposed to have a leather flavour?

What about tobacco? Descriptive term, used by some, to describe a flavor component resembling the taste of raw tobacco leaf in the finish of certain red wines. Seems to mainly apply to Cabernet Sauvignons from Bordeaux, France or the Napa region of California. " Cigarbox " is a common term often used as a near synonym especially if a cedar-wood note in the aroma is detected. (Non-smokers may have trouble with this word and its implication).

Perhaps I'm just a simple guy who likes his wine and prefers to say.. I like this wine. Its good. Most enjoyable. an easy drinking wine with fruity flavours

Don't be intimidated by the language of wine. Simply describe the wine as it tastes to you. Allow your senses to react to the wine. Wine is to be enjoyed. The wine language is unique but you do not have to know it or refer to it in order to enjoy the wine tasting experience.

The following article from the Wines of Michigan

The Simple Pleasures of Wine by Joe Borello

The topic of wine is fascinating and often times emotional. It is a simple agricultural product, yet many have a tendency to shroud it in mystery and complexity. It is important to realize that wine has been placed on dining tables for centuries as a natural beverage that serves as a pleasing and logical companion to food.

Few other products offer as much diverse subject matter as wine. Interests range from cultivating personal vineyards, visiting the actual property of a winery, collecting wine labels, building a wine collection of fine wines, to simply taste-testing different wine styles with friends.

Wine also combines instinctively with an interest in food. Many professional and amateur chefs are wine hobbyists because good cuisine demands wine both as an intricate seasoning ingredient and as a basic component of the dining table. Keep in mind that like food, it is important to create a point of reference for what you may like in wine. As time goes by and your tasting experience grows you will notice subtle differences in your preferences, It is helpful to seek information from others, but don't be intimidated by their opinions.

Although many hours could be spent studying the finer points of wine, it is best enjoyed as an uncomplicated subject. So, what is the best way to enjoy and learn about wine and food? The experts tell us there is no substitute for personal tasting experiences. Through taste comes the acquisition of knowledge. What better way to acquire knowledge then by visiting local wineries or gathering with a group of friends for a wine and food tasting? As you taste and compare wines you will find that not all are pleasing to you. Wine, like food, is made in many different styles to satisfy different tastes. It is up to the individual to choose the wines that best suit a personal palate and pocketbook. In North America we are fortunate to have over 900 winery tasting room facilities in which to experience a variety of tastes and styles of wine. Many of these wineries have educational tours and videos of the facilities and the winemaking process. Knowledgeable winery representatives then guide visitors through enchanting tasting tours of nature's fruit of the vine.


*. Permission to use the article was obtained from Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council.

Some thoughts on 2014

 

Wow  so many wineries opening  fascinating and amazing facilities

Wish I has made it to Painted Rock and Fort Berens

 

Never did I imagine when I started the Women of Wine page how many extraordinary women there are

 

One Faith Vineyard release their first wine just $169 a bottle. Really!

Wine sold in Grocery stores in behind a fence I’m not impressed.

 

Ontario still refuses to allow Ontario wines in BC WHY!!!!

 

Watch out here comes China

Canada’s wines are better than ever I must lower my SCORES!

 

Still puzzled over the number of wineries that do not respond to my information requests

 

A big Thank you to John Schrieiner and Fred Couch for all their help

 

Also a big thank you to Robert Murray in Nova Scotia

 

Must taste more wines from Eastern Canada in 2015

 

Why are so many people interest in Baby Duck

 

Will the Vancouver international Festival remember me in 2015

 

Forbidden fruit wines already proving we made a good choice as one of our Wineries to Watch in 2014

Not one person brought over or gave me a Canadian wine over Christmas Holidays ahhhh

 

Thank you Kim Lawton  a great source of info and support

 

Hope more winey owners and winemakers will come to VQA tastings I hate when the sales rep does not know where the winery is located

 

 

 

 

 

Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer

A man named Bob May, depressed and broken hearted, stared out his drafty apartment window into the chilling December night.

His 4-year-old daughter Barbara sat on his lap quietly sobbing. Bob's wife, Evelyn, was dying of cancer.

Little Barbara couldn't understand why her mommy could never come home. Barbara looked up into her dad's eyes and asked, "Why isn't Mommy just like everybody else's Mommy?"
Bob's jaw tightened and his eyes welled with tears. Her question brought waves of grief, but also of anger.

It had been the story of Bob's life. Life always had to be different for Bob. Small when he was a kid, Bob was often bullied by other boys. He was too little at the time to compete in sports. He was often called names he'd rather not remember. From childhood, Bob was different and never seemed to fit in.

Bob did complete college, married his loving wife and was grateful to get his job as a copywriter at MontgomeryWards during the Great Depression.

Then he was blessed with his little girl. But it was all short-lived. Evelyn's bout with cancer stripped them of all their savings and now Bob and his daughter were forced to live in a two-room apartment in the Chicago slums. Evelyn died just days before Christmas in 1938.
Bob struggled to give hope to his child, for whom he couldn't even afford to buy a Christmas gift. But if he couldn't buy a gift, he was determined to make one - a storybook!
Bob had created an animal character in his own mind and told the animal's story to little Barbara to give her comfort and hope. Again and again Bob told the story, embellishing it more with each telling.

Who was the character? What was the story all about?
The story Bob May created was his own autobiography in fable form. The character he created was a misfit outcast like he was. The name of the character? A little reindeer named Rudolph, with a big shiny nose.

Bob finished the book just in time to give it to his little girl on Christmas Day.
But the story doesn't end there. The general manager of Montgomery Ward caught wind of the little storybook and offered Bob May a nominal fee to purchase the rights to print the book.
Wards went on to print, “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and distribute it to children visiting Santa Claus in their stores.

By 1946 Wards had printed and distributed more than
six million copies of Rudolph. That same year, a major
publisher wanted to purchase the rights from Wards to print an updated version of the book.
In an unprecedented gesture of kindness, the CEO of Wards returned all rights back to Bob May.
The book became a best seller. Many toy and marketing deals followed and Bob May, now remarried with agrowing family, became wealthy from the story he created to comfort his grieving daughter. But the story doesn't end there either.

Bob's brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made a song adaptation to Rudolph. Though the song was turned down by such popular vocalists as Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore , it was recorded by the singing cowboy, Gene Autry. "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was released in 1949 and became a phenomenal success, selling more records than any other Christmas song,
with the exception of "White Christmas."

The gift of love that Bob May created for his daughter so long ago kept on returning back to bless him again and again. And Bob May learned the lesson, just like his dear friend Rudolph, that being different isn't so bad. In fact, being different can be a blessing.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

The Best Wines of 2014


If you have taken the opportunity to read my report called The Best Wines of 2014, perhaps you noticed they were all wines from British Columbia. Sad isn't it. Ontario makes excellent wines. Award winning wines at international competition The problem is Ontario  wines are not for sale in British Columbia where I live.

The same is true for Quebec, Nova Scotia and other eastern provinces you simply cannot but them in BC.  Its a fact that befuddles my way of thinking. You can buy wines from around the world in any BC government run store but wines from other provinces  NO! .. stupid.

Some wineries will ship wines from Ontario to BC. The federal government say YES the Ontario Government say no.. Merry Christmas Premier Kathleen Wynne hope you get your lump of coal.

But my point here is not to argue the law it is to point out why no wines outside of BC did not make my list . I had no opportunity this year to taste them

The Best of 2014