Blind Tasting

On a warm summer's day, Barbara and I joined our friends, June, Peter, Jane, and Ken in our yearly ( actually, we pay three times a year each couple hosting) bocce ball game. We gathered at  Ken and Jane's. The day starts with the actual game followed by appetizers and wine. The hosts also provided dinner.

As we settled in after the game. I introduced a surprise wine for a blind tasting.  I prefer white wine, especially on a hot summer's day. Barbara and our friends prefer red; especially Ken and Peter.

I was definitely expecting negative reviews from Peter and Ken since the wine was white.

They surprised me. Everyone seemed to like the smooth fresh taste of the wine.  Positive comments were provided by everyone. Numerous guesses were made by everyone as to what the wine was. I had them enjoying a product they most likely would never have bought. 

I was even more surprised when Peter said it was good and requested a second glass. Wow! Even Ken had a second glass as did June. June and Barbara had mentioned one of the flavors of the wine was honey. I thought June may have been going in the right direction.

The wine was a Mead! Juno Melomel( dry pear) from Festina Lente Estate Winery  in Langley Township. 

I believe I now have a few more people interested in Meads.

On a side note, the afternoon and evening were a major success with a very delicious dinner provided by Jane and Ken. A BC wine, Seaside Pearl The Connaught-Syrah received better reviews than a more expensive wine from Spain.

 Mead

Mead, often referred to as honey wine, is an alcoholic drink made by the fermentation of honey. Mead is, in all likelihood, the oldest alcoholic beverage known to mankind. Before agricultural techniques were developed, humans were traditionally hunters and gatherers. After gathering honey from the hive, the natural yeast and high moisture content would cause the honey to ferment, producing mead. It is no wonder mead is often referred to as ‘the nectar of the gods', as its appearance seemed miraculous. 

The term "honeymoon" has been associated with drinking mead during the month-long celebration following a wedding in pagan times. In addition to the health-giving properties of honey; mead was thought by the Romans to lengthen life and possess unique healing qualities. The ancient Nordic people considered the drinking of mead as the most important aspect of daily life. Legends of great mead halls, feasts, and celebrations abound in the cultural histories of present-day countries of this area. 

Mead (Honey Wine) is the oldest art of fermentation. Consumed by all, from kings to peasants, mead has gained a reputation as a giver of life, wisdom, courage and strength down through the ages. The traditional drinking vessel for mead is called a mazer and was generally bowl-shaped, made of wood and often inlaid with silver. 

Melomel: Mead made with fruit added 

Braggot (or Bracket) Mead made with malted grain (usually barley) 

Hydromel: This is the term for a weak or watered down mead 

Pyment: This is mead made with grape or grape juice added. This is also the term for a grape wine that has honey added to it. 

Cyser - A mead made with apples or apple juice 

Metheglin: A mead made with added spices - often considered to have medicinal traits. Some common spices are cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves 

Rhodomel : An ancient Roman term for a mead made with rose petals 

Sack Mead: A mead with a very high honey content. It has a high density and is often sweeter than typical meads. This can be thought of as a dessert wine of meads. 

Show Mead: This is a term that has come to define a plain mead with no spices or fruits added. 

Short Mead : (Also referred to as a quick mead) this is a mead that is made in a fashion so it matures quickly. Short meads are often very similar to ales. 

Great Mead: Kind of like the opposite of a Short Mead. This mead is designed to be bottled and aged for several years. 

Sparkling Mead: A carbonated mead much like a sparkling wine. This is usually achieved by adding a small amount of honey or sugar just before bottling. This causes a small secondary ferment while in the bottle that will elevate the pressure and sweetness. 

Morat: A Melomel made from Mulberries 

Hippocras: A Pyment to which spices have been added 

Omphacomel: mead made with verjuice which is the juice of unripened grapes. This is often considered to be a type of pyment. 

Oxymel - Made with wine vinegar 

Acerglyn - Mead made with maple syrup 

Bochet - refers to a mead that was made with the honey caramelized or burned before it is added to the water. Creates several different flavours including toffee, chocolate or marshmallow. 

Capsicumel - Flavoured with chili pepper 

Black Mead - Made with Black Currants 

Mulled Mead - This refers to a mead that is heated before drinking. Typically it has spices for flavouring. 

Chouchen - which is a French Brittany mead... which sometimes contains apple juice: 

 

A Glorious Day in Vancouver.

Barbara and I meet with four of our closest friends to visit the Van Gogh Immersive Exhibition at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Afterwards, we were booked at the Cactus Clubs across the plaza.

The exhibition was truly amazing. Barbara and the gang took hundreds of photos as we watched the artistic displays. It was memorizing, What a talented artist!

We stayed until our old legs wore out on us as it was still too early for our reservation at the Cactus Club we settled in at the Lot185 cafe in the Centre. Where we were greeted like King and Queens the service was an exception. We drank a couple of rounds of BC wine from Mission Hill. Good time!

We can strongly recommend the fine hospital of Lot185. The chef was johnny on the spot when a glass of water (No one dares spill good wine) knocked over. Barbara received a small shower. We all laughed although the chef was more concerned that everyone was okay. 

We now walked across the Jack Poole Plaza to the restaurant.

We were amazed at the size of the outdoor patio and how busy the restaurant was. It was perfect on such a sunny warm day. Sadly we had made our reservation when it was raining and we were inside. The hostess overhears our comments about how nice it would be to be outside. She informed us a table was available on the patio. Now that hospitality!

Our server was charming and we all settled in with a drink as we studied the menu.

Two friends went for a shrimp pasta dish, two others for the Pepper Steak. Barbara had her favourite the Rocket  Salad and I had the Jack Daniel Ribs.  A most enjoyable diner with plenty of laughs.

A perfect day in the heart of Vancouver.

Did I mention we all had a Peanut Butter Crunch for dessert?

O'Rourke Peak Cellars Winery

2290 Goldie Rd, Lake Country, BC

 The amazing Lake Country winery is owned by Edmonton businessman Dennis O’Rourke, who made his millions in the heavy construction business in Alberta. He has chosen to invest some of those millions into two excellent Lake Country wineries.

Peak Cellars is one of the most interesting and exciting full-service wineries ever to open in BC.  It was built for the outdoors.

The Garden Bistro team is taking extra measures to provide a safe and healthy environment while delivering an outstanding winery experience. 

They currently offer 80 scenic seats on the vineyard-side patio with breathtaking views of surrounding orchards, rolling mountains, and Okanagan Lake. An onsite ½ acre organic vegetable garden and two greenhouses, only steps away from the Bistro, gives our culinary team the freshest veggies and herbs to incorporate into his daily menu showcasing true local flavours; the ultimate farm to table experience all year round!

Noted  wine author John Schreiner wrote:

The wine released this summer by O’Rourke’s Peak Cellars are among the most impressive Okanagan wines that I have tasted this year.

 Bacchus Wines of the Gods! In Greek was primarily known as the god of agriculture and wine, but was also associated with fertility, drama, and revelry. In regards to agriculture, he was depicted as a god of trees and forest, and was often sought ought to help the orchards grow. ...Bacchusremains best known today for his association with wine.

Here in Canada, the grape is underappreciated. Bacchus accounts for a mere 1% of the grapes grown in Canada.

I am a true Bacchus fan. A truly clean, crisp white wine with a nice floral and citrus aromas with flavours of Kiwi and Apricot.

Bacchus is more common in British Columbia than in the other provinces. In Ontario, Three Dog Winery produces a Bacchus.

Chaberton Estate Winery in Langley was the first to do a commercial wine in 1975  They produce an excellent wine year after year.

Roger Dosman founder of Alderlea winery near Duncan on Vancouver Island planted Bacchus in the mid-80s. New owners Zac and Julie Brown took over Alderlea Vineyards in April 2017 still produce a top-quality Bacchus from these vines.

Also producing a fine Bacchus on the Island is Blue Grouse. 

Another fine producer from the Okanagan is Arrowleaf Cellars. Black Market winery in Kaleden will release their first Bacchus in May.

To me Bacchus is one of the best patio wines of all time!

 Reif Icewine - Amazing

There is a long and rich history at the Reif. They are one of the founding Family wineries of the Niagara region of Ontario. Ewald Reif established the vineyards in 1977; opening their doors in 1982. In 1988 his nephew Klaus W. Reif. came to Canada and acquired the winery. 

The winery was founded by Ewald Reif, He sold the winery to his nephew Klaus. Klaus philosophy that 'Great wines start in the vineyard' is the cornerstone of the quality and integrity of Reif Wines. 

Reif Estate Winery has a rich history in Icewine production, they were among the very early pioneers. Their first vintage of Vidal Icewine produced in 1984. This 10 acre vineyard block on our 125 acre estate is still used today to produce their internationally acclaimed Vidal Icewine.

The grapes for Icewine are picked in winter at temperatures of at least -8˚C so that only the highly concentrated juice is pressed from the frozen berries, leaving behind the icy water crystals. The result of these unique climatic conditions is a deliciously sweet wine with exceptional high concentration of sugars, acids and extracts from the grapes with intense flavours and aromas. Although Icewine was first produced in Germany in 1794 Canada is now the largest and best producer of Icewine.

Reif Estate Winery has enjoyed international acclaim for their Icewines for over 20 years. In 1987 our Vidal Icewine was named by renowned Wine Critic, Robert Parker Jr., as one of the year's Top Ten Wines. Since 1984 Reif's Icewines have received over 100 Gold Awards.

AWARD HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

Gold Medal at Vin Expo in Bordeaux

Best Icewine Trophy at the International Wine Awards

Gold at the Japan Wine Challenge

Grand Gold at VinItaly

Wine of the Year at the Ontario Wine Awards

Best Sweet Wine Trophy at Cuvée Wine Awards

Gold at Decanter Wine Awards

Gold at International Wine Challenge

Gold at International Wine and Spirits Competition

Icewine and Food

 Cactus Club Cafe

Mornings do not always start out to be perfect. On this particular day, our toaster decided to give up the ghost. We decided to check out new ones at the nearest Canada Tire.

After searching through the kitchen section we finally found the toasters. Canadian tire stores always seem so messy and overbearing with inventory piled everywhere. After mulling over the selection we decided that nothing was quite right for us and left the store. 

To reach Canada Tire there is only one way in and one way out. This route took us by the Southpoint Cactus Club. WE noticed the parking lot seemed pretty empty and they had a very large patio. Outdoor dining here we come!

We parked close to the door. As we approached the restaurant a staff member came out opening the door with a big smile and a greeting. Once inside a second staff member also greeted us and asked for our name and phone number. So far perfect Covid-19 protocol. The staff member escorted us to or table on the patio. She chatted with Barbara as we proceeded.

Shortly after been seated our waitress arrived. She was very cheerful and a delight. We ordered a glass of Synchromesch Riesling 2020 from the Okanagan. A little sweet but otherwise a good wine. The wine list had 6 BC wines. 

Barbara had "The Rocket Salad" Parmesan-crusted chicken breast, arugula, baby gem tomatoes. red onions and lemon caper dressing. The portion was quite large. The salad was quite delicious. The chicken was extremely tasty.

I ordered the Jack Daniel Ribs with Ceasar salad and sea salt fries. Oh so good! The BBQ sauce balanced out the sweetness of the Reisling quite nicely.

As we relaxed and enjoyed our lunch we notice several dishes of Sushi been ordered. The plate looked quite attractive. 

It was an enjoyable lunch on a very nice patio with excellent service.