This is the unedited version of my article for KV Style

Valley Foodie Of The Month: Alexa Clark

By Craig Pinhey

This edition of Valley Foodie is a little different, as I am featuring a friend who grew up here, but now lives in Toronto, although she still visits regularly.  Alexandra Clark is the founder of CheapEats, a guide to value restaurants in the Toronto area (www.cheapeatstoronto.com/), but she’ll always be a Valley Girl.

“I grew up on the shores of the Kennebecasis,” she explains, “in Hampton with my mother, the Kingston Peninsula with my father and stepmother, and then on Mather’s Island in the middle of the river.”

She visits her dad Jim Clark several times a year on Mather’s Island (the one beside Long Island, right across the river from my house in Rothesay). How we met is quite a story.  A common friend from Kingston, Ontario introduced us via Facebook, telling me that she was a food writer, and that her dad was a food lover in Saint John.  I emailed her and asked her where he lived, and, in what must be considered an extreme coincidence, we realized that she had, for years, been visiting the island that I look at all day from our home and property. In fact we can kayak over to their beach in about 15 minutes on a calm day. Now we try to meet whenever she is back home.

She has been into food since she was a little girl. “When I was four,” says Clark, “my father and I used to go fishing for trout for breakfast in Puddington Brook on the Peninsula. Then eat them fresh from the water, pan-fried with a little bacon. That, accompanied with our conversations about respect for nature and the lives of the fish we were eating, were pivotal in the development of my approach to food.”

So, how does a girl from the Kennebecasis River Valley end up an authority on Toronto restaurants? Clark, who previously ran a tech consulting firm, explains: “CheapEats was born out of the Dot Com crash and my love for good quality, un-pretentious food, and interesting restaurants. I decided that if I wanted a guide to the good, interesting and inexpensive restaurants, I’d better create one since no one else had.”

Her knowledge of the restaurants was enhanced by years of actual industry experience. “I’ve worked both front of the house and back of the house, ” she says, “I started working alongside my father, who is a cook, in a number of Saint John restaurants. I also slung beer at a brew pub in Waterloo during university.”   I’ve been to that pub – the Heuther Hotel!

Although Clark eats out mostly in Toronto, her memorable dining experience comes from afar. “One of my favourites is of dining under the stars in a game park in South Africa. Big bowls of Kudu and Wildebeest stew, bread and lots of red wine were passed down a long table filled with people from around the world telling tales of the animals they had seen on their game drives and stories from the wardens of the lioness and her cubs that we encountered on ours.”

She may not see that kind of wildlife on Mather’s Island, but Clark and her dad always seem to be able to cook up something good without a modern kitchen. Here is one of her favourite dishes.

Recipe and photos provided by Alexandra Clark:

This is an island recipe, which means if you want a bit more whisky, add a bit more whisky. If you want bigger gnocchi make bigger gnocchi.

Gnocchi with wild mushroom whisky cream sauce

- 3 large baking potatoes

- 1 egg

- 1c flour (may need more or less)

- salt + pepper to taste

- Bake the potatoes until done (you can boil them, but baking produces a drier fluffier potato and works better

- cool and scrape out the meat of the potato

- combine potato with egg and 1/2c of the flour, salt + pepper.

- mix well to form a light pasta dough. (add more flour a little at a time if it is too sticky to work with)

- Divide the dough into balls and then roll it out into long snake about the thickness of your thumb. (like when you played with playdough as a kid… About that consistency too).

- cut into segments about the length of your thumb (1/2-3/4 inch)

- (optional) roll each gnocchi down the back of a fork with you thumb to form grooves on one side and an indent on the other… It holds sauce better this way.

- As you finish the sauce, below, cook gnocchi is salted boiling water until they float.

Wild Mushroom + Whisky Cream Sauce

- 1/4-2c wild mushrooms (depending on you tastes and availability)

- 1 medium onion – diced

- 1/4c of prosciutto or ham (optional for vegetarians)

- 1 clove of garlic – minced

- 1/4c Whisky

- 1c cream

- salt + pepper to taste

- clean and rough chop mushrooms

- sautée mushrooms in a little butter, remove from pan and reserve)

- sautée onions and prosciutto in a little butter until the onions are translucent

- add garlic and mushrooms and cook until the garlic has softened (1-2 minutes)

- deglaze the pan with whisky, drop the heat

- add cream and remove from heat to finish.

- add cooked gnocchi straight from the pasta pot into the sauce.

- mix until the gnocchi are covered,

- serve

Wine match, according to Craig: that sounds like a perfect opportunity for a characterful Italian wine, like Donnafugatta Anthilia.  A light Pinot Noir like Mission Hill Five Vineyards would work, too.

Craig Pinhey is a writer and Sommelier. You can read more at frogspad.ca or follow him on twitter (frogspadca)

Good Drink, June 12, 2010
Doing Bordeaux and Porto in One Night
By Craig Pinhey

I don’t normally write about wine and food dinners two weeks in a row, but this past couple of weeks have been special, with Festivin in Caraquet going on, and then a special dinner at the Delta Beausejour in Moncton, featuring two guest speakers and a lot of great wine.

The occasion was a fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society, organized and hosted by Delta General Manager Raymond Roberge, with the support of Churchill Dauphinee, a wine agency represented locally by Jamie Acker.   There was also support, of course, from the attendees, who contributed to help the fight against cancer.  Many I recognized from the local SAW (Society of American Wines), whose members are quite active in the Moncton area.

Cuisine was provided by Executive Chef Stefan Mueller from the Delta, and wines for the occasion were Bordeaux from Chateau Lamothe de Haux, and Porto from Dow’s.  Chateau Lamothe’s winemaker/co-owner Damien Chomart Neel was in town, and he entertained the group with a presentation on this family owned Chateau in the Premières Côtes de Bordeaux.   I had special interest in this, as I had met Neel and visited their lovely property when I was in Bordeaux a couple of years ago being trained to be a Bordeaux Tutor.  His slides evoked great memories, especially those showing all the wine stored in the limestone caves cut into the hills surrounding the Chateau, just east across the river from the city of Bordeaux.

Lamothe is a fairly small, good value producer that relies mainly on exports to North America, particularly the US. We started with their 2009 Bordeaux Blanc ($17.49) a blend of Sauvignon (Blanc and Gris), Semillon and Muscadelle.  This is a very fresh, citrussy white, with no oak. It is minerally and clean, with a crisp finish. It is very fruity and appealing as a cocktail wine, as well as matching with seafood and salads.  On this occasion it was nicely matched with Sautéed Atlantic Trout drizzled with Lemon Sauce, with a side of Amherst Grown Wild Rice.   The fish was perfectly cooked.

Their 2007 Bordeaux Rouge ($19.99) was served with a delicious Terrine of Buffalo, Boar and Foie Gras, with Fruit Chutney.  All the meat was from local farms.  Lamothe’s basic Rouge is unoaked, and the 07 is a fairly lean red, mostly Merlot, but with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, with some herbal, vegetal notes and light tannins, that really calls for food.

We stepped up a notch to the Lamothe 1er Cuvée 2006 ($26.99), which comes from different vineyards and is aged in oak, giving some vanilla and chocolate complexity, and more body. still, it is a very approachable, dry red. We drank that with a Duo of Beef Tenderloin and Rack of Lamb with a Bordelaise Sauce, Sautéed Mushrooms, and Fresh Spring Vegetables.   Again, pretty much everything was sourced locally.  It was simply superb.

There was  major shift in gears as we got ready for dessert, with Porto expert Pierre Dumas from Symington Family Estates giving us all a Porto lesson complete with a stunning slideshow of this unique region.  We then enjoyed a flight of 6 excellent Port wines, served alongside a dessert of various Port-friendly nibbles, including Stilton, candied fruit, hazelnuts, chocolate Mignardise and bittersweet chocolate.

Ports tasted were all from Dow, who are part of the Symington Group, which also includes Warre, Graham, Smith Woodhouse, Gould Campbell, Quinta do Vesuvio and the Madeira Wine Company.  Here are my brief notes on the 6 wines:

Dow’s 2004 Late Bottled Vintage ($27.29):  a great LBV, with blackcurrant and blackberry fruit, firm tannins, “fiery,” yet balanced.

Dow’s 10 Year Old Tawny ($39.78): a rather light Port, with a delicate nose showing quite a bit of fruit, and slightly nutty. Tawny Ports are aged in oak, and gradually become paler, and eventually brown, becoming somewhat like good sherry.

Dow’s 1997 Colheita ($39.29): Colheitas are Tawny Ports from a specific year. This showed dried fruit, such as prunes, with a smooth, complex palate, and soft tannins. Lovely stuff.

Dow’s 20 Year Old Tawny ($61.49):  Creamy, rich texture and tasty nutty flavours. Yum!

Dow’s 2000 Vintage (not available in NB):  Vintage Ports are only declared in the best years.  Recent “declared” vintages include: 2007, 2003, 2000, 1997, 1994, 1991, 1985, 1983, 1980, 1977 and 1970. Unlike Tawny Port, Vintage Port does its aging in the bottle, and top wines like these should not really be touched for 20 years, and can last 50 or even 100.  This is still young, and thus has lots of tannin, with a nose of black pepper, leather & dark fruit. Not surprisingly, it is rather closed now, but try it again in 20 years!

Dow’s 1970 Vintage (not available anywhere!):  This was a nice treat for Port lovers. In contrast to the 2000, the 1970 has a developed nose of dried fruit, and the tannins are completely soft. Still, the wine is perfectly preserved and free of any spoilage.

This was an excellent way to learn Port in one tasting, and a great way to finish a wonderful wine and food event.

Cheers!

Craig Pinhey is a writer and Sommelier, available for private tastings. Visit him at www.frogspad.ca and follow him on twitter (frogspadca)

Wine & Dine – KV Style

Pomodori Artisan Pizza and Gelato

Healthy Pizza is NOT an Oxymoron

By Craig Pinhey

Pomodori opened in the summer of 2008, at 83 Hampton Rd. in the plaza next to Rothesay High, and quickly developed a reputation for delicious healthy pizza. Healthy pizza?

Co-owned by Janice MacPherson, Keith Dunphy and Stephen Goddard, all Valley residents, Pomodori definitely has a fresh, local, healthy attitude. “Keith grew up on a farm,” explains MacPherson (who is also his wife), “His dad was a dairy farmer. They always had large gardens where they grew most of their vegetables every year. His mom would make tomato juice from their tomatoes and they stocked up on their own food for the winter.”

MacPherson, develops all the gelato recipes,  grew up in Saint John and is a self taught cook. Her 9 years in Nelson, BC defined her food love. “We spent a lot of time among the orchards and vineyards in the Okanagan, and grew to appreciate how wonderful local food is fresh from the farm. When we had children that made me more aware of the food we eat and I much prefer to spend the time making meals and snacks knowing every ingredient rather than buying prepackaged goods.”

Goddard developed his love of food from traveling to places like Italy, France and Germany, where “fresh and local” results in not only great tasting food, but also healthier choices.

The centrepiece of Pomodori is their impressive wood fired pizza oven.  They feature 13 different pizzas on their regular menu, have special feature pizzas, and you can build your own.  These are thin crust, not the typically heavy Maritime pizzas. For lunch I enjoyed my favourite pizza: local pepperoni, kalamata olives and mushrooms. They use fresh mozzarella: just a few pieces melted on the pizza, not coating the entire surface.

I also tried their spinach salad, with dried figs, goat cheese and sugared pecans, tossed in sherry vinaigrette, one of the best salads I’ve ever had. I had a glass of Pinot Grigio,  and a red Mezzamondo Negroamaro with my pizza.  Wine is served like in small cantinas in Italy, in little straight glasses.

Pomodori didn’t have salad when they first opened. “We introduced salads this year in response to feedback from many of our loyal customers,” explains MacPherson. They offer Caesar salad too.

I finished with lactose-free coconut gelato and espresso.  This lunch cost $32.50, but I took home half the pizza. I got a discount, as they offer a frequent buyer program.

I’ve heard few complaints about Pomodori, but some wish it were decorated like an Italian restaurant. The open, “cafeteria” style was intentional.  The owners want to get home to their families, not work late nights.

People with dietary concerns love the place. “We always have at least one dairy free gelato in our display case,” MacPherson says. “We have customers that bring in their own cheese and some have brought in their own gluten free dough. They can adjust our toppings to suit their health requirements. We have been approved by Simply For Life with our organic whole wheat dough, too.”

Healthy pizza is definitely not an oxymoron, not at Pomodori.

PS The Caramelized Onion with blue cheese and toasted walnut is the feature pizza until June 5th!

Craig Pinhey is a writer and Sommelier. You can read more at frogspad.ca or follow him on twitter (frogspadca)

From: Wine & Dine – KV Style, April 2010

Café and Patio Helps Revitalize the Historic Shadow Lawn Inn

Every day thousands of Valley residents drive, on their way to and from work and errands, past the historic Shadow Lawn Inn on the old Rothesay Road. Lately they’ve been stopping more often, probably because of the Side Door Café and Patio sign put up last year.

Shadow Lawn is  a fixture of Old Rothesay, an icon, and has been since James Robertson built the original structure in 1870. Called Karsalie, the building was a summer home for Robertson, who was a founding partner of MRA’s department store in Saint John.

It passed to Percy Thomson on Robertson’s death in 1921, and Thomson eventually changed the name to Shadow Lawn, owing to the shadows cast by the cedar hedges and various trees on the property.  By 1946 the building started to transform into an inn, under the ownership of the Flemming Family, offering rooms to seniors and catering.  Ensuing owners Willie and Jean Ward developed Shadow Lawn into a full fledged inn with rooms and dining, and this tradition has continued under current owners Pat and Margaret Gallagher, who purchased the property in 1986.

Times have changed in the industry, and Gallagher has adapted, especially in the past two years, offering occasional concerts, and opening themore casual Side Door Café and Bistro, with outdoor seating in the back garden area on seasonable days.

I stopped in for a casual lunch this week to chat with Pat Gallagher and Chef Nancy Fox, who took over the kitchen a couple years ago. I asked about how the inn business has changed. “We tend to do more individual dining, and more meetings,” he explained.  This was confirmed by a large business group that was watching a presentation in the main dining area, occasionally filling the inn with roars of laughter.   They do a healthy wedding business too, of course.

Chef Fox has come up with a great casual lunch menu, which I (and many others, according to Fox who had a busy summer last year) have been sampling fairly regularly. The current menu features a garden salad of organic greens, fresh local vegetables & Dijon vinaigrette; salmon chowder; potato and onion soup; and a soup of the day. They have dips, and a Seafood teaser: a Wolfhead smoked salmon and crab cake.

More filling stuff includes a seafood crepe, salmon dishes and a quiche of the day.   They also had Irish specialties this week (Boxty Irish potato pancake, Irish stew, Guinness Coddle).   I had the ham and onion quiche, delicious and fresh-from-the-oven hot, served with a side salad and homemade soda bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It was a great deal at just over $10 (before wine!

Dinner has a more traditional feel, with items like lamb, beef, chicken and salmon.  Although I love the casual feel of the Side Door and its patio, the Old World ambiance of the main inn dining area is certainly appreciated for special meals.

Friday April 9th is a perfect time to get reacquainted with the Shadow Lawn, as I am doing a wine and food pairing dinner with Chef Fox.  Go to shadowlawninn.com for the menu and pricing.

Cheers!

Craig Pinhey is a writer and Sommelier. You can read more at frogspad.ca or follow him on twitter (frogspadca)

From the New Brunswick Telegraph Journal
Good Drink, March 26, 2010
Reaching the Riesling Summit
By Craig Pinhey

There has been a huge increase in the number of food and wine dinners, beer and spirits events, and festivals in Atlantic Canada over the past 10 years. It is difficult for a fan of these sorts of things to get to all, or even most, of them. I feel obliged to spread myself around the region, too, as I represent the Atlantic Provinces in a national wine magazine (WineAccess.ca) and beer magazine (TapsMedia.ca).   I have to be selective, but there are several tastings I absolutely won’t miss.

One is an annual Riesling tasting held each spring in Nova Scotia. We call it the Riesling Summit for no other reason than it sounds a bit ridiculous and grandiose; it is actually a small tasting with a tight group of people whose lives have been brought together through wine.  It is small in number, in that each person only needs to bring one bottle (some can’t resist bringing more), and there are only 16 or so people each year. We can’t have more, as these are one bottle tastings, and one bottle only goes so far before people start complaining that there isn’t enough to properly assess (and enjoy, when you find your favourites!)   And, by limiting it to one, it increases the odds that each person will bring a special bottle.

This tasting is quite different from many others I go to, in that there are always a few winemakers present.  This year was no different, as there were four of the young, promising crop of Nova Scotia winemakers: Ben Swetnam from the soon to be opened Avondale Vineyards, Gina Haverstock of Gaspereau Vineyards (noted for her award winning Nova Scotia Riesling), Jean Benoit Deslauriers from Benjamin Bridge, and Simon Rafuse from Blomidon Winery. Swetnam and Haverstock previously worked at top German Riesling producers: St. Urbans Hof and Georg Breuer, respectively. The rest of the group consisted of Sommeliers and wine enthusiasts.

I don’t have the column space to go through all of the 24 wines we tried last Saturday, but I will describe a few to give an idea of the diversity available from this most noble grape.

In our first flight of 8 wines there were several I really liked. The first was a traditional method sparkling Riesling from Maleta in Niagara, Ontario. Very dry, with yeasty notes, green apple aromas and crisp acid, this was a nice surprise. It sells for under $30 in Ontario. Another good Niagara Riesling in this flight was the 2007 Jackson Triggs Grand Reserve , which had mineral notes and a pleasant, off-dry palate.  The winner of the flight, though, was a great value Cono Sur Riesling from Chile. It had forward “wet stone” minerality, lemon lime aromatics, and balanced acidity. This wine sells for only around $12-13 in Nova Scotia. We have a very similar wine here in New Brunswick, the Cono Sur Bio Bio Riesling, for $12.99.  That is my WINE OF THE WEEK. There was an excellent Georg Breuer in the flight, too, but unfortunately it was corked.  Still, you could tell there was a great wine underneath that defect.

Flight 2 had several noteworthy wines, the most interesting for me being a fresh, minerally 2007 Leasingham Reserve Riesling from Clare Valley, Australia, and a “non purchasable” wine, a Riesling from the Le Clos Jordanne winery in Niagara, which had shrill lime acidity and a leesy (yeasty) complexity. Bone dry, it needs time to develop and soften. The other winner in the flight was a 2007 Grand Cru from Ribeauville, in Alsace. This had great fruit and balance.

The last flight was made up of older wines, so not surprisingly there were some with really complex aromas and flavours.  Aged Rieslings are some of the best wines in the world, so I could say something nice about all the wines, but there were a few real standouts.  The first was a rich, nutty, and petroleum infused (a key feature of good aged Riesling) 2002 Riesling Cuvee Frederick Emile, from the well respected Trimbach in Alsace, France.  Another tasty wine was a 2003 Schloss Reinhartshausen Riesling Spätlese from the Rheingau, Germany. This had rich honey notes and sweet apple flavours.  My next favourite was a 2002 Auslese from Piesporter Goldtröpfchen, made by St. Urbans Hof in the Mosel, Germany.  This decadent beauty had sweet caramel and honey, good appley acidity and a yummy, long aftertaste.   The oldest, and perhaps most compelling wine of the tasting was the last, a 1986 Valwiger Herrenberg Riesling Auslese from Dr. Zenzen, from the Mosel.  Although almost 25 years old, this still had a delicate palate, with tingly acid, petroleum notes and a balanced finish.

Very few wines, or perhaps no other wines,  can age as well for your buying dollar as a good Riesling.

Cheers!

Craig Pinhey is a writer and Sommelier, available for private tastings. Visit him at www.frogspad.ca and follow him on twitter (frogspadca)

Published in the Telegraph Journal

Good Drink, February 26, 2010
Cool Climate Aussie Pinot
By Craig Pinhey
The term “cool climate” is often thrown around a little too loosely  by the folks who write the copy for back labels of wine bottles, especially for Pinot Noir.  They know wine experts prefer Pinot from cool climates, so they say it even when it isn’t quite accurate. If the wine is 15% alcohol, it ain’t from a cool climate!

Pinot Noir is an early ripening grape that needs a moderate climate so that it doesn’t ripen too quickly and become too soft, so low in acid that the resulting wine tastes like cherry jam.  I had a wine like this at a Halifax restaurant this weekend.   It was a terrible wine to drink with food and a poor example of Pinot Noir.

I recently read the transcript of a speech from Brian Croser, a prominent Australian wine expert who was addressing a group of industry professionals about the  problems with the diminished perception of Australia amongst lovers of fine wine.   Basically, he said that Australia makes too much (there’s a glut) inexpensive jammy wine and these simple wines have become the stereotype for Aussie reds, which has stifled the development of the international reputation for the excellent wines from their true cool climate regions, the ones that have similar or even cooler growing seasons than Burgundy and Bordeaux, France.

We have rarely seen the better Pinot Noirs from Australia here in New Brunswick, or even entry level wines from the best cool climate wine regions, the most famous of which are Margaret River, Mt. Barker, the Adelaide Hills, Coonawarra, Central Victoria, the Yarra Valley, Geelong, the Mornington Peninsula, the Victorian Alps, New South Wales Highlands and Tasmania.

So, it is refreshing when I find them on the ANBL shelves. In the past week I tasted two very good examples that show how Australia can make really good Pinot.  The first was a premium red, of  very limited quality: 2006 Feral Fox ($29.29). This is one of the cleverly named premium products from the respected d’Arenberg.   There’s hardly any left in the province, but I’m mentioning it because it is the type of product I’d like to see more of.  Grown in the Adelaide Hills, Feral Fox has a true Pinot nose, with lovely floral aspects, alongside cherry and mineral, plus a bit of funky (indeed, feral) character.   It has great acidity and is elegant on the palate. My only knock on this tasty Pinot is its high alcohol level;14.5% is just too much. I really believe 13.5% should be the Pinot cap.

WINE OF THE WEEK

So, how about a wine you can actually buy?  Feral Fox was a good lead-in to the 2006 Long Flat Yarra Valley Pinot Noir ($16.99, 708 bottles in the Warehouse, 370 in the stores), part of their “Destinations” line, which also includes a Clare Valley Riesling and an Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc. Yarra Valley, down in the far southern part of the Victoria region, just inland from Melbourne, is renowned for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with a Burgundian personality: aromatic, good acidity, minerality, but absolutely no jam. Long Flat is almost like a Baby Feral Fox. It has a similar floral, cherry-berry nose, but has less funk. It is similarly fresh on the palate, with good acidity and lots of cherry and strawberry fruit. I’m actually quite surprised to see a decent Yarra Valley Pinot Noir at this very fair price. This is a great food wine, for grilled salmon, roast chicken, coq au vin and pan seared duck breast.

I hope this is a sign of things to come  for the Aussie red selection at the ANBL: more elegance, less jam.

Cheers!

Craig Pinhey is a writer and Sommelier, available for private tastings. Visit him at www.frogspad.ca.

DELI-ICIOUS

Fork  It Over

by Dan and Brufrog

Urban Deli

urbandeli.ca

506.652.DELI (3354)

68 King St.

Hours:

Monday – Saturday 11:00am – 8:00pm

Sunday – Closed

[Dan]

Urban Deli is a hip place. What I mean by that is that it has a cool location, a classy yet muted décor showing off the building’s natural beauty, comfortable booths, and a unique communal table. Brufrog and I dropped in one evening for dinner and we sat at the communal table.

[Brufrog]

It was fun sitting there, wondering who would join us; hopefully not someone scary, but that’s part of the fun, I guess. The table is way cooler than I thought. After dinner I checked out urbanddeli.ca and learned it is made from 400+ year-old pitch pine and was originally a single support beam at the old Lantic Sugar Cane Refinery.  How cool is that? I also noted the logo and slogan on their site.  “old fashioned. slightly sophisticated” (no caps, of course) is the Urban Deli motto, and it definitely sets a tone.  Bottom line: Urban Deli is a funky looking and acting spot. So, how’s the grub?

[Dan]

Urban Deli has a decent selection of  New Brunswick beers by the bottle. Pumphouse Red and Picaroons Blonde, Dark & Stormy, and Dooryard were available when we visited but I think more are available at other times. I ordered a Dooryard ($6 – NOTE: all prices before tax), which I love on a summer day.

For an appetizer I ordered a not so modestly priced Atlantic Seafood Chowder ($11). It came out piping hot with a not too thick broth and contained lobster, shrimp, scallops, white fish, potatoes, and maybe more. A homemade biscuit was served on the side and it was very fresh. The chowder had a similar consistency to the one I make at home. Its flavour was near perfect although I loaded it with fresh ground pepper (just something I personally like) that was available on all of the tables (big plus!) The chowder is wonderful but it is a tough sell at $11.

I also had one of Brufrog’s ribs that are smoked on-site, smothered in a tangy barbecue sauce and then plated upon a bed of their homemade fries. The ribs were excellent as they were very tender, smoky, and the sauce was tasty. The fries are some of the best that you can get in the city and maybe some of my favourite fries that I’ve ever had. They are a medium cut with perfect balance between crispy and tender. The rib sauce on them makes a nice condiment as well.

[Brufrog]

That ½ rack of ribs ($12) made a great shared app, especially if you like ‘em smoky. They were very good, and the fact that Urban Deli has their own smoker is reason enough to celebrate. I also ordered the Saganaki cheese appetizer ($10), which is set on fire (on purpose) in the Greek tradition, in a cast iron pan in the kitchen, and brought to the table with some crunchy dipping breacrackers (not sure if these are bread or crackers).  The cheese dish was just OK. It’s fun to order and the cheese was pleasantly pungent, but about ¼ of it was inedible, being stuck/burned to the pan. I ordered a Picaroons Blonde ($6) to help wash down my appetizers. It was good but seemed less hoppy than when it was first released. This is not the fault of Urban Deli, of course, but I wish they had the Bitter instead, or Pumphouse SOB.  Perhaps they do sometimes.

[Dan]

For my main, I ordered Pass-Da-Balls ($10). This pasta dish has swirly noodles with a fresh marinara sauce and topped with a skewer of three meatballs. I don’t see the point of the skewer, however the meatballs on it were juicy and well seasoned. If I could change this dish I would add more sauce or less noodles and serve it on a round dish instead of a rectangular one. I found that the noodles on the outer edges that were not covered in sauce or the meatballs cooled quite a bit even before I was half done the dish. The plate makes the dish look nice but it is not very practical.

[Brufrog]

Dan said Balls, hehe heh heh. I tried some of his pasta the next day, as he let me steal his leftovers. It was pretty tasty fresh from the microwave.  Great meatballs + homemade tomato sauce = great!

My main was the Montreal smoked meat sandwich ($10) with a side of fries ($2). It’s a great sandwich, with quite mild tasting smoked meat (read their website to learn about smoked meat versus pastrami), fresh rye bread, and good mustard.  The fries are indeed wonderful, but I’d prefer a house mayo instead of catsup (the bottle was unbranded). The sandwich size is average, but some folks might find the price a bit much. I think the $10 should include fries, especially considering all the $10 and under lunch specials these days.  Overall, though, I really enjoyed my meal here and will certainly be back.

[Dan]

I like Urban Deli a lot and I’ll be going there many times in the future but I’ll most likely stick to the dishes that they are most known for, such as their sandwiches and things out of their smoker like the ribs, oh, and definitely more of the fries!

Dan J can be read at foodontheoffense.com, while Brufrog hops around at frogspad.ca

[here] Beer, Booze & Bars

Drink’N'Music 2009

Craig’s 10 Favourite Records of 2009, Paired with10 Favourite Tipples

Once again I find myself shuffling through my CD’s and record (I only bought one piece of vinyl this year), and checking my Iphone (yes, I finally broke down and downloaded a few records this year, out of necessity) to argue with myself about which should make my top 10.

As I get older I buy more jazz, classical & country, while still collecting Beatlesque pop, new wave and punk influenced music with older roots, and singer/songwriter standards.

I listen to a lot of “indie” music, too, online on myspace, on college radio, free concerts at radio3.cbc.ca, and their excellent Grant Lawrence-hosted podcasts. I’ve argued for years that indie is not a type of music: it’s a statement of your career status. It’s as meaningless a word as “alternative” (alternative to what?) Much indie music has little in common with the others in the genre: some is pop, some is punkish, some electronic, some 60’s folk, and some a mix of all those. Yes, I’ve heard Grizzly Bear and Animal Collective, tops on many people’s lists, but if I’m going to pay for indie, it’s most likely to be local. Examples are Halifax’s Brent Randall or Saint John’s Clinton Charlton.

2009 was a very strong year for music, so I’ve added some honourable mentions at the bottom that could just as easily have made my top 10.

1. Pugwash – Giddy (Beatlesque Pop, Ireland)

This Irish pop group has done very well in the UK with their original songs that echo the later Beatles, ELO, The Beach Boys and XTC, but they are virtually unknown in North America. XTC’s Andy Partridge’s Apehouse label is trying to change this, releasing Giddy, a collection of songs from their 4 studio albums, remastered and now available here in North America as well as via the apehouse site (http://apehouse.prevuz.com/tag/pugwash/) Partridge is credited as co-writer on several tracks, and guitarist/arranger extraordinaire Dave Gregory (also of XTC) is involved too. Just one listen to It’s Nice To Be Nice and I was hooked. Find it on youtube for a sample.

What to Drink:

I’d choose English traditional method sparkling wine (a burgeoning industry) because fizz makes me Giddy, but we don’t get any here, so instead I’ll choose a good value sparkler: Freixenet Carta Nevada Cava from Spain ($14.49).

2. Brent Randall and those Magnificent Pinecones – We Were Strangers in Paddington Green (60’s Style Pop, Canada)

Every now and then I hear a new band and I think “Wow! A new track from one of my favourite bands!” That was the case with Halifax’s Brent Randall’s beautiful Strange Love (Don’t Be Lazy). I was sure it was John Southworth, or perhaps an old Kinks song. The album art even looks like an old 60’s British record. This is wonderfully dreamy music from another time, another place, and I can’t wait to see him live.

Drink With: Gin & Tonic, definitely, on the lawn while watching the kids play, a cricket match or actual crickets. I’m using Gin from the small Myriad Distillery in PEI at the moment as well as New Amsterdam Straight ($28.99).

3. David Sylvian – Manafon (Ambient Jazz, England)

It is difficult to classify Sylvian since he has been everything from a Velvet Underground aping rocker and Asian/synth pop star in the band Japan, to a crooning (think Bryan Ferry) acoustic solo artist, prog rock duelist with King Crimson’s Robert Fripp, and now ambient jazz experimentalist. With the changes, two things stay the same: his deep, vibrato-affected, perfect voice, and his poems, turned into lyrics. Though still a difficult first listen, Manafon, recorded with an array of international improvising session musicians, is more approachable than his last record, the angular, almost atonal Blemish (now THAT was a breakup record!) By the third listen you will be either addicted or simply bewildered. I like that kind of challenge sometimes. Try Small Metal Gods and go from there.

Drink With: One of my favourites for those odd times when I feel like something weird is Campari (a bitter Italian liqueur often mixed with soda) and Orange juice, making for, like Manafon, a bittersweet experience.

4. Elvis Costello – Secret, Profane and Sugarcane (Country/Bluegrass/Music Hall, England/America)

Ever the genre hopper, to some folks’ dismay and others’ delight, Costello’s latest, a Grammy nominated LP, is a mostly acoustic record with some of USA’s most respected musicians, including the “World’s Best Dobro player,” Jerry Douglas. The album is a bit of a mish-mash; some is straight ahead Bluegrass & Country, including collaborations with Loretta Lynn and Emmy Lou Harris and there are a couple of odd covers (extended version has Femme Fatale by the Velvets), but the highlights are complex pieces he wrote for an opera about Hans Christian Andersen. She Handed Me A Mirror and How Deep Is The Red are moving music hall pieces, among the best songs he’s ever written.

Drink With: Samuel Adams Boston Lager, an American beer, but influenced by good European beer. It has a hoppy personality ($2.36/ 355 ml bottle)

5. Robbie Fulks – 50-Vc. Doberman (mostly Country, USA)

Robbie Fulks embarked on an ambitious project in 2009; he successfully recorded 50 songs, mostly his own, for release in a “digital download only” format (you can buy tracks at itunes or amazon.com). Although known mainly as an acerbic, disgruntled country artist, this talented Chicago singer songwriter has many musical styles on this release: heavy metal, soul, gospel, Broadway tunes, straight ahead pop, Zappa-ish stuff, and old time country. Next year he hopes to release a full album of Michael Jackson covers. I’m sure it will top the charts. His cover of Beyonce’s Irreplaceable sounds like a surefire country soul hit, It Was Love That Ruined Me sounds like John Hiatt or Nick Lowe at their best, and Pretty Girls is a hilarious country tune that would be a hit for someone famous: “The world is full of pretty girls, and pretty girls are full of themselves too.”

Drink With: whatever straight whisky you prefer. Maybe it should be Bourbon, but I’m partial to Single Malt, but I’m cheap, so I usually buy Vatted Malt, a blend of Single Malts, like Famous Grouse 12 Year Old, a blend that includes Highland Park and The Macallan for $35.29.

6. John Southworth – Mama Tevatron (Electronic Pop, Canada)

Southworth is as indie as anyone, by my definition, as his 6 records and 1 EP r over his 14 year recording career have come out on a bunch of different small labels. This latest was only available as a Digital Download until recently when it was released on CD by Dead Daisy/Outside music from the USA. It can now be purchased at MapleMusic.com. His videos are always conversation pieces, and arguably works of art; First of May http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ik_069zpxA from this record is worth a look. Southworth is known as a whimsical guitar and piano playing singer-songwriter, so his decision to do this as pretty much a synth record came as a bit of a surprise, but the results are refreshing. The single Get It Now is receiving lots of internet play on CBC Radio 3, which should help him reach the right demographic. Also, his regular performances as part of Toronto’s Art of Time Ensemble’s live classical/pop hybrids have been memorable. You can link to these things at his http://sud-de-valeur.blogspot.com/ site, including his Christmas song called Space Age Santa.

Drink with: a floral, complex, idiosyncratic white wine that ages well, much like his music. My pick at the ANBL is Donnafugata Anthilia for $17.99 from Southern Italy.

7. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone (Country/pop/rock, USA)

Neko Case is a superstar, debuting high on the Billboard charts, and garnering a Grammy nomination this year (up against Costello, actually), but her records are nothing like typical modern American popular music. An honourary Canadian (she sings with the New Pornographers), Case can write and has written “real’ country, but most of the songs here straddle 60’s and 70’s pop, country, and rock genres; they’re very “Brill Building.” Middle Cyclone is a varied, high quality release with great lyrics and performances. Right from the stellar opening track This Tornado Loves You, her powerful, pure voice dominates the record.

Drink with: Neko Case’s music is retro in only good ways, and it make me want to match her with something out of fashion that deserves more attention: oaky Chardonnay. It’s not an everyday wine, but sometimes I want rich and creamy, flavour packed wine. My pick is Bonterra Chardonnay, from California, for $21.99. And, like Neko, it’s organic!

8. Regina Spektor – Far (Piano pop, USA)

Branded by some as another in a line of piano playing sirens/Kate Bush clones (Sara McLachlan, Tori Amos, Sara Slean, etc. ), which is by no means an insult, Spektor has now made three consecutive records of bright, sometimes beautiful pop tunes. I was worried when I saw that Jeff Lynne (ELO) had produced 4 tracks because, although I like a lot of ELO’s music, I don’t like the way he overtakes other artists (Dave Edmunds, George Harrison). My concerns were unwarranted; the Lynne produced songs sound nothing like ELO: Folding Chair is a chirpy, radio-friendly tune. I love the record, especially the quirkier tunes like Eet and Dance Anthem of the 80’s.

Drink with: high quality vodka and soda with a lime wedge, pure, fresh & clean. I use Kittling Ridge Prince Igor Extreme ($24.99), Citadelle ($31.29) or Iceberg ($24.79).

9. Ben Folds Presents: University A Capella (Pop, USA)

I love Ben Folds and I love Glee, and I believe Ben’s work on this record predates, or perhaps foretells Glee. Note also that he is a judge for the popular new “The Sing Off” TV show on NBC. Folds held auditions for university singing groups to perform a capella versions of songs from his catalogue, selected some and recorded them professionally, adding a couple of his own versions. The result is a joyful, gorgeous record that you might not want to listen to every day, but will surely pep you up on a down day. Folds is one of the best songwriters of the past 20 years and this record celebrates this. The Spartones’ version of Not The Same, about a friend who finds God, is transcendent, hymn-like in its anti-religiosity. Folds’ version of Effington is simply brilliant.

Drink with: Premium rum, a capella. For value, I love Havana Club 7 year old ($28.48).

10. John Doe & The Sadies (Country rock, USA/Canada)

Doe has had a mildly successful solo career since his seminal West Coast punk band X called it quits, but he’s never sounded better or more comfortable than he does on this set of standards and his own compositions, playing alongside Canadian country rock legends The Sadies. Always a fan of country (he made two country records with wife Exene Cervenka of X and other bandmates under the name The Knitters), this record shows how perfect his easy drawl is for classics like Husbands and Wives, and Help Me Make It Through The Night.

Drink with: a beer. Your choice. I’ll take Pump House SOB.

Honourable Mentions:

Joel Plaskett – Three (Folk/Rock/Pop, Canada), Sondre Lerche – Heartbeat Radio (Jazzy Pop, Norway), Brian Setzer – Lonely Avenue (Jazzy Rockabilly, USA), Ben Kweller – Changing Horses (Country, USA), Cheap Trick – The Latest (Power Pop, USA), Clinton Charlton – Parade (Folk/Country, Canada).

MISSED FROM 2008: Molly Johnson – Lucky (Traditional jazz, Canada)

STILL NEED TO TRY FROM 2009: Madness – The Liberty of Norton Folgate (Ska-pop, England)

Craig Pinhey thinks that everyone should make their own top ten list. Visit him at www.frogspad.ca.

Burgundy, France was the first wine region I learned about in the Sommelier course I took in 2000. I learned from my instructor, Adam Dial, a self-confessed Burgundy lover, about the importance of terroir – the climate, the soil, the geography, the culture -  to this famous wine region. The region’s vineyards were mapped out based on their unique qualities by the Cisterian monks around the start of the 12th century, so they have a certain religious quality to them.  Well, that’s as close to religion as this heathen will ever get.  Now, most are sub-divided into many small pieces owned by many different growers, due to the laws of Napoleonic succession.  I was taught to appreciate the difference in wines from different subregions, communes and vineyards, and I grew to love these wines, both the Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, but had only dreamed of actually visiting until last month, when I experienced some of the region’s most famous vineyards, tasting the wines too, of course. This was like living out everything I had studied in the Sommelier program.

Starting with the town of Beaune, I immersed myself in the culture, staying close to the train station at the quaint Hotel Remparts, named for the adjacent fortress walls that surround the old city.   I immediately went for a long lunch at a local restaurant, sitting outside, enjoying mushroom soup and chevre salad, with a crisp glass of Saint Veran 2007 blanc, from Domaine F. Curis (4 Euros, or $6.25),  an oaky white  2007 Saint Aubin 1er Cru “Les Frionnes” from Domaine M. Champaud (5 Euros), and a rather soft and juicy 2005 Pommard from Domaine de la Crea (7 Euros).

Now, a quick explanation about vineyards and communes, using those three wines I had at lunch. The first and third wines were Commune wines, specifically from Saint-Veran and Pommard.  That is a step up from a Sub-Regional wine, such as a Côte de Beaune, and 2 steps up from a basic  appellations d’origine contrôlée (AOC) Bourgognes.  The second was a single vineyard wine of the Premier Cru level, from the Commune of Saint Aubin. The vineyard (or Cru) name was Les Frionnes.  There is only one level higher than that: Grand Cru, which are the vineyards recognized as the best.  These are typically south to south-east facing and mid slope on the Côte D’Or, the long skinny hill that runs North to South through Burgundy, and the wines from these vineyards are notoriously expensive, especially when from a heralded producer.

After lunch I toured the famous Hospices de Beaune Hotel-Dieu, where they do the annual auction of wines from the vineyards owned by the Hospices. This hospital was where the poor and infirm were taken care of since 1443, but is now a museum. Afterwards I crossed the street and did the Marche Aux Vins in the cellars under the buildings. The wines are all made by Patriarche Pere & Fils, a decent producer, and it is a great deal: 10 Euros for 15 samples, from basic Commune wines up to 1er Cru Beaune and Mercurey, and a Grand Cru Corton-Perrieres. Drinking them in the dark cellar makes them taste better than they are. Most interesting were a couple of Commune reds from the 1999 vintage, and a 2000 Beaune 1er Cru Greves red that was tasting great.

The next day was nice, so after lunch I took a 7 km walk to the hill of Corton to taste a few wines, including a quick visit and tasting of a 2006 Corton Les Renardes Grand Cru ($72.86 for the 2003 at ANBL) at the stately, gorgeous Château de Corton-André. From there I climbed the wall to check out the Grand Cru Vineyards, then walked back to Beaune through the surrounding appellations.

The next day was dedicated to Bouchard Pere & Fils, a dominant player in the world Burgundy market, with many wines for sale at the ANBL. After a brief tour of their modern winery, we drove around, touring vineyards around the town of Beaune, such as “L’Enfant Jesus” a famous red wine 1er Cru (there are a few bottles in ANBL for $91.48), the ridiculously valuable Le Montrachet Vineyard,  and the various sites  around the towns of Meursault, Volnay, Puligny, Pommard and others. It was a memorable day for me.

Next was Bouchard’s Chateau in Beaune. They actually own the castle that the king used to defend against the citizens of Beaune who didn’t take kindly to the French royalty taking over their city.  The castle now has wine stored under the turrets instead of weapons and soldiers. after a brief tour, I did a lunch and tasting of the 2008 whites and 2007 reds, including such iconic wines as Meursault Genevrieres 1er Cru white ($83.99 at ANBL for the 2004), Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru white ($160.78 at ANBL for the 2004),  Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru white (wow!), Volnay Caillerets Ancienne Cuvee Carnot 1er Cru red (2002 is at ANBL for $67.79) , Le Corton Grand Cru red ($96.83 for the 2002 at ANBL), Clos-Vougeot Grand Cru red, and  Beaune Greves Vigne de L’Enfant Jesus 1er Cru red, a very pretty, elegant Pinot Noir. Over lunch we tried the 1995 version of the Volnay Les Caillerets, which tasted young, with pretty cherry fruit, floral notes, good structure and virtually no loss of colour.

Those are all impressive wines, classical in style. More affordable and also delicious were the Beaune de Chateau red and white. We have the fantastic 2005 red and very good 2004 white for $42.78 at the ANBL. These are blends of various 1er Cru vineyards, but are sold at Commune prices.

On my last day I visited Domaine Fevre in Chablis, home to the best, crisp, minerally Chardonnays in the world, and, after a wonderful lunch of chevre and salad with a half bottle of their 2007 Bougros Grand Cru Chablis (!), went to walk around the Grand Crus, all planted on limestone from ancient seashells. It was interesting to see how all the best Chablis comes from such a small area.  You can see pretty much the whole Grand Cru acreage from one vantage point. Since my company name is Frog’s Pad, I was particularly interested to see the Grand Cru Grenouilles, right by the river;  the story is that the people used to complain when working the vineyard that the sounds of the frogs from the  river would drive them nuts!

I also saw the famous Grand Cru Bougros, which is the coolest terroir, lowest on the slope, where they have pipes through the vineyard to spray the vines when necessary. This coats them in a layer of ice for insulation to avoid damage. I tasted the range of 2007 Fevre wines after this vineyard tour, and the Bougros was perhaps the most classic, showing austerity, limestone minerality,  good acid, and a rich long finish. I love Chablis, and I wish I could afford Grand Cru or even 1er Cru on a regular basis. At the ANBL we have 2004 Les Preuses Grand Cru for $67.79. I found the 2007 to be quite approachable and fruity in Chablis. We can also buy the 2006 1er Montmains for $53.29 (also very classic in style, with mineral and lemony acid)  and basic AOC Chablis for $34.79.

Now that I’m home from Burgundy I find myself craving it. Going there was like a religious retreat for me, and I feel like I need more preaching!

Craig Pinhey is a freelance writer and Sommelier available for private events. Visit him at frogspad.ca or call 647 8466.

Good Drink, The New Brunswick Telegraph Journal, November 27, 2009

I spent most of my second week in France in Northern Rhone, a much smaller appellation than Southern Rhone, but blessed with some of the most famous, and most delicious, wines in the world.

We started in the pretty riverside town of Tain d’Hermitage, where one of the most iconic landmarks in terms of wine geography – the vine covered hill of Hermitage – dominates the landscape, rising above the small town, with its famous Chapel lit up at night. It’s quite spectacular.

Our visit winery visit was with Ferraton Pere & Fils, who still keep a small old winery right in downtown Tain.  The location has been used for winemaking for over 2 centuries. Ferraton is owned by Chapoutier, but make their own wine under their own labels.  We tried a range of their wines, from a good 2007 Cote de Rhones rouge (not at ANBL but available at Bishop’s Cellar in Halifax), to their succulent premium whites from Saint Joseph and Condrieu, up to their 2006 Hermitage Les Miaux. I believe this was my first Hermitage ever, and it was a nice start. Although big and quite juicy with red fruit, this 100% Syrah red has big tannins, some smoky/tarry complexity and a long delicious finish.  Two of their wines are available at ANBL: a Chateauneuf du Pape Le Parvais and a Crozes Hermitage La Matinere ($26.48). This is a minerally red, lightly oaked, dry, food friendly and elegant.

After tasting Hermitage, we drove up to the top of the hill to see the chapel and vineyards, and enjoy the gorgeous view. That was a wine mecca moment for me.

That evening we had a fabulous dinner at Le Mangevins, a wonderful restaurant and wine bar. The owner treated us to a taste of one of his favourites; a 1998 Saint Joseph (another famous Syrah appellation close to Hermitage) from J.L. Grippart (whose vineyards are now owned by Guigal).  It showed just how wonderfully these wines can age. It showed beautifully with smooth tannins, pleasing smoke, anise, blackberry fruit, and a very silky texture.  Fantastic.

The next morning we visited the new, modern winery of the decadent Delas – part of the Champagne Deutz group – famous producers of premium Northern Rhone wines, including White Hermitage, Condrieu, Saint Joseph, Croze-Hermitage, Cote-Rotie, Cornas, and Hermitage.  All of their wines were excellent, the highlights for me were the two very different Condrieu and the Hermitage.  For Condrieu, the opulent La Galopine, surprisingly (based on its viscous texture) unoaked, was the richest dry table white I’ve ever had, and Clos Boucher, also rich, partly from oak barrel treatment, is actually elegant and fresh, with pure apricot notes.  These are “wow” wines. The Hermitage, a 2006, was a 5 star Decanter selection, and no wonder. This is one of the most complex wines I’ve had in my short wine life. Its flavours actually reminded me of foie gras! It also had bacon/smoked meat notes, violets, pleasant herbal anise aromas, tar and a bit of mint. And yes, of course, there was some black fruit too. After a bit longer in the glass it showed some coffee notes, presumably from the 16 months of oak aging in 1 and 2 year old barrels. This wine still has a lot of life left in it. This one I didn’t spit!  I brought a bottle home to hang onto for a special occasion. Delas is not available in New Brunswick, but does sell in other parts of Canada.

Before leaving Tains, we visited Cave de Tains, a cooperative that is the area’s biggest producer, including 20% of all Hermitage wines.  We sampled several wines at their new tasting room and restaurant in the middle of one section of the Hermitage vineyards: quite a view for a wine enthusiast.

They specialize in good value wines from all the Northern Rhone appellations.  We tried Saint-Peran (refreshing whites, including sparklers,  made from Marsanne and Rousanne), Croze-Hermitage, Saint Joseph, Cornas and Hermitage. All well made wines, but my favourite for the $ was the quite classic tasting Saint Joseph Esprit de Granit, available for around $30 in Quebec and BC.

We had a great visit at the winery of Yves Cuilleron in Condrieu. Cuilleron deserves some credit for revitalizing the Condrieu appellation, now one of the most sought after whites in the world, unusually so, because it is 100% Viognier. He took over his uncle’s winery in 1987. Before his uncle it was his grandfather’s. The Northern Rhone wines practically disappeared in the first 2/3 of the 20th century, after the phylloxera root louse decimated Europe’s wine industry. It wasn’t until the late 1970’s and early 80’s that Condrieu started to be replanted. As evidence, 30 years ago there were only 15 hectares (ha) of Condrieu planted, and now it is around 150 ha. Still a very small amount of wines, butt hat just helps create demand and keep prices high. It is hard to get a bottle of Condrieu in Atlantic Canada for less than $50.  Cuilleron alone has increased Viognier plantings from 4 ha to 18 ha.  We tried a range of his whites, including his very illustrative 100% Rousanne and 100% Marsanne wines from Saint Joseph, and his reds from Cote Rotie, which traditionally include some Viognier with the Syrah.

His fame though, comes from his impressive Condrieu. We tried Les Chaillets, from the rather lean 20008 vintage (many winemakers told us on the trip that they did not make their top reds that year due to the disappointing conditions. But don’t worry – every one is thrilled about 2009!)   It had pure apricot aromas, expected for Viognier, as well as minerality and fresh acidity. There is oak in the wine, but it is not that evident. 2008 was less bad for whites than reds, as white wine with acidity is nice to have with food. But 2008 Condrieu is definitely not as fat  (low acid) as is typical.  A restaurant would do well to have whites from 2008 in the cellar for certain dishes.  To finish, we tried a special, rare wine: a 2007 Condrieu Late Harvest made from 60% botrytized grapes.  It is labeled as a Vin Liquoreux as there is no designated sweet wine appellation for Condrieu (yet!).

I have to admit that I drank more Hermitage and Condrieu last week than I had in my entire life previous to this trip. It was a decadent week, to be sure. Imagine buying Condrieu by the glass for $10 at restaurants as an aperitif! If you haven’t tried this special wine, that may mean nothing to you, but believe me, it was quite an experience for this wine guy.

Craig Pinhey is a writer and Sommelier, available for private tastings. Visit him at www.frogspad.ca.