by Margaret Swaine | Apr 11, 2004
Vineyards and wine routes in Quebec
Travels Through Quebec’s Wine Country
By Margaret Swaine
Pouring wine in their rustic 1830 fieldstone and wood beam barn, Iréneé Belley and his wife Sandra Moreau explained how they came to grow wine in a province famous for its cold snowy winters. “I think doing a vineyard will keep the landscape beautiful. People tried to discourage us but I just felt that we needed a lot of money or to be very stubborn.
We didn’t have the first so we needed double the second,” said Sandra. Indeed at Vignoble de la Sablière close to the Vermont border in the Eastern Townships, they must bury the vines under earth every winter to protect them from freezing. With their first plantings in 1996, this vignoble joined a small group of about 28 wineries in Quebec. They’re a hearty lot as are the vines. The vines often spend eight months under snow, buried in earth mounds for protection against bone-chilling -30C temperatures.
This summer I decided to check out Quebec’s newly formed wine tourist route. I was born in Montreal and spent the first twenty years of my life enjoying the ski hills, golf courses and horseback trails of the Laurentians and Eastern Townships. Had there been wineries back then, I’m sure as teenagers with a spirit for adventure, my friends and I would have found them. But the wine trails came after us anglos had all moved out of the province in search of better jobs.
The route meanders along rural roads through wooded valleys by vast lakes with the Appalachian mountains to the south. In the Eastern Townships British and Victorian influenced villages meld with Irish and Scottish tradition and a veneer of colourful Quebecois. The loyalists of New England gave the area its architectural heritage and shaped its face starting in 1775. The French Canadians didn’t arrive until 1850, though from the beginning of the 20th century in two generations they became the majority residents. This rich history of mixed cultures is part of the unique charm of the area.
In the villages baker, butcher and food shops offer fresh baked goodies, homemade pâté and other local foods for the picnicking traveler such as artisan made cheeses. Among my favourites was L’Ermite, a tasty blue cheese produced by the monks of Saint-Benoît -du-Lac at their grand Benedictine abbey above Lac Memphrémagog. You can visit the abbey and buy recordings at their shop of their acclaimed choir reciting Gregorian chants.
Samuel de Champlain who planted vines near Quebec City in 1608 was likely the first to try viticulture in Quebec. His vines didn’t last long. However New France was not to go dry. For example in 1736 records show the colony imported the equivalent of 775,166 bottles of wine for a population of about twenty-four thousand. Attempts continued to be made to introduce viticulture to Canada but it wasn’t until the 1850’s that new hybrid plants from the United States solved the winter kill problem. There was even a vineyard in my old neighborhood, the Beaconsfield Vineyard at Pointe-Claire planted in 1877. However only a few tiny vineyards survived this period, tended by the Trappist monks in Oka and the Cistercians near Rougemont.
In modern times, the first licenses to operate vineyards were issued in 1980. About two dozen others have joined Those original five winegrowers. The province’s two major wine producing areas, the Eastern Townships (Cantons-de-L’est) and Montérégie have over 20 wineries, mostly all located within an hour or less of Montreal. Within the Eastern Townships, in Brome-Missisquoi, an all-new tourist circuit with road signs placed every 10 kilometres marks out the first ‘official’ wine route. It stretches over 132 kilometres taking visitors to 11 wineries. L’Orpailleur, which means gold-panner, is on this tour. It’s one of the original wineries and the largest. I learned my wine history lesson from their self-guided historical look at viticulture in the province. I also enjoyed a tasty lunch at their country-style bistro: Toulouse sausages, salad, a plate of locally made cheeses and pâté all ably accompanied by L’Orpailleur Oak Aged seyval blanc 2002, a fresh fruity white. Their Vin de Glace 2002 was a pure vidal icewine with a peachy apricot and honey taste that was delightful with the maple syrup pie dessert. Also worth more than a sip is their La Marquise de L’Orpailleur, a fortified white that’s macerated with fruits and spices for forty days. This winery is well equipped to handle groups (and they do so) with a film, tour and tasting offered to all.
At Vignoble la Bauge first planted in 1987, the property tour included a visit to their menagerie of boars, llamas, emu, red deer, yaks and more. This mini zoo of 15 different fauna helps draw ten thousand visitors in a season. Inside the winery shop they sold emu oil, goat soap, preserves and wine accessories. Outside, picnic table were set up for light lunches. A mere six dollars bought me a plate of boar and deer sausage, goat cheese in celery along with pâtés of boar and deer spread on rye bread. My choice to go with this savoury assortment was Folie de Vigneron 2002, a vermouth like aperitif wine made with a blend of seyval blanc and prairie star grapes flavoured with lemon and orange peel.
Vignoble La Mission in Brigham is a small family centered winery that makes a delicious vidal icewine as well as clean and fresh table wines. Spanish born Alejandro Guerrero greeted me warmly and offered a tour of his vines, then a visit to his small clean garage like winery with its new but quite manual equipment. When we went to the tasting room, his young daughters came to shyly say hello and help. My favourite visit of all was Domaine des Côtes D’Ardoise in Dunham as it had beautiful gardens dotted throughout with sculptures by some of Quebec’s best artists. They also make the only riesling in the province, a French vinifera varietal. They grow another French varietal, gamay, and I got to try some of it freshly made into wine but not yet bottled. It was lively and delicious but alas I couldn’t convince the winemaker, David Cottineau, to bottle it under its own label. It was to be blended with maréchal foch. Most of the wine in the province is made from hybrid grapes, such as seyval blanc, de chaunac, maréchal foch and vidal. With vines planted in 1975 and their first vintage in 1980, Côtes D’Ardoise has the honour of being the very first winery in modern Quebec. In 1984 it was bought by Dr. Jacques Papillon, a plastic surgeon in Montreal who’s often on TV and is famous for having “done” the breasts of stars in the province.
Montérégie by the south shores of the Saint Lawrence River, is so close to Montreal that it’s home to many commuters. It’s also the number one region for production of apple cider with 14 producers, number one in sugar shacks with 35 and home to 11 vineyards. Clos Saint-Denis in the Richelieu Valley about half an hour from downtown Montreal, makes a fabulous ice apple wine (Pomme de Glace) from their 2,000 apple trees along with a selection of grape based wines and hard ciders on their mile long farm. Among their over 8,500 vines are some varieties that I’ve rarely seen grown anywhere. The eona variety created in South Dakota is winter hardy to -40C, hence the vines don’t need to be buried. They sell it as Cuvée Saint-Denis and it’s fruity, rounded, quite aromatic and certainly interesting to drink. While in this Montérégie area, a must stop is La Cabosse d’Or Chocolaterie where Belgian style chocolates, ice cream and light lunches are made on premises. Their chocolate making is cleverly done behind a glass barrier to allow the public to view. Watching the employees make some of the 60 types of small candies from imported Belgian chocolate certainly motivated me to buy.
Half an hour just northwest of downtown Montreal on the other side of the River is La Roche des Brises in St-Joseph-du-Lac at the start of the Laurentians. One of a few five star gîtes (an upscale bed and breakfast) in the province, this country gem needs to be booked ahead. Its backdrop is another pastoral paradise. The land is dotted with apple orchards, vineyards and ancient farmhouses of stone and sloping tin roofs. It felt like I was stepping back into early Quebec history.
Like elsewhere in the province, La Roche des Brises is surrounded by activity year round. In spring the maple sap runs and sugar shacks open their doors to the public. People flock to them to watch sap turn into maple syrup and enjoy a meal of scrambled eggs, hot dogs, beans and more all drenched in it. In fall it’s apple and grape harvest, the leaves turn brilliant colours and people come to pick their own apples, picnic and sample apple cider and wine. Year round food lovers come for fine regional dining. The 125-seat restaurant at Brises des Bois is beside their wine tasting room with a view of the rolling farmland hills. Owners Gina Pratt and husband Jean-Pierre Bélisle have hired well. Chef André Martin and sommelier/maitre d’ Ivan Blanchette created for me a truly gourmet dining experience. My accommodations were in the gîte across the street in one of their seven large luxurious rooms.
Nearby Ciderie Lafrance offered me samples of a range of their strong (alcoholic) ciders, from sparkling, to still and dry, to sweet apple cider ice wine and a port style one aged in wood. All delicious, I bought a champagne method one and some artisanal cider vinegar to take home. In the fall this place attracts 2,000 visitors on a weekend with its café, live folk music and picnic areas.
Eventually, reluctantly I had to head back to my place in Toronto. My suitcase was stuffed with bottles of ice wine, cider, preserves, chocolates, pâtés and condiments. My nostalgia for La Belle Province will be well soothed by these tasty goodies. And I won’t miss the bone-chilling winters. Those are best enjoyed in small doses as ski vacations. But that’s another story.
Contacts:
L’Orpailleur: www.orpailleur.ca
Vignoble La Bauge: www.labauge.com
A good way to experience regional cuisine is to visit the three elegant country inns of Lake Massawippi; Manoir Hovey, Auberge Hatley and Ripplecove Inn. They all offer fine dining, excellent wine lists and easy access to the nearby wineries.
Hovey Manor: www.hoveymanor.com
Ripplecove: www.ripplecove.com
Auberge Hatley: www.relaischateaux.fr/hatley
Other accommodation in the area:
Auberge Quilliams: www.aubergequilliams.com for large sized rooms, an indoor pool and decent dining
Auberge Knowlton: https://en.aubergeknowlton.com is an historic property right in the heart of the picturesque town of Knowlton
Hostellerie Rive Gauche https://hotelrivegauche.ca/ is in Beloeil on the river and well situated for touring Montérégie. It’s part of the Hôtellerie Champêtre, a fine group of independently owned Quebec resorts and inns www.hotelleriechampetre.com
La Roche des Brises: www.rochedesbrises.com
For details on the wine route, maps and wineries, visit www.bonjourquebec.com
Quebec details: www.bonjourquebec.com (1-877-266-5687) Eastern Townships: www.easterntownships.cc (click on vineyards for winery details) or call 1-800-355-5755 and ask for the new Eastern Townships Tourist Guide that shows the wine route in detail. For the Laurentians: : www.Laurentides.com
by Margaret Swaine | Aug 18, 2003
By Margaret Swaine
We were a group of well-dressed people running into the vineyards in heels and hats at Vineland Estate in Niagara this August, only doing what many do these days. Rushing to get to a wedding. At a winery. Except in this case it was more like a travelling nuptial theatre. The bride was a lawyer with a talent for organizing great parties.
The ceremony took place in the vineyard under an arch of flowers and vines with Vineland’s sparkling wine to wet our whistles. The reception was in the winery’s historic 1857 stone-walled Carriage House. Then we had a bus tour of the region’s neighboring wineries of Harbour Estates, Angel’s Gate, Thirty Bench and others. Dinner was al fresco on the umbrella-protected deck at Creekside, after a tour of their wine cellars where a jazz duo serenaded the assembled party. Later most celebrated on into the night at the couple’s suite nearby at Cave Spring Winery’s Inn on the Twenty in the small hamlet of Jordan. After enjoying so much good wine at each location, we only needed to stumble to our own sumptuous rooms there.
Morning saw us stroll across the street to breakfast at the Inn’s restaurant, adjacent to their winery. My husband and I lingered in the town, tempted by the sculptures of Ninavik Native Arts into further bolstering the local economy. On the way home we stopped at picturesque Peninsula Ridge winery for a delightful lunch in a lovingly restored Queen Anne Victorian home. The winery was busy setting up for a wedding to take place on their property.
Napa North
Ontario’s wineries are popular for weddings likely because their beautiful scenery, fine wine and food seduce people. All is open for discovery when you take a wine-touring trip. In twenty-five years, Ontario has gone from being nowhere in the wine world to a mini Napa North. The province now has about 90 wineries, the majority of which are in the Niagara Peninsula. Almost all offer at least a tasting room that includes reserve wine for sale you can only get at the cellar door. But as you can see, that’s just the beginning.
Last fall at the impressive Peller Estates Winery in Niagara during harvest celebrations, I found a wine lovers’ Disney World. There were horse drawn carriages trotting around the vineyards, a Steve Bauer cyclist group in bright yellow shirts resting on the steps leading into the winery, diners on the sunlit patio and pretty young girls standing between the vines offering free samples of fresh crushed grape juice from different varietals to compare with the finished wine. Inside, educational seminars on the ABC’s of cabernet were taking place, along with winery tours and a harvest celebration tasting menu at the elegant Peller Estates Winery Restaurant. The boutique was packed with shoppers examining the decanters, fine crystal, posters, corkscrew collection, wine CD’s, icewine chocolates, placemats and of course the wine.
Some of the guests had bought a Shaw’s Vineyard Pleasures package. After their tour and dinner at the winery, they would drive, or do the short walk, to Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Shaw Festival to enjoy a world-class theatre performance. Others who had joined the Peller by Request club were getting a complimentary premium wine tasting after their tour or were taking advantage of their discount on accessories in the boutique.
The Niagara Wine Route
The Niagara Wine Route starts about an hour’s drive from Toronto. There just off the main QEW highway, travelers can begin their tour, which meanders along 40 kilometers of rural roads from Grimsby to Niagara-on-the-Lake. The route, starting on Regional Road 81, traverses gently rolling landscape through small towns, vineyards and orchards. Half the Niagara Peninsula is still devoted to agriculture and many of the farms are proudly preserved century properties, with roots tracing back to the days of the Empire Loyalists. The Niagara Escarpment on one side and glittering Lake Ontario on the other handsomely bracket the route. The top ridges of the craggy cliffs of the Escarpment were once the shoreline of Lake Iroquois, an ancient lake that receded with the glaciers leaving behind the Five Great Lakes as we know them today, and fossil rich land great for grape growing. The route is not a straight drive, rather in order to visit wineries, there are many sideroads to take up and down the escarpment.
You can leave the QEW at the first sign of a winery or continue until you see a particular one you wish to visit. Many of the wineries have signs on the QEW that tell you which exit to take to find them. I’m not a fan of highway driving so I tend to exit at Fifty Road and start the route from the beginning, stopping at roadside stands to pick up fresh fruit and other local goodies as I go.
The road passes by the towns of Grimsby, Beamsville and Vineland and so might you unless you have time to kill. It’s the wineries dotted around them that you want to visit, all which have tasting rooms. Angel’s Gate, a spanking new winery and Thirty Bench quite country-rustic in comparison, share the same road (Mountainview) and make lovely wines. Modern looking Malivoire, between Beamsville and Vineland on Regional Road 81, uses a hillside drop for a pump-free wine process. The end result from winemaker Ann Sperling is some of the best chardonnay and pinot noir in the province.
Jordan Village
The next town however on this meandering route to Niagara is worth a visit. Jordan Village, home of Cave Spring Cellars Winery, is a restored tiny hamlet with Georgian and Victorian homes lining Main Street. Antique shops, galleries, a garden shop, restaurant and inn are all bunched together on two streets. Cave Spring’s adjacent restaurant On the Twenty serves good Canadian fresh market cuisine. From the restaurant you see the steep and beautiful Twenty Mile Valley. Across the street, The Inn on the Twenty where us wedding guests stayed, is a charming property build in 1996 that has some of the best accommodation in the area (www.innonthetwenty.com).
Once past the town of St. Catharines you can head south towards the US border and visit a few wineries on the way to the famous Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls. The other direction takes you to picturesque Niagara-on-the-Lake and a host of wineries encircling the town. Three million tourists flock to this Regency town annually, so don’t expect a quiet time. Home of The Shaw Festival, theatre dominates the town from April 4 to November 24. Shaw, North America’s second largest repertory company, is the only one in the world specializing in plays written by George Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries (www.shawfest.com). Ten of the nearby wineries offer dining and theatre packages along with a winery tour.
For winery visitors however, theatre is just one activity among many they can enjoy. In summer there are barbeques, jazz and blues in the vineyard, chamber concerts and picnics. Fall is harvest celebrations, wine makers dinners and dozens of events surrounding the Niagara Grape and Wine Festival. Winter brings icewine celebrations and holiday shopping at winery boutiques. Spring is for new release tastings, biking and walking through the vineyard and blossom festivals. Every time I’ve done the trip I’ve found new wineries, restaurants and activities. There is one thing though that I’m not going to do again – pick grapes for icewine in the dead cold of winter. That, like sleeping in Quebec City’s Icehotel, is more fun in concept than reality.
Some Recommended Wineries
Peninsula Ridge Estate. 5600 King Street, Beamsville. Tel. 905-563-0900. www.peninsularidge.com One of the rising stars of Ontario wineries, their French winemaker Jean Pierre Colas, first made his name at Domaine Laroche in Chablis. His Chardonnay Reserve, Sauvignon Blanc and Bordeaux style blended red are some of the area’s best. On site, set in an historic 1885 Victorian manor, is The Restaurant at Peninsula Ridge. They serve Canadian delicacies such as seared Quebec Foie Gras, pan-seared Arctic Char and Ile Verte lamb.
Cave Spring Cellars. 3838 Main Street, Jordan. Tel. 905-562-3581. www.cavespringcellars.com Cave Spring specializes in Riesling, Chardonnay, Gamay, and Cabernet/Merlot blends from Beamsville Bench vineyards, among the oldest vinifera plantings in Niagara. Their On the Twenty Restaurant serves Niagara cuisine year round – signature dishes include house smoked Lake Erie venison and double espresso chocolate torte.
Vineland Estates Winery. 3620 Moyer Rd., Vineland. Tel. 905-562-7088. www.vineland.com Vineland, up on the escarpment, has a sweeping view of vineyards and Lake Ontario, the most scenic of all the wineries. Its historic setting includes a wine store with a wide selection of wine accessories and artistically made decorative items (vases, candle holders, place mats), a carriage house and an elegant restaurant. Canadiana cuisine with a Mediterranean influence is served, using fresh local ingredients.
Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery. 1469 Pelham Rd., St. Catharines. Tel. 905-684-8423. www.henryofpelham.com Makers of excellent VQA wines, their retail store is set in an 1842 inn, once a gateway point through the Niagara escarpment. Next to the Short Hills Provincial Park, they have picnic and patio facilities as well as innovative activities during touring season such as Shakespeare in the Vineyard and hiking on the Bruce Trail. Their Couch House Café serves light meals such as soups, duck pâté on a French stick, mesclun salad and special Quebec and Ontario artisan cheeses to eat in or take out as a picnic.
Hillebrand Estates Winery. 1249 Niagara Stone Rd,. Niagara-on-the-Lake. Tel. 905-468-7123. www.hillebrand.com Hillebrand boasts the largest product list of VQA wines in Canada. Of note is their ultra premium Showcase series of single vineyard unfiltered wines. These are stunning wines of depth and complexity with long aging potential. In addition to regular complimentary tours offered every hour, they have music concerts throughout the summer, bicycle vineyard tours and fine dining in a casual setting. The Vineyard Café serves regional dishes such as vanilla scented lobster, Century Game Farm bison and Oka cheese polenta.
Inniskillin Wines. Line 3 Niagara Parkway, Niagara-on-the-Lake. Tel. 905-468-3554. www.inniskillin.com and www.icewine.com Inniskillin is the winery that started the renaissance of wine in Ontario. The visitor centre is housed in an old restored 1920’s barn and includes a retail boutique and tasting bar featuring their excellent Pinot Noirs, single vineyard Chardonnays, icewines and other premium products. Its twenty station self-guided tour is very educational and well presented.
Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Winery. 2145 Niagara Stone Rd., Niagara-on-the-Lake. Tel. 905-468-4637. www.jacksontriggswinery.com This state of the art winery designed by Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects has an ultra modern high tech look. One reason to visit is just to see its stunning two-storey Great Hall, which separates the wine production area from the hospitality section. Also take in the wine and food sensory experiences in the Tasting Gallery, concerts and theatre in the vineyard and other activities.
Peller Estates Winery. 290 John Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake. Tel. 905-468-4678. www.peller.com Peller Estates, a large winery with an excellent well-stocked boutique, also has one of the best winery restaurants. A weekly tasting menu consists of six courses matched with wine to compliment each tasting portion dish. A seasonal three-course $29.95 lunch is a relatively new addition.
General Information
The Official Guide to the Wineries of Ontario provides contact information on about 50 of the Ontario wineries, a map, as well as information on accommodation, dining and area attractions. For a free copy contact the Wine Council of Ontario. Call 1-800-263-2988, write to: The Wine Council of Ontario, 110 Hannover Drive, Suite B205 St. Catharines, Ontario L2W 1A4. Or visit https://winecountryontario.ca for a downloadable copy.
The area has many beautiful bed and breakfast places. The Niagara Bed and Breakfast Association represents some 180 operators. Call 905-468-0123 or visit www.bookyourstay.ca for details on each property from historic Old Town manor houses to the river view countryside farms.
For small inns call 1-800-340-4667 or visit www.niagaraonthelake.com/accomodations
Vintage Inns has the fancy properties in the area, namely Queen’s Landing, The Prince of Wales, Oban Inn and Pillar and Post. Call 1-800-361-6645 or see www.vintageinns.com
The new Legends on the Niagara Golf Complex has two 18-hole championship courses designed by renowned golf course architects Thomas McBroom and Douglas Carrick. For details on this and other local courses see www.niagaraparks.com
For a bird’s eye view of the vineyards and falls call Niagara Helicopters at 905-357-5672 or view www.niagara-helicopters.com
Steve Bauer’s Bike Tours can be contacted at 905-562-0788 or www.stevebauer.com
Margaret Swaine has been covering the wine scene around the world for over 25 years. She writes for many national magazines and newspapers including Toronto Life, Chatelaine, Food and Drink, the National Post and the Globe and Mail.
by Margaret Swaine | Jul 1, 2003
Travelling Okanagan’s Wine Trail
By Margaret Swaine
The Okanagan is the Canadian version of a Riviera. The ever-present glittering lakes are the backdrop to ski hills, golf courses, cycling and hiking routes and wine trails. There’s nothing flash, snob or high fashion. Rather it’s sunny, scenic beauty, with activities that hug nature and the outdoors in a low-key, low profile manner.
However the area hit the news big time in 2003. The year was the worst of times and the best of times for grape farmers. In summer, this region that encompasses Canada’s only true dessert saw much too much heat. Wild fires raged through parts of the valley destroying hundreds of private homes and thousands of hectares of parkland. St. Hubertus lost its historic 1930’s winery and its crop. Elsewhere some wineries close to the fire suffered smoke damage to their grapes on an estimated 250 acres or around 3 per cent of the total harvest in Okanagan. St. Hubertus met their misfortune with plucky gallows humour. They bottled St. Hubertus Fireman’s Red Gamay Noir 2001 and a Glowing Amber Chardonnay with two dollars from every bottle going to the fire-relief fund. The majority, who managed to avoid smoke taint, picked a prime ripe vintage.
Jim Wyse, proprietor of Burrowing Owl, sent a detailed email to his contacts late August with an upbeat ending. He talked about the pale white haze that sat over parts of the valley but then added, “Through all of this the grapes are ripening quickly and the winery has been very busy. The visitor count is well up over last year, the restaurant is continuing to attract patrons with many afternoons and evenings operating at capacity.” Later in October Black Hills sent a note saying, “This year our growing season was spectacular and we have been able to harvest superb ripe fruit. Fermentation is under way and some of the wines are already in barrel.”
Then the blessing of all happened. On November 4 an artic air flowed into the valley and temperatures plummeted in the night to the ideal -10 C for harvesting the precious icewine. Mission Hill recorded its earliest harvest on record and its first since 2001. “The fruit we picked is brilliant,” said Winemaker John Simes. “Because it’s so early in the season, it’s fresh and bursting with flavour.” The fruit registered 40.5 brix, well above the sugar level of 35 brix that it needs to qualify as icewine. In all nine wineries recorded icewine harvests that night and 80 tons of frozen grapes began the long fermentation to become icewine. Late onsets of cold temperatures have delayed the picking of icewine grapes the two previous years, with many wineries unable to wait it out. Last year’s first harvest took place on February 24. Temperatures must be well below zero for several days so that the grapes freeze on the vine. The frozen grapes are then pressed in that state. The rich, sweet wine that results wins awards and high prices for the wineries. “It takes a lot of diligence, patience and good winemaking skills but when customers buy a bottle of British Columbia VQA Icewine, they can be confident it’s the best in the world,” said Tilman Hainle whose winery produced the first icewine in Canada in 1978.
I was happy to hear about the good outcome to the year. I’ve been visiting this area for years. Sometimes to ski at Silver Star, Big White, Apex and Sun Peaks, other times to golf though I could literally do both the same day. Only months before the summer fires, I travelled the area to do the wine trial. The Okanagan/Similkameen Valley is B.C.’s largest wine appellation with around 60 wineries and ever growing. I had decided to drive the wine route starting near Vernon heading south along highway 97 to Osoyoos, which hugs the Washington border. The valley’s one great long scenic countryside, flanked by low-lying mountains and centered by glittering blue lakes.
The natural beginning was in the north at Gray Monk, one of the Valley’s originals, owned by the Heiss family whose vineyards date back thirty years. When I first visited them, they were small but enthusiastic. Their sweeping views of vineyards and the Okanagan cried out for a restaurant so the public could dine in the splendor. Now Willi Franz, the highly regarded chef at the Williams Inn in Kelowna, commanded the kitchen of their Grapevine Restaurant and patio. Nearby was a cottage in the vineyard available for special guests. (I won a night there in a dance contest but as is my lot in life have been too pressed to collect.) Their tasting room attracts upwards of 500 visitors a day in the summer where delicious fruity whites are a main draw.
My next stop was Kelowna, the largest city in the Valley at about its midpoint in Central Okanagan. This city of under 100,000 boasts more money per capita than anywhere else in the country. The Grand Okanagan, my resting place for the night, was smack in its heart by Lake Okanagan. The location is great connected to shore side boardwalks leading to parks and within a few minutes of downtown. It’s boasting point is size over intimacy. The big place was so filled with nametag bearing conference goers and casino devotees that I retreated to my French Country themed suite and opened the curtains to a spectacular sunset. Dinner at Fresco was a short walk away. At Fresco I found Rod Butters whom I’d met when he was chef at the renowned Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino. He’s gone on to win Provincial Restaurateur of the Year, Best BC Wine List and more. His talents shone brightly here, no doubt inspired by his setting and the access to good produce.
On a previous trip I’d paid a visit to Calona Winery, a large, very successful winery within Kelowna that delivers a great tour. Established in 1932, Calona is British Columbia’s original winery and it holds an innovative Artist Series Art Competition every year. However this time I headed straight across the longest floating bridge in North America up Mount Boucherie to see the architectural masterpiece that crowns it. Mission Hill’s “second glance” architecture is designed to offer something new every time you look. I stepped through the entrance archways held in place by a carved keystone block and saw a 16th century Austrian fountain, an outdoor amphitheatre where Shakespeare was performed in the summer, a terrace patio for dining and a loggia for resting. Another glance and I noticed the twelve-story bell tower which tolls the time. I strolled underground and found an education centre that offered daily two-hour wine programs. My last stop was the retail shop which sold Mission Hill’s 26 different wines, including value priced, delightful sauvignon blanc and pinot gris.
I planned my lunch to coincide with my visit to Sumac Ridge in Summerland. The Cellar Door Bistro is a good mid-point before Oliver that was my final destination that day. Chef Neil Schroeter made me a mean pork and tamarind curry that matched with Sumac’s signature Private Reserve Gewurztraminer just perfectly. I also took advantage of Sumac’s flight of four wines in 2 ounce tasting portions for ten dollars (which I spat in a bucket much to the amusement of some ladies dining at the next table – as I was caught between the desire to sample and the need to drive). Upstairs I viewed the Connoisseurs Room where high-end wines could be sampled paired with canapés.
Past Penticton I temporarily lost sight of the lakes that had shimmered and twinkled at me most of the day. The land became a dry desert of sage and antelope bush, tumble weed and prickly pear cactus. “Welcome to Desert Wine Country” announced the first sign and shortly after, “Oliver Wine Capital of Canada”. Considering the sparse population, the 15 or so wineries between here and the border may well qualify them to the title based on a head count. The desert was real too – called the Sonora it starts in Mexico, runs through the States and up into Canada. The heat and sunshine makes the areas of Golden Mile, Black Sage and Osoyoos Lake prime for the best red wines in the country.
Up on a hillside was Tinhorn Winery my stop for the night. There I joined participants in the WineLovers Club. Fellow imbibers Lorne and Anne Vaness had been given their three night, four-day package of tutored wine tastings, escorted trips to nearby wineries and vineyard tours as a thank-you from their family for extensive babysitting duties. It’s a value of close to a thousand dollars with an additional Home Delivery Package of three quarterly shipments of Tinhorn Creek wine for $545. Anne asked me if I have grandchildren, remarking that they definitely earned this generous gift.
I joined them in their guest suite “Martha” for an evening extravaganza of food and wine where Chef Larry Lee cooked up course after course as club director Sonya Konig instructed us on the intricacies of matching the dishes with wine. I returned well satiated to “Walter” my adjacent suite with its sweeping view of valley vineyards and lake.
The next morning I awoke to an overcast sky. Could it be rain in a land Environment Canada called our most desirable climate for living, with over 2,000 hours of sunshine and less than 30cm of rain? No – by nine the sun broke through and I decided to hike Stamp Mill Trail back of Tinhorn to work off the last night’s indulgence. There was no time to do the three-hour loop of Golden Mile Trail, but my enjoyable forty minutes rewarded me with a view of the ruins of a Mill and a panoramic scene of the Valley. It was buttercup season and joining their bright yellow were white and purple dots of tiny flowers.
I wasn’t sure of distances so heading south I quickly reached Black Hills, a tiny winery under a rust-red Quonset hut, arriving before they had opened. Winemaker Senka Tennant’s husband spotted me by the road and roused his wife out of bed. Lucky for me as she makes two hand crafted wines, less than 3,000 cases a year and I expected this was likely my one and only chance to taste them. Her red bordeaux variety blend Nota Bene has reached cult status and sells out quickly. The pre-release sample of 2001 is so delicious I buy a case for delivery later in the year. As expected it does sell out within a few months of release so now I guard the purchase I made for special occasions. Many BC wineries offer door-to-door delivery across Canada at least. I heartily recommend it over schlepping wine around in a hot car.
Burrowing Owl is nearby and I arrived there also ahead of schedule to find the Wyse family busy selecting china for their now opened restaurant and discussing construction of their bar and retail area. Local architect Rob Mackenzie has created an imposing winery that borrows from the earth- toned desert styles of New Mexico and Morocco. Steve Wyse headed off to play golf at the nearby Fairview, rated one of the top ten in the province, while father Jim and mother Midge and I had lunch. (The next day Steve planned to ski in the Slush Cup at Mount Baldy. Oh to have those choices!) Their patio offered a lovely view, but it’s Burrowing Owl’s fabulous red wines that compelled me to visit. Don’t miss their white pinot gris and their chardonnay either.
I continued south that day to the Nk’Mip Desert Centre and Winery overlooking Osoyoos Lake. North America’s first Indian owned and operated winery has 243 acres of vineyards, first planted in 1968. Numbering about 400, the progressive Osoyoos Indian Band (Nk’Mip as spoken in Okanagan) has many businesses including beautiful camping facilities with 200 lots running alongside the lake and a heritage centre. I hiked from the centre on well laid out trails, learning from the interpretive signs about desert plants and animals. Aspects of Okanagan Nation desert life are portrayed in the recreated tule mat teepee, underground pit houses and sweat hut. Future plans are for a golf course, spa and hotel. Light lunches such as buffalo carpaccio, quail terrine and Indian salmon are available now.
On my last day I headed back to Penticton to tour the wineries around Naramata on the southeastern tip of Lake Okanagan. On the way there I stopped at Blasted Church in Okanagan Falls. Perched high on a hillside its lake view was stunning as was its pinot gris wine. Naramata is a charming benchland with eleven wineries, some of which are among the best. I ordered the pinot gris for home delivery from among the brilliant wines at Poplar Grove and bought some of their Tiger Blue, one of three artisan cheeses made there by Sandra Chalmers. At La Frenz, winemaker Jeff Martin had just come back from skiing. Some of his most cherished wines are sold only at cellar door so people who visit have something special to try.
Later I try some delicious whites, dessert and icewines at Lang Vineyards. At Red Rooster Prudence Mahrer jumped off her tractor, dusty from the fields to greet me. Alas she had no wine to offer as the winery always sells out before the new crop is in. She and her husband have decided to build a new winery to handle the demand and the line up of thirsty wine lovers whose cars back up as far as her chicken coop on busy weekends.
I like my privacy so if I’m going to stay in a B & B, Coady’s Cabana, one of the many that dot the countryside is a primo choice. There I luxuriated in my own mini house built by architect/owner Matthew Coady, with floor-to-ceiling windows, a fireplace, Jacuzzi, outdoor patio and a roof that can be retracted for open air sleeping. Another good choice for accommodation is the lovingly restored Naramata Inn and Spa. Many of the rooms are small but charming seeped in historic atmosphere. Tasty food by chef Grant deMontreuil is served in their cozy wine cellar and more formal dining room, accompanied by an extensive list of BC wines.
The final day I hiked along the Kettle Valley Trail, a portion of the Trans-Canada Trail network, through the vineyards of the King Family Farm towards Hillside Winery. I toured Hillside’s Barrel Room Bistro, a great food destination with a patio overlooking the lake. The trail travels from Penticton right by the Bistro, continuing on about 100 kilometres to McCulloch Lake. I returned however to Penticton to make my final stop The British Columbia Wine Information Centre. Just in case I’d missed something good, they have over 400 wines for purchase from about 40 of the local wineries. Now I’ll just have to go back to see if there’s any Glowing Amber for sale with maybe some smoked meat to go with it. And then I’ll finish off with 2003 icewine to recapture the best taste a palate can find.
Contacts Okanagan 2003
Wineries:
Gray Monk Estate Winery
1055 Camp Road, Okanagan Centre, BC, V4V 2H4
Contact: Connie Bielert
P. 250.766.3168 T. 800.663.4205 F. 250.766.3390
E. mailbox@graymonk.com W. www.graymonk.com
Mission Hill Family Estate Winery
1730 Mission Hill Road, Westbank, BC, V4T 2E4
Contact: Darlene Young
Executive Assistant, Mission Hill Estate Winery
P. 250.768.7611 F. 250.768.2267
E. dyoung@missionhillwinery.com W. www.missionhillwinery.com
Sumac Ridge Estate Winery
17403 Highway 97, PO Box 307, Summerland, BC, V0H 1Z0
Contact: Christa-Lee McWatters-Bond
P. 250.494.0451 F. 250.494.3456
E. info@sumacridge.com W. www.sumacridge.com
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards
32830 Tinhorn Creek Road, PO Box 2010, Oliver, BC, V1H 1T0
Contact: Sonya Konig
Director, Tinhorn Creek WineLovers’ Club
P. 250.498.3743 T. 888.4.Tinhorn F. 250.498.3228
E. winelovers@tinhorn.com W. www.thewineloversclub.com
Black Hills Winery
30880 Black Sage Road, RR1 S52 C22, Oliver, BC, V0H 1T0
Contact: Senka Tennant
Winemaker, Black Hills Winery
P. 250.498.0666 F. 250.498.0690
E. info@blackhillswinery.com W. www.blackhillswinery.com
Burrowing Owl Estate Winery
100 Burrowing Owl Place, RR1 S52 C20, Oliver, BC, V0H 1T0
Contact: Michelle Young
Marketing Manager, Burrowing Owl Estate Winery
P. 250.498.0620 T. 877.498.0620 F. 250.498.0621
E. bovwinery@telus.net W. www.burrowingowlwine.ca
Nkmip Desert & Heritage Centre & Nkmip Cellars
Contact: Geraldine Manossa
Marketing Manager, Nkmip Desert & Heritage Centre
1000 Rancher Creek Road, Osoyoos, BC, V0H 1T0
P. 250.495.7901 T. 888.495.8555 W. www.nkmipdesert.com
Nkmip Cellars
1400 Rancher Creek Road, Osoyoos, BC, V0H 1T0
Contact: Donna Faigaux
Marketing Manager, Nkmip Cellars
P. 250.495.2985 F. 250.495.2986
E. Donna.faigaux@nkmip.ca W. www.nkmipcellars.com
Inniskillin Okanagan
Road 11 West, RR1 S24 C5, Oliver, BC, V0H 1T0
P. 250.498.6663 T. 800.498.6211 F. 250.498.4566
E. Islack@inniskillin.com W. www.inniskillin.com
Contact: Christine Coletta, Coletta Consultants Ltd.
P. 604.664.3700 F. 604.903.3850 E. ccoletta@colettaconsultants.ca
Hillside Estate Winery
1350 Naramata Road, Penticton, BC, V2A 8T6
Contact: Ken Lauzon
General Manager, Hillside Estate Winery
P. 250.493.6274 T. 888.923.9463 F. 250.493.6294
E. klauzon@hillsideestate.com W. www.hillsidewinery.ca
Blasted Church Vineyards
378 Parsons Road, RR1, Okanagan Falls, BC, V0H 1R0
P. 250.497.1125 F.250.497.1126
E. intrigued@blastedchurch.com W. www.blastedchurch.com
Lang Vineyards
RR 1 2493 Grammon Rd., Naramata, BC, V0H 1N0
P. 250.496.5987 F. 250.496.5706
E. langvineyards@shaw.ca W. www.langvineyards.com
Red Rooster Winery
910 DeBeck Road, RR 1, Naramata, BC, V0H 2Y0
T. 250.496.4041 F. 250.496.5674
E. redrooster@img.net W. www.redroosterwinery.com
Calona Vineyards
1125 Richter Street, Kelowna BC, V1Y 2K6
P. 250.762.9144 T. 888.246.4472
E. wineboutique@cascadian.ca W. www.andrewpeller.com/cascadia.php
Hotels:
Grand Okanagan Lakefront Resort & Conference Centre
1310 Water Street, Kelowna, BC, V1Y 9P3
Contact: Laurel Friesen
Executive Secretary, Grand Okanagan Lakefront Resort & Conference Centre
P. 250.763.4500 T. 800.465.4651 F. 250.763.4565
Coady’s Cabana
370 Lower Bench Road, Penticton, BC, V2A 8V4
P. 250.493.0940 F. 250.493.3996 E. jane@coady.info
Jane & Matthew Coady.
Restaurants:
Fresco Restaurant Ltd.
1560 Water Street, Kelowna, BC, V1J 1J7
Magnums On The Lake
21 Lakeshore Drive, Penticton, BC, V2A 7M5
Contact: Gitta Schoenne
P. 250.493.8221 T. 800.663.9400 F. 250.493.0607
E. gitta@rpbhotels.com W. www.rpbhotels.com
P. 250.868.8805
Tourism contacts:
Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association.
Contact: Lynda Trudeau
Marketing & Media Relations, Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association
1332 Water Street, Kelowna, BC, V1Y 9P4
P. 250.860.5999 F. 250.860.9993
E. ltrudeau@thompsonokanagan.com W. www.thompsonokanagan.com
Tourism Development Services Penticton & Wine Country
Contact: Kelly Reid, Tourism Marketing Coordinator
888 Westminster Avenue West, Penticton, BC, V2A 8S2
P. 250-490-2464 T. 800.663.5052 F. 250-492-6119
E. tourism@penticton.org W. www.visitpenticton.com
BC Wine Information Centre
Contact: Louise Pearson, Manager
BC Wine Information Centre
888 Westminster Avenue West, Penticton, BC, V2A 8S2
P. 250.490.2003 F. 250.490.2003 E. bcwine@vip.net
by Margaret Swaine | Jul 17, 1999
In Alsace, we are not in the timber business, we are in the wine business,” pronounced Etienne Hugel as I tasted through a dozen of his wines. Part of the 12th generation in this family business, it’s obvious where he gets his ideas. His uncle Jean Hugel, who presided over 50 consecutive vintages before retiring, walked in at the end of the tasting to say “Isn’t it nice to come to an area where they make wine with only grapes. We are not in the timber business.”
This is the most common refrain I heard throughout the 170 kilometres which make up the Alsace Wine Route, among the over 1,100 wine-makers who sell in bottle. Like a great big family with internal squabbles, everything else was the subject of debate. Each winemaker expressed impassioned opinions about the optimum hectoliters per hectare, the planting of non-traditional grapes such as chardonnay, the naming of Grand Cru vineyards and exactly how dry each of the classical seven grape varieties should be vinified. But then while this is an area of close knit families and a viticultural history that can be traced back 2,000 years, it’s also an area which has been invaded frequently, falling under different flags depending on the victors. Vines were rampaged during such times as the Germanic invasion in the 5th century, The Thirty Years’ War and the two World Wars changing Alsace wine-making along with the politics of the area.
Tucked up in the most northeast corner of France, across the Rhine River from Germany and touching Switzerland at its southern tip, Alsace is jewel of a region. The Vosges Mountains to the west act like an umbrella, taking the brunt of the rain and blessing the area with one of the driest climates in the country. It’s postcard picturesque with historic walled villages of cobble stone streets, half-timbered houses, Romanesque and Gothic churches. The ruins of Medieval castles dot the mountain sides. Between the two gateways of Marlenheim in the north and Thann is the south, row upon row of vines undulate through the rolling countryside. Signposted vineyard trails give walkers a choice of 19 different “two hour” strolls.
Hugel & Fils is in the centre of Riquewihr, a town so pretty it makes your heart ache for romance. Recently Hugel attained the status of number one exporter of Alsace wines to Canada, beating out Willm which held the honour for decades ( a 1956 Quebec Liquor Commission listing shows 1947-49 Willm Riesling for $2.40). Still completely family owned and self-financed, they harvest from 65 acres of their own domain and buy from an additional 300 acres. They have clout and prestige. They also have the luxury of sticking to their guns. Along with two other major wineries who dominate the export market, Trimbach and Beyer, they oppose the Alsace Grand Cru system set up in 1975.
A little background is necessary to understand the significance of this. Since the devastation of this century’s wars, the push for renewal has divided the farmers in Alsace between those who believe in producing large quantities of cheap wine from high yield grapes, and those who advocate quality wines from traditional noble varieties. The quality over quantity guys have prevailed. The region was thus rewarded with AOC (recognized appellation of origin) Alsace status in 1962. Named after the grape variety, Alsace wines generally express the true varietal character of their origins in a pure fashion. About ninety percent of the wine production is white. Officially recognized grapes are riesling, pinot blanc, pinot gris, gewurztraminer, muscat, sylvaner and the only red, pinot noir. By law they are sold in tall bottles called flûtes.
However, the rest of France tends to believe that earth or “terroir” is of ultimate importance. They give the best vineyard sites the name of the nearby village, chateau or even the plot of land. Fortunately for Alsace, their soils are both diverse and rich in minerals. About 50 million years ago both the Vosges and the Black Forest of Germany were a single massif. When it collapsed the Rhine plain was formed. The Alsace vineyards, situated along the fault line between the remaining massif of the Vosges and the plain, are a mosaic of the collapsed ancient upper layers. Clay, limestone, marl, granite, gneiss, schist and even volcanic soils are intermingled. Certain vineyard areas have the geology to be deemed better than the norm. Hence in 1975 the first 25 designated vineyard sites which yielded wines of distinctive character were named. A few years later, another 25 were added bringing the total to fifty sites of Alsace Grand Cru vineyards.
Hugel, which has half of its vineyards in Grand Crus areas, decided not to be part of the system because they think it’s too watered down for Alsace to gain recognition for top quality. “They allow too high yields…and they wanted everything to be Grand Cru,” said Etienne. The Hugels believe in hand picking, low yields and as little intervention in the wine making process as possible. For the moment, they don’t label wines which come from Grand Cru areas as such. They believe their family name on the labels present a better indicator of quality. Down in the cellar, Etienne showed me the world’s oldest wine barrel in continuous use. Built in 1715, “Catherine the vat” has been filled by 12 generations of Hugel’s and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
Later that day in the town of Ribeauvillé where storks still nest on the rooftops, I meet with Hubert Trimbach, whose family wine-making tradition is also in its 12 generation. Below the enchanting winery with its half timbered walls and spire towers, I traipsed through his subterranean rooms holding over a million bottles in slumber until the time for their release. He too says “There’s not enough discipline in the use of Grand Cru so we don’t use it on our labels.” He blames it on the coops which have built huge wineries and need volume.
His thoughts on grape varietals differ however somewhat from Hugel. Etienne told me he felt gewurztraminer had the uniqueness of style that can insure a good future for Alsace. “I don’t think you can reproduce it well anywhere else,” he explained. Trimbach confided on the other hand, “Between us, riesling is the greatest white wine in the world. The longest lived. Chardonnay can go to…bed.”
Trimbach wines are all about focus and style. He never allows them to go through malolactic, a secondary fermentation which softens the acidity in a wine. His are steely, intense and long lived. His Clos Sainte Hune from a great vintage can still be fresh after 30 years, and is arguably the best riesling of Alsace.
Marc Beyer of Léon Beyer winery in Eguisheim is another anti-Grand Cru, proponent of dry lemony crisp whites. His Riesling Les Ecaillers, despite being 100% from a Grand Cru vineyard is named after an oyster shucking and white wine competition rather than a plot of vines. It does indeed go very well with mollusks. “We focus on being food wine. I refuse any residual sugar if I can help it,” he emphasized.
Meanwhile near the Medieval town of Kayersberg, the Colette Faller and her daughters Catherine and Laurence (Laurence is one of the few female wine-makers in Alsace) do things a little differently. “We keep our house brand name and add the Grand Cru designation,” said Laurence. All their grapes are from their own Domaine Weinbach property. And they don’t always ferment their wines dry. She said in hot years when grapes have a high natural sugar, if they were to ferment the grapes completely dry, the resulting wine would have too high an alcohol level. In addition, she explained they use native yeasts which slow down before all the sugars are fermented to alcohol and the wine could get tired if they always waited until completion. Her wines had an opulence and lush ripe fruit, yet still plenty of acidity and length.
Bernard Sparr at Pierre Sparr in Sigolsheim, is another believer in putting the Grand Cru designation along with his family’s brand name. His grandfather was the mayor of the town during World War II and typifies what happened in the region. He held four passports in his lifetime. “In 1911 before World War I we were part of the German empire. In 1918 he became French. Then back in 1939 he’s German again. Then after that war French,” said Bernard. Grandfather’s involvement in the French Resistance leaves no doubt as to his preference of citizenship. His winery however was completely destroyed and he had to replant and rebuild from scratch.
Bernard, who recently married a Canadian he met in Ottawa, has inherited that fighting spirit. Along with the traditional grapes, he plants chardonnay which he oak ages. He ages his pinot noir in oak also, contrary to most other Alsace producers. However he did admit, “Ninety-eight percent of the time we are against wood….We have just a few thousand bottles of wine that was in oak.” Regarding sweetness in wine he said, “ We try to look for balance of acidity and residual sugar. I think riesling has to be dry as it’s the king of Alsace and the most well known. With pinot gris, gewurztraminer and muscat they must have some residual sugar or they will be so alcoholic they’ll burn your mouth.” His wines are fleshy, with big flavours and ripeness.
Perhaps the last word must go to Olivier Humbrecht of Zind-Humbrecht, one of the most out-spoken of a generation of strongly opinionated wine-makers. He is France’s first graduate of the British Master of Wine program as well as an oenologist. His wines are among the most expensive and I believe, the best, coming from the region. “Plenty of my wines get rejected at tasting panels as too rich, not typical for the region. They just don’t understand what I’m doing.” All his vineyards were converted to biodynamic viticulture since 1998 (beyond organic – this method follows the cosmic influences of the moon and planets as well) He goes for low yields, ferments in large wood foudres (vats) using native yeast, believes in letting the wine develop with as little intervention as possible – so it “speaks for itself”. He puts Grand Cru on his labels but said, “In Alsace every village wanted a Grand Cru so almost all got one it seems,” adding that he thought only about 30 deserved it. “Things have to change but if you criticize too hard people think you’re an extremist and they won’t listen and you won’t get any change.”
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Lucky for us, we needn’t worry while they sort it out. All the Alsace wines which are imported into Canada are from the area’s top quality producers. No matter what’s on the label, what’s in the bottle is bound to be good.
Alsace Wines Gentil Hugel 1997: Blend of sylvaner with over 50% noble varietals (riesling, pinot gris, gewurztraminer, muscat) with a pretty floral nose and a gentle, perfumed, grapy taste. Rounded, it hints at sweetness but finishes clean and dry. Well made, charming, fruity melange. Lovely as an aperitif. ($13.)
Hugel Pinot Blanc Cuvée les Amours 1997: Aromatic, attractive nose. Peachy fresh with a fleshy roundness in the mouth. ($18)
Trimbach Pinot Blanc 1996: Dry, structured, with an austere elegance. There’s a tight, minerally, character with a crisp, lingering acidity. Makes a good food wine. Note: The ’97 coming on stream soon has more body and fullness due to the warmer year. ($13)
Trimbach Clos Ste. Hune 1995: Petrol and minerals in the nose. Very long, intense and dry. Still young, tight, austere and lemony. Lots of structure and concentration but needs more time to be at its peak. ($50).
Weinbach Riesling Schlossberg Cuvée Ste. Catherine 1996: Very intense with lots of acidity and length, yet still nicely ripe. The ’97 coming soon is more supple with less dominant acidity and more tropical fruit. ($57)
Dopff & Irion Gewurztraminer 1997: Forward fresh lichee nose. Aromatic, spicy, soft and lingering. Full of character and body, yet basically dry. ($16) Léon Beyer Tokay-Pinot Gris 1997: Zesty spicy, flavours, medium-full body with creamy texture balanced by good acidity. Tangy finish.($15)
Léon Beyer Riesling Reserve 1997: Crisp and refreshingly dry, citrus/grapefruit in flavour. Lightness yet good length and zingy acidity. ($13)
Pierre Sparr Diamant D’Alsace Réserve 1996: Lightly aromatic pinot blanc varietal. Soft and friendly with peachy pear fruit and smooth, lush finish. ($12)
Pierre Sparr Pinot Blanc Reserve ’98: Very ripe, fruity with almond blossom, pear and peach character. Soft and smooth. ($13)
Pierre Sparr Muscat Reserve ’98: Exuberant grapy nose with peels, blossom in the dry taste. Hint of spice in the finish, good balance, refreshing and charming. ($18)
Crémant d’Alsace Cuvée Willm: A sparkling wine made by the champagne method using a blend of pinot blanc, pinot gris and riesling. It’s pleasantly fruity with touch of sweetness and a spicy juicy peach flavour. Is so popular here that Canada has become its biggest market. ($26)
Willm Clos Gaensbroennel Grand Cru Gewurztraminer 1997: From an unusually hot vintage so it’s much richer, riper and creamy textured than normal. Fair amount of residual sugar so best before or after a meal. ($30)
Zind-Humbrecht Herrenweg de Turckheim Gewurztraminer 1997: Very rich, honeyed, powerful and intense with sweetness from noble rot and an aromatic rose petal quality. Incredible. ($35) Note: I tasted 27 wines from the winery’s ’97 vintage. The exceptional weather of warm sunny days and just enough rainfall produced wines that are universally wonderful. Pray that a few bottles of the Muscat Herrenweg de Turckheim, Riesling Heimbourg, Riesling Clos Windsbuhl, Pinot Gris Clos Windsbuhl and Pinot Gris Clos Jebsal make it to Canada and into your hands.
