By Margaret Swaine
Last column I talked about golf pros with links to wineries. But the reverse hold true too. Some winery owners have such a love of golf they’ll pony up big money to support the game by backing tournaments, backing their winery onto a golf course or even turning some of their acreage into links. In 1999, at VinExpo which is an enormous biannual wine show held in Bordeaux that attracts all the players in wine, I experienced how the French do it. When they hold a golf tournament in wine country, they take the 19th hole pleasures with them throughout the prior 18. There were wine stations at tee boxes dotted throughout the Pessac Golf Course. I joined winery owners in vying for wine prizes all given out at the awards reception which naturally featured tables full of wines for tasting.
At this year’s VinExpo 2005, champagne producer Duval-Leroy has ditched its traditional stand at the hectic trade show and replaced it with a day of golf for customers who sign up under their bubblies.birdies site. President Carol Duval-Leroy is a keen golfer who makes sure her champagne is at tournaments in Europe – she sponsors for example the Golf Makser Cup with 50 competitions throughout the summer. Duval-Leroy is the largest family owned champagne winery with five million bottles produced a year. Ranked among the world’s top ten Champagne Houses, the wine can be found all over Europe in the best restaurants and stores, but only just entered the American market three years ago. Duval-Leroy’s delightful bubblies are now in 43 states and beginning to appear in Quebec, Ontario, BC and out east.
Carol Duval-Leroy became head of the company upon her husband’s sudden death from cancer in 1991 at the age of 39. Along with the winery, she inherited 170 hectares of vines (the property is the ninth largest vineyard owner in Champagne). This gives her Champagne House a great advantage in maintaining quality and controlling costs. Carol, who once dreamed of being a chef, has applied her knowledge of food to work together with Chef de Caves Hervé Jestin to expand the line of wines to 12 different blends that can match with a whole range of dishes. I wholeheartedly recommend all the ones I’ve tasted. The Brut non-vintage ($44.95), a blend of mainly chardonnay with 25 per cent pinot noir grapes is lemony crisp with a lively intensity and hints of brioche and minerals. Many airlines stock this label – it can carry the palate from aperitifs into a first course of white meats. The Design Paris Brut ($58.) features a beautiful silk screened bottle depicting the gaiety of Paris by American painter LeRoy Neiman. This fizzy, an alluring blend of sixty per cent pinot noir with the rest chardonnay, has good length with a fresh minerals and honeysuckle character. Any romantic moment will be the right one to pop the cork. Lady Rosé ($36.95) made from 100 per cent pinot noir, is a pretty salmon pink with a touch of residual sugar. Its rounded fruity style matches with cakes, cookies and other desserts though I would just as easily pair it with salmon. Champagne Blanc de Chardonnay 1998 is a pure chardonnay bubbly with a fresh lemony elegance perfect with seafood. Her top of the line vintage dated champagne, 1995 Femme de Champagne ($99.) is made from grapes all coming from prestigious grand cru vineyards It’s the athlete of the family with serious structure and intensity that can handle veal and fowl.
Closer to home, Archibald Winery and Cider House in Bowmanville Ontario (www.archibaldswinery.com), has turned some of their apple orchards into fairways to make a sweet nine hole par three public course. Fred Archibald explained to me that they need to leave some of their fields fallow every year so he reckoned might as well make them playable. The course welcomes families with an emphasis on juniors, ladies and beginners. Those of drinking age can sample and purchase from a wide and delicious range of fruit wines such as Oak Aged Ida Red ($9.95), Apple Cranberry ($12.95) and Spiced Winter Apple ($16.95) a dessert wine. A complimentary glass of wine is offered to all participants in their Ladies and Couples golf nights. Those who can’t make the trip to Bowmanville can still enjoy Archibald’s wines – they ship countrywide.
Further to the topic, Penfolds Winery is the official wine sponsor of the Royal Canadian Golf Association Canadian Championship events for a three year term. You’ll find Penfolds wines on site during the BMO Canadian Women’s Open at Glen Arbour Golf course in Halifax from July 11 – 17 and at the Bell Canadian Open at Shaughnessey Golf and Country Club in Vancouver from September 5 – 11. If you email your name, address and phone number to Canada@southcorp-usa.com you will be entered for a chance to win a VIP event package to the Bell Open. Penfolds, an Australian wine company founded in 1844, is perhaps the most famous in Oz. Their premier reputation was firmly established in the 1950’s when Grange and Bin wines were created by then winemaker Max Schubert. Penfolds Grange is still the icon, recognized as one of the world’s finest reds. The current 1999 ($299.) demands at least five years or more of age (these babies can easily handle 40 years in the cellar) to mellow its tightness but is as classy as ever with cedary oak, smoky fruit and earthiness. Yattarna is Penfolds new ultra premium white though I can’t say I want to spend the ninety bucks for the chardonnay 2001. More accessible in price is the Thomas Hyland range of shiraz, cabernet and chardonnay. Penfolds St. Henry style is pure shiraz that doesn’t rely on new oak hence the warmth of berries comes through rich, full and plush. The Bin series is also reliably good, offering the style and complexity of Penfolds flagship wines at affordable prices. Bin 128 Shiraz 2001 ($29.95) for example is ripe and generously fruity. Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon ($29.95) is for those like the more structured cassis taste of a cab. Their entry level labels are Rawson’s Retreat followed by the Koonunga Hill range – priced at $10 to $15 they’re consistent best value winners. Supporting wine that supports golf has never been so easy.
Swaine top picks:
Champagne Duval-Leroy Brut $44.95 Agent Vinexx 1-877-659-9463 www.vinexx.com
Penfold’s St. Henry Shiraz 2000 $49.95 Agent Southcorp 416-504-3830 www.southcorp.com