Domaine Le Pointu, AOC Châteauneuf du Pape

Chateauneuf-du-Pape blanc. Domaine le Pointu.

Châteauneuf du Pape Is White It's like a natural reflex, certain wines, varietals, regions make us think automatically of a color of the wine. Red, White, Rosé. This is one of the most gratifying symptoms of entering more deeply into the world of wine, learning that, for example,a brilliant Châteauneuf du Pape comes in a white as well.

We've recognized it before and we'll say it again, good winemakers are always the first to say that wine starts in the vineyard, on the vines.  After seeing and participating in several harvests and talking to dozens of winemakers and vineyard hands, I couldn't agree more...with the caveat that the methods differ greatly from vineyard to vineyard with some focusing on vineyard farming as opposed to vine husbanding.

Tending AOC Chateauneuf-du-Pape vines through the seasons.

Vine Husbanding

 After a mere 5 years in the heart of Provence's Châteauneuf du Pape AOC, Patrick Coste, with wife Karine, has proven just what can be accomplished with vineyards and a cellar when good strong methods of vine husbanding are carried through from the vineyard to the fermentation tanks to the barrels and, finally, to the bottles. 

Domaine Le Pointu. Cotes Rhone.

It was only in 2004 that the first harvest of Domaine le Pointu went into their vats.  "Le Pointu is the name of one of our vineyard plots planted with white grapes; it is located on a hillside near the wood of Château Rayas," explained Mssr. Coste, the younger. Patrick's father, Maurice, is the former President of the Courthézon Cooperative Cellar. Courthézon is where the winery of the 27- hectare, 5 year old Domaine is located.  Six hectares of vineyards are in the Châteauneuf du Pape appellation, 11 in the Côtes du Rhône appellation and 10 in Vin de Pays.

Significant terroir. The rocks transmit the warmth from the sun to the vines at night. This creates a special ripening process for these AOC Chateauneuf du Pape grapes.

Le Pointu vines from that plateau butt up against the the renowned vines of Beaucastel, signaling the same terroir. Still, it does come down to technique. And there's quite a difference between farming and harvesting and husbanding and tending.  The signature terroir of these vines are large rocks that transmit the heat from the sunshine they absorb in the warm Provenςal days to the vines at night, thus aiding in the slow maturation and warm ripening of the grapes. The French term for this terroir is galets roulés.

Karine and Patrick Coste. Domaine Le Pointu.

Land of The Rising Sun Success has come quickly for the husband and wife team who named two of their best vintages so far after their first two sons, Clément and Mathieu.

With a combination of marketing and good, solid, French countryside people skills, Patrick was able, straight out of the gate, to get the attention of Japan's President of the Association of International Sommeliers, Kazuyoshi Kogai at Japan's Foodex Salon 2007. A contract with a leading Japanese cosmetics company has fallen into place since then which has Domaine Le Pointu supplying gift boxes of wines for the company during holidays.

On your next trip through Provence, be sure to stop at Domaine Le Pointu.

Domaine Le Pointu will also be the wine supplier for Paris-Dakar for this year's races.  Good vineyard practices, solid people skills and knowing when and who, to ask for advice seems to be the Coste's winning recipe here. The reputed Bordeaux wine consultant, Christian Prud'Homme, has been advising Patrick Coste on the vinification process, notably the barrels he uses at Le Pointu, which are all Bordeaux barrels.

And the wines themselves? Well, they've already earned the attention of Bettane & Desseauve, Robert Parker, Andréas Larsson and Jancis Robinson. Personally I would recommend anything from their 2007 run, whether it's their Côtes du Rhône  - especially Cuvée Le Vieux Chêne - or Châteauneuf du Pape, particularly Cuvée Clément and Mathieu, both made from vines 90-105 years old with a production of 10000 and 8000 bottles respectively. Each are Grenache noir and Cinsault noir and from different vintage years. 

But the wine that got me super excited was Domaine le Pointu's Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée Spéciale Feuilles d'Or (label pictured above). It is made with organically cultivated grapes, indeed the Domaine will be certified organic in 2011, from 90 year old vines. This wine is made from the famous terroir of galets roulés. White Châteauneuf du Pape wines represent only 4% of the total production of the appellation.  It has a delicate bouquet, floral with a touch of fruit, citrus. It makes a nice aperitif when young but you can keep it 2-5 years and pair it with herb-encrusted fish, veal and fresh cheeses.  Total of 2000  (two thousand) bottles.

Domaine Le Pointu, 255 Chemin de la Grande Allee, 84350 Courthezon, France.  www.domaine-le-pointu.com

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Wine For Gen Y

 

After a stint in Australia, Bear Flag's winemaker won't use anything but Stelvin closures, otherwise known as "screw" caps.

 

Through her unique style of winemaking, Beth Cutler hopes to bring obscure grape varieties out of the underground, making them more wildly recognized and respected by both winemakers and consumers alike. Where some might use varietals like Touriga Nacional and Alicante Bouchet in small proportions for blending, Bear Flag allocates a hearty 20% of the bottle.

 

Shephard Fairey is a Fan!

The bottles’ artwork is another distinct touch that sets Bear Flag apart from the rest. The colorful cartoonish collage put together by Argentinean artist Eduardo Bertone has an eclectic punk rock aesthetic that perfectly illustrates Bear Flag’s mission, and Cutler’s style of winemaking.   Read MORE on BRAND X...

 

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Vendanges!

La saison des vendanges commence! [Transl. = Wine Harvest is Here!]

Vendange Bordeaux

Vendange Bordeaux

Vendanges Bordeaux

Vendanges Bordeaux

Vendanges Bordeaux

Bordeaux, Vendanges!

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Spanish Sipping In 2011 At Vancouver Playhouse Wine Festival

“Every vintage at the Wine Festival offers a fresh journey of discovery,” says Festival Executive Director Harry Hertscheg.

“Whether it’s wines from across Spain, Fortified examples from around the globe or selections from unfamiliar wine regions, each Festival attendee gets their own unique tasting experience while trying new wines and connecting directly with their producers.”

Spanish Winemaker, Miguel Torres

Wines from Spain and a Global Focus on Fortified Wine will bring plenty of varietals
to the 33rd annual event September 24th, 2010, Vancouver, BC - The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival will mark its 33rd year with Wines from Spain and a Global Focus on Fortified Wine. The Festival, which runs from March 28th to April 3rd, 2011, will bring 176 participating wineries to the Vancouver Convention Centre and top Vancouver restaurants and hotels for a total of seven days of tastings, seminars, and wine focused events. A full list of participating wineries is now available online

“The great quality, value and versatility of Spanish wines continues to win fans around the world and to elicit high praise from the international wine and food media,” says Pilar Randolph, Director of Wines from Spain, “we are thrilled to have the opportunity to shine the spotlight on these wines at Canada's premier wine festival this coming spring.”

Alvaro Palacios, Winemaker, Priorat Region, Spain

With a total of 33 participating Spanish wineries, visitors to the 2011 Festival will have the opportunity to sip wines from indigenous varietals such as Albariño, Cariñena, Garnacha, Godello, Macabeo, Mencía, Monastrell, Palomino, Pedro Ximénez, Tempranillo, Verdejo and Viura, as well as Spanish versions of more international grapes such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz. All of this will be complemented by events that will highlight not only the Wines from Spain but also the delicious food, diverse culture and rich history of the country.

A number of Spain’s most notable and impressive principals will be on hand at this year’s Festival, including Miguel A. Torres, President and Managing Director of Miguel Torres Winery. Named European Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast in 2006, Miguel A. Torres is the fourth generation of Torres to preside over this acclaimed winery in the Penedès region. Decanter magazine named Miguel A. Torres Man of the Year in 2002.

Also attending will be Alvaro Palacios of Alvaro Palacios Winery. Palacios founded his namesake winery at the young age of 25 and is often credited for resurrecting the region of Priorat. His L’Ermita is widely regarded as one of the most important Spanish wines in a generation.

 Other notable names scheduled to attend this year’s Festival include:·       Alex Giesen, Director and Owner, Giesen Wine Estate – New Zealand·       Ann Sperling, Winemaker, Sperling Vineyards – Canada (BC)·       Aurelio Montes Sr., Winemaker, Montes – Chile· Christophe Hedges, Winemaker, Hedges Family Estates and Snoqualmie Vineyards. – USA (WASH)·
Craig McDonald, General Manager, Wine Gretzky Estate Winery - Canada (ON)· Fernando
Alvear, President and CEO, Bodegas Alvear – Spain· Felipe González-Gordon, President, González Byass – Spain· Javier Hidalgo, Proprietor, Bodegas Hidalgo – Spain· Joel Peterson, Founder, Ravenswood – USA (CA)  ·       Louis Moreau, Proprietor and Winemaker, Domaine Louis Moreau – France·       Marc Kent, Winemaker and Co-owner, Boekenhoutskloof – South Africa·       Nik Weis, Owner, St. Urbans-Hof – Germany·       Riccardo Tedeschi, Owner and Winemaker, Tedeschi – Italy·       Rupert Symington, Joint Executive Director, Symington Graham's Port - Portugal·       Stuart Blackwell, Senior Winemaker, St Hallett – Australia·    Susana Balbo, Winemaker, Dominio del Plata – Argentina·Telmo Rodriguez, Proprietor, Telmo Rodríguez Wines - Spain·       Udi Kadim, CEO, Galil Mountain Winery and Yarden – Israel

The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival will open on Monday, March 28th, 2011 and will feature 176 wineries participating in 63 events to a projected 25,000 attendees. Early tickets to the Festival will be on sale November 30. For more information visit the newly revamped www.playhousewinefest.com.

About the Playhouse Wine Festival

The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, Canada’s premier wine show, runs from March 28th to April 3rd, 2011. The Playhouse Wine Festival is one of the biggest and oldest wine festival events in the  world. In 2011, the theme region will be Spain and the global focus Fortified Wine. The Festival features a week of special events including the Bacchanalia Gala Dinner + Auction, wine seminars, wine minglers, winery dinners, and lunches and brunches at fine restaurants and hotels. The Playhouse Wine Festival is produced by the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Society, which has three mandates: provide an informative, educational and entertaining wine experience for public and trade; be a premier marketing opportunity for the wine industry and Festival partners; and raise funds for the Playhouse Theatre Company. Since its inception in 1979, the Festival has raised over $7.2 million to enable Western Canada’s leading theatre company to mount 223 productions and develop extensive community outreach and educational programs.The Shore Club generously presents the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival.

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Chateau Haut-Brion – A Bordeaux First Growth Loved by Poets, Philosophers and Presidents for 350 Years

by Loren Sonkin

Excerpted From IntoWine.com

In 1935 the estate was rescued by an American.  Financier Clarence Dillon purchased the property for 2.3 million francs.  Dillon named his nephew Seymour Weller as president of Société Vinicole de la Gironde, a position he held until his retirement in 1975 at age 83. 

Chateau Haut-Brion, Bordeaux

Under Weller, the chai was cleaned and improved and “modern” technology was implemented.  Perhaps the key stroke to restoring the estate was the hiring of George Delmas as winemaker and manager.  George retired in 1961 and was succeeded by his son Jean-Bernard who invested time and effort in clonal research.  It was his belief that great wine required different clones (strains) of each grape varietal.  Each hectare is reputed to have 10 to 15 different clonal selections.  The property is now under the direction of the third generation of Delmas, Jean-Phillipe Delmas, who has been in charge since 2003.   The Dillon family still controls the estate today headed up by Prince Robert of Luxembourg, the Président Directeur Général of what is now called Domaine Clarence Dillon SA.

Prince Robert, Scion of Chateau Haut-Brion

Besides the grand vin which is labeled as Chateau Haut-Brion, they make a second wine.  The second wine is called Clarence de Haut-Brion, but before 2007 it was known as Bahans Haut Brion.  They also make Chateau Haut-Brion Blanc, a white wine which is a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc and is one of the best and most expensive dry white wines in the world.  Occasionally release a second white called Les Plantiers du Haut-Brion.  

Grapes have undoubtedly been cultivated on this land since the 1400s.  By 1700 the entire estate consisted of 650 acres and there were 94 acres under vine.  Today 120 acres are planted to red grapes:  45.4% to Merlot, 43.9% to Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.7% to Cabernet Franc, and 1% to Petit Verdot.  In addition, just over 7seven acres are planted with white grapes:  52.6% Semillon and 47.4% Sauvignon Blanc.  The average age of the vines is 35 to 40 years with the oldest vines dating back to the 1930s.  The soil is Günzian gravel with some portions of the vineyard having large amounts of clay.  

After hand harvesting, the fruit is sorted in the field.  The grapes are then fermented on natural yeasts in stainless steel vats.  It is a special tank that allows the fermentation to take place on the top and the malolactic fermentation to happen on the bottom.  These were first used in 1961, and although are very common now in Bordeaux, were quite an innovation.  Chateau Haut-Brion has its own cooperage for making their barrels.  The wine is then stored in barrels for two years or longer.  In the past, the wine was aged in 100% new oak, but now they use 35% new oak (25% for the le Clarence).  The white wine sees 45% new oak and is aged for 12 months.  

Annual production is around 12,000 cases for the grand vin and 800 cases for the Blanc.  Annual production for the Le Clarence is around 5,000 cases.  

Haut Brion is recognizable for the shape of its bottle, in use since the 1958 vintage, which are based on an old decanter shape.  The wines are made to age.  While some vintages may be delicious on release the wines really need at least a decade to show their quality.  The 1970 vintage of Haut-Brion ranked fourth among the ten French and California red wines in the historic 1976 Judgment of Paris wine competition.  I suspect that the 1970 Haut Brion, which was never a great vintage, is still drinkable and enjoyable.  

Haut-Brion has been very consistent in quality over the last fifty plus years.  Like the other first growths the price has gotten silly expensive.  Yet, it often remains one of the less expensive of the first growths perhaps stemming from its location in Graves and not the Medoc.  In any event, the price is now over $500 per bottle in the recent stellar vintages of 2005 and 2009.  Perhaps better value can be found in the 2003 or 2008 vintages where a bottle can be obtained for under $300.  I have been lucky enough to try about twenty vintages of this great wine.  Personally, the best two vintages of Haut-Brion I have had are the amazing 1989 and the will-probably-be-even-better-with-more-age 2000.  Those wines are two of the most profound wines I have ever, and most likely will ever taste.  Unfortunately, the 1989 now sells for over $1,000 a bottle while the 2000 can still be “had” for around $500.  

Haut-Brion’s neighbor is Chateau La Mission Haut Brion.  These two chateaus have had a historic rivalry for over 50 years.  Some say the rivalry ended when Domaine Clarence Dillon purchased La Mission in 1983.  I am not so sure.  In fact, while there is always bottle variation on a wine that old, the 1989 La Mission Haut Brion remains the best red wine I have ever tasted.  Both wines are excellent, but Haut-Brion still retains one advantage, the honor of being classified as a Premier Cru back in 1855.  READ ENTIRE ARTICLE ON IntoWine.com

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Joel Salatin, Clean Food Farmer, Speaks At Brambles Market, Comox Valley

DATE: Sunday, Sept. 26, 2010

BRAMBLES MARKET SPONSORING JOEL SALATIN SPEAKING EVENT

Joel Salatin, founder of Clean Food Farm Polyface Inc. speaks at Brambles Market In Comox Valley.

One of America’s most dynamic and innovative small farmers will address the Comox Valley on Sunday, Sept.26. Promoting food production that is environmentally, emotionally and economically enhancing for both producer and consumer, Joel Salatin is a third generation clean food farmer. His presentations about the family’s 550-acre Virginia farm often receive standing ovations.

Author of six books, magazine columnist, and wordsmith, Salatin describes his diverse farm enterprises with ear-catching phrases: salad bar beef, pastured poultry, pigaerator pork, forage-based rabbits, and feathernet eggs. What he calls relationship marketing to 3,000 families and 50 restaurant cheerleader patrons gives his farm, Polyface Inc., retail dollars for everything produced.

Although his message is a decidedly positive one, it draws clear distinctions between food produced in inhumane, factory farms and food produced in pasture-based, animal-friendly farms. His presentations carry several themes: let animals do the work, value adding through marketing, diversity and multiple-use, reverencing the pigness of a pig, and animals eating their salad bar. Woven throughout his talk is a strong consumer thrust for responsible food buying: one bite at a time, each of us creates the landscapes our grandchildren will inherit.

A truly innovative farmer, he has received numerous conservation awards. Featured in Smithsonian Magazine, National Geographic, and Gourmet, the farm attracts visitors from around the world to view its animal-friendly, pasture-based, environmentally-sound, nutrient-dense, entrepreneurial production and marketing models. His mother, Lucille, wife Teresa, daughter Rachel, son Daniel, daughter-in-law Sheri, and grandchildren Travis, Andrew, and Lauryn, work fulltime together on the family farm.

Brambles Market in Courtenay is pleased to offer two events featuring Joel Salatin. Both will be on Sunday, Sept.26 at the Florence Filberg center in Downtown Courtenay. Join them for a small group Q&A with Joel from 2-4. $40 ticket includes snacks and beverages and an opportunity to discuss issues in a round-table format. Tickets for this event are limited. The evening will feature a talk by Joel on some of his favourite issues, followed by a Q&A session. Tickets for this event are $25.

For more information about this event, please contact Angeline or jamesstreet@telus.net. This is a non-profit, community education event.

 

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Corsica - L'île de Beauté

Cape Corsica.

Corsica, off the French south coast, produces delicious dry white and subtle rosé wines that are best drunk chilled, young and fresh as an aperitif or to accompany light meals of seafood, salads, tapas.

Wine of Corsica is the common appellation to all the wines of Corsica, with the following AOC classifications related to either the soils or the villages in which the vineyards are grown: Ajaccio, Calvi, Coteaux du Cap Corse et Muscat du Cap Corse, Figari Patrimonio, Porto-Vecchio, Sartène.

While Corsica is definitely "south of France," it does not fall under the newly minted branding of "Sud de France," a term that is being used by the region of Languedoc-Roussillon as they voyage forth once again onto the world export stage with their wines and other agricultural products.

Corsican wines are one of those "well-kept secrets." The island, which the French call "L'île de Beauté," produces some great wines but they aren't exported much overseas...yet. Set in the Mediterranean Sea, many of the island's wines originate from Italy.  The sun's reflection on both  white rocks and the Mediterranean brings even more energy to the vine which, combined with low yields, will eventually produce a very concentrated grape.

Typical Corsican Village. Perched between the mountains and the Mediterranean Sea.

• Cap Corse Wine This white wine is pretty rare and much appreciated by winelovers. Many agree that it is the best white wine in Corsica.
• Sartene Wine This is an excellent wine, and the red San Michele is definitely a must-taste. These are fruity and warm Corsican wines.

• Patrimonio This wine is as famous as the classic Corsican appellation and its quality is constantly growing.  Corsican reds and whites are increasingly famous even out of the island. Patrimonio rosé wines are also fine wines. Patrimonio wines have a pretty strong character that originate from the soil, which is composed mostly of clay and limestone. This Corsican wine is full-bodied but still light and fruity.
• Ajaccio The Ajaccio French wine boasts the distinction of being the most elevated wine region in France. Most of its vineyards are located 500 m and above. This Corsica wine benefits from the warm weather, and the sea air provides it with a very particular flavor too. This French wine fully benefits from the Corsican environment thus it is light coloured, fruity and has a pronounced pepper flavor in the mouth. The Ajaccio soil is mostly granite.

They also have excellent beaches in Corsica!

Corsican Beaches.

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Muesli Delivered To You by iPhone 4

The made-to-order muesli mixers of mymuesli recently created the first TV commercial filmed and edited entirely on the iPhone 4.

In the three years since mymuesli launched, they've expanded to the UK, Switzerland and the Netherlands, and have been joined by similar concepts in other countries, including [Me]&Goji in the US. They've also forged smart alliances with established health, fitness and beauty brands, and developed a convenience product: mymuesli2go.

<p>mymuesli2go, a tv commercial - filmed and edited on an iPhone 4 from Max Wittrock on Vimeo.</p>

Which brings us back to the iPhone. mymuesli's founders were so impressed by the phone's video quality, that they decided to use it to shoot and edit an ad for their new product.

Highlighting the convenience aspect of mymuesli2go, the ad features a skydiver eating cereal before jumping out of a plane. (The video below shows both the ad and 'the making of'.) The commercial aired on German and Austrian television over the weekend.

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School of Fish Floats Its Boat In Vancouver

The founder of the School of Fish Foundation, Shannon Ronalds, is working to create a positive impact on the seafood industry by educating chefs about sustainable seafood.

He had a vision to build the floating dining room and new that plastic 2-Liter bottles could be used as flotation.

With the help of a marine engineer and Goodweather Design, they drew up plans for a dining room that floats using 1,672 bottles. The elegant raft was constructed out of reclaimed pinewood. All materials going into and coming out of this floating dining room are renewable, recycled, reclaimed and/or repurposed.

Read more: Floating Dining Room Sets Sail on 1,672 Bottle Raft in Vancouver | 

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Win Free Tickets To Bottles And Bangers

Bottles and Bangers

Enter to Win Two Free Tickets (worth $29.99 each) when you sign up TODAY on Vancouver Food And Wine.  

Don't Forget to Tweet This Up!!

Liberty Merchant Company is happy to host their 9th annual Bottles and Bangers tasting, as part of their much anticipated ‘Tastings-in-the-Park’ series.

Join them and taste the sensational wines of the southern hemisphere accompanied by a traditional banger overlooking the water at the Vancouver Rowing Club! Admission ticket includes one complimentary smokie or veggie dog with additional fare available for sale. All proceeds to benefit amateur sport at the Vancouver Rowing Club.

Date: Thursday, Aug 19, 2010 

Vancouver Rowing Club, Stanley Park - 7:30-9:30PM
$29.99/person

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