Sid Cross has been doing a little guest-blogging for us this week as we cover the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival. Widely considered one of the finest palates in the world, Sid’s list of honours and accomplishments are staggering. He is Wines Committee Chair for The International Wine & Food Society (www.iwfs.org) headquartered in London England; an Officer in France’s prestigious Ordre du Merite Agricole; a Membre d’Honneur of the L’Academie du vin de Bordeaux (and the only Canadian to receive that honour); and he has been named The Gourmet of the Year by The Society of Bacchus America. He’s also co-founder and an advisor to The Chef’s Table Society of BC, and an all around gent, first class.

Leave it to this man to lead you through a night and day you didn’t have. Sid Cross, live from the Wine Fest (above photo by Karen Hamilton)…

Table Notebook

– Day 6 finds this scribe scrambling to stay on top of his many passions, including avid sports fan (Tiger’s prep for the Masters at the Arnold Palmer Bay Hill, the NCAA basketball March Madness [go Villanova Wildcats!] and the Canucks battling for position with Calgary and Chicago).

– Early morning conference to announce that Argentina and New Zealand wil join forces as theme regions for the 32nd annual Wine Festival to be held after the Winter Olympics from April 19th to 25th, 2010.

– Battle of lunches around Vancouver. Attended Licenced to Kill featuring Germany’s excellent 2007 vintage at Chambar. Nice James Bond background music and I reflect on Riesling being featured in the flick Goldfinger with a cheese souffle. Here chef Nico features with German wines his menu favourites Candy striped beet and goat cheese tarte tatin with a vanilla-scented celery, apple & almond soup; spiced foie gras terrine with truffled brioche French toast and cherry compote; popular Northern BC mussels cooked with a tomato coconut cream, smoked chili & lime, fresh cilantro (a bit hotter than usual and Belgian beer may have been more refreshing).

– Nik Weis of St. Urbans-Hof likes the pairing with a Wurzburger Scheurebe and mentions that the spicy dish makes the wine show “mandarin orange” elements. He cleverly stood on his chair with his shoes off to be seen and be heard.

– Followed with Moroccan-rubbed slow roasted lamb loin, Israeli cous cous taboule, tahini yogurt, and grilled flat bread. White wine with red meat but it worked fairly well. Finished with bruleed pineapple carpaccio blood orange sorbet & baked coconut cassava nicely matched with 2003 Erbacher Hohnrain Riesling Spatlese from quality producer in the Rhinegau Schloss Reinhartshausen. Thanks to Andrea Besslich their International Export Director for providing this delicious late harvest wine.

– Received good feedback buzz about the affable and knowledgeable DJ Kearney’s presentation of What’s behind Pairing with Pinots? Included Julian Bond of PICA showing duck confit with Mirassou Pinot Noir 2005 from Santa Lucia Highlands; and Dino Renaerts of Diva at the Met’s Pemberton Meadows beef sampling with Ca’ del Bosco Pinero Rosso del Sebino IGT 2003. Well done DJ!

– Mireille Sauve of The Wine Umbrella had the seminar with the most fun called Blind-Blind. Blind tasting blindfolded and no spitting! Many fooled by a well chilled Dobbes wine by Joe Pinot Noir.

– Two important seminars in the late afternoon: The Century Mark featuring wines made from 100+ year old vines conducted with good humour by educator Mark Davidson. 120 year old Cab Sauv from Torres in Chile, a couple of Portuguese field blend Quintas, a couple of California Zins from Seghesio and Ravenswood , lots of Aussie ones including the fantastic complex aromatics of 2004 Henschke Hill of Grace.

– Icons of BC moderated by David Scholefield featured some of our emerging stars including Cedar Creek aromatic whites especially that Old Vine Ehrenfelser, Mission Hill Riesling icewine, Sandhill Pinot Blanc, Tantalus & Wild Goose Rieslings, Thornhaven Gewurztraminer, Black Hills Alibi, Quails’ Gate Stewart Family Pinot Noir, 2006 J-T Sunrock Shiraz, 2006 Nk’Mip Qwam Qwmt Merlot and 2006 Burrowing Owl Cab Franc.

– Panelists tried to answer the question of whether there is a BC terroir and a definitive BC style. It is finally emerging.

-Back for the third and final night of Festival tasting. Like the promise of those Averill Creek Vineyards Pinot Noirs ($26) from Vancouver Island. Luke Smith of Howling Bluff is seeking a more elegant style and watch out for his 2008 Sauvignon Blanc ($19) and 120 cases of 2006 Pinot Noir ($30) and 135 cases of Sin Cera (Merlot at $33.40).

– Off to the parties celebrating the end of the Tastings with only the Sunday brunches and dinners to go. Ray Signorello holding forth at the crowded no-host afterparty at the popular Joeys Wine Bar at Bentall One Burrard & Pender.

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