CORKAGE: Burrowing Owl’s “Calliope” Label And Making A Prison Out Of Wine Country…
June 13, 2011
by Amorita Bastaja | A bottle or two of note, something overheard and many words read…
TASTED: This week I sampled the Calliope wines from Burrowing Owl, and was pleasantly surprised at the quality. Last year was the inaugural vintage of the Calliope label, with only a Sauvignon Blanc being released. This year, three more wines join the line up: a Riesling, a Viognier and a Rosé made mostly of Syrah with a touch of Viognier. The Sauvignon Blanc had zippy acidity and clean citrus notes; the Viognier spent a little time in the barrel creating some complexity on the palate, while the Rosé received a nice floral lift from the Viognier. Ranging in price from $15-$18 (private retail stores) there isn’t much to go around (only 175 cases were made of the Riesling and the Viognier). Although not terribly complex, they are absolutely perfect for mid-week trips to Kits Beach, screw caps and all. The wines will be released and ready for sale next week.
OVERHEARD: While at The Cocktail Show last week at Tofino’s Schooner, one of the lovely young ladies asked Mr. Jacob Sweetapple if he did the whole “flair bartending thing” (as she mimed flipping bottles into the air) to which Jacob replied “No, I quit the circus years ago…I just bartend now”.
READ: Lest I be confused by the myriad options when wine shopping, Essentia Vitae has created these new perfume shaped wine bottles. Labelled by their respective “scents”, they are intended to stand out to women who are just so overwhelmed by all the pretty bottles…Opposition is mounting against a proposed prison in Penticton, minutes away from the Naramata Bench, a popular tourist destination for wine tours. 19 wineries from the area have signed their names vocalizing their concern…EAT! Vancouver is this weekend with an appearance from Daenna Van Mulligen, better known as the Wine Diva…Napa Valley Vintner’s 31st annual charity auction took place a few days ago, some purchase highlights included 6 bottles of Chateau Montelena 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon selling for $8,200 and three 3 L of Frog’s Leap back vintage Cabernet Sauvignon auctioning at $6,100…Robert Parker, whom many consider to be partially responsible for inflated wine prices due to his controversial point scoring system, has perhaps decided to be part of the solution instead. In an interview with the AFP, he noted that prices of 2010 Bordeaux are too high, and the region will damage its reputation if it doesn’t lower them…the mother of all wine festivals, Vinexpo starts on June 19th in Bordeaux…My latest issue of Wine Access has arrived in the mail, and I’m very much enjoying the cover story “Behind the Bottles”. Focused on mentors and their protégés, highlights include interviews with Paul and Paul-Andre Bosc of Chateau des Charmes and Janet and Hailey Trefethen of Trefethen Family Vineyards. The interviewee’s are humble and speak openly of mistakes and hard work. The conversations are endearing and earnest, and allude to the true value of keeping business close to home.
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Amorita Bastaja is a manager at Legacy Liquor Store, the largest liquor store in British Columbia (located in the Athlete’s Village), and the Wine Editor of Scout. Her love of imbibing steered her through courses from the International Sommelier Guild and the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, and has taken her to many wine regions, including Washington State, Napa and Sonoma, Piemonte, Veneto, Tuscany, Abruzzo, Provence and all over the Okanagan Valley.
CORKAGE: A Tofitian Surf Dispatch & News Of The Southern Hemisphere’s 2011 Vintage
June 6, 2011
Amorita Bastaja is a manager at Legacy Liquor Store, the largest liquor store in British Columbia (located in the Athlete’s Village), and the Wine Editor of Scout. Her love of imbibing steered her through courses from the International Sommelier Guild and the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, and has taken her to many wine regions, including Washington State, Napa and Sonoma, Piemonte, Veneto, Tuscany, Abruzzo, Provence and all over the Okanagan Valley. Her weekly column – Corkage – covers a bottle of note, something overheard and many words read…
TASTED: Michelle Bouffard of House Wine cracked a few (or 12) bottles of Pinot Noir last week while I mooched around. A couple of favourites were the Cave de Lugny, Crémant de Lugny Brut Rosé (NV, private wine stores, approx $30) - excellent value for bubble of this caliber. A soft salmon colour, it exhibited fresh strawberry alongside delicate citrus fruit on the nose and palate. The bubbles were fine and creamy. So delicious with soft cheese! The other standout was the 2007 Louis Jadot Pommard 1er Cru Grands Epenots (private wine stores, $70). Perhaps it’s infanticide to open it so soon, but it was still very enjoyable. Light in colour and style, everything about this wine was subtle and elegant. A racy minerality creates structure, while top notes of flowers and forest intermingle. Again, delicious.
OVERHEARD: As I write this, I’m enjoying a glass of 2006 Carlton Cellars Roads End Pinot Noir at the Tofino Food & Wine Festival. Soon it’s off to The Schooner Restaurant for The Cocktail Show courtesy of Jacob Sweetapple, Jess Nichol and Paul Hinchey. The botanical gardens then beckon for Grazing in the Garden. It’s a little grey out, damp and chilly, but the surf is all I need to hear tonight.
READ: First reports of the 2011 vintage in the Southern Hemisphere – where juice is feverishly fermenting away – have come out. Australia and New Zealand suffered through wet weather, making rot a potential issue. Lower yields have been reported with lower sugar levels, potentially resulting in lower alcohol wines…Chile and Argentina fared slightly better, but are reporting lower yields due to frost and chilly weather…Rubicon Estate owner Francis Ford Coppola has lured away winemaker Phillippe Bascaules (previously with Chateau Margaux) and purchased the name brand name “Inglenook” in hopes of returning the estate name to its former glory…the Seghesio family who are best known for their Zinfandels have sold their winery, vineyards, brand name and current inventory to the Crimson Wine Group…Lucky Manitoba, home to both a new (old) hockey team and now the potential ability to purchase wine and beer in grocery stores…the Liquor Control Board of Ontario has just released their fiscal 2010 results, with revenue pushing $4.55 billion and profit at $1.56 billion…Very much enjoyed Jake Skakun’s comments on Cherries and Clay regarding VQA labelling laws, join the discussion…Starting summer 2012, if your wine has been fined with natural agents like fish bladders or egg whites, the label may be subject to stickers announcing so – less is more, drink unfined unfiltered!
The Vancouver Playhouse Wine Fest Joins The Scout Community
January 12, 2011
The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival is now a proud member supporter of Scout. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank them for their support of our little website. Click ahead to read on or jump directly to their Scout page here… Read more
“Nichol Vineyard” Of Naramata Joins The Scout Community…
July 26, 2010
Nichol Vineyard is now a proud member supporter of Scout. We will be publishing their news and press releases on our front page and hosting a page for them in our list of Wineries & Breweries. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank them for their support of our little website. Click ahead to read on or jump directly to their Scout page. Read more
Elephant Island Orchard Wines Joins The Scout Community
June 12, 2010
Elephant Island Orchard Wines is now a proud member supporter of Scout. We will be publishing their news and press releases on our front page and hosting a page for them in our list of member wineries and breweries here. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank them for their support of our little website. Click ahead to read on or jump directly to their Scout page. Read more
The Tasting Room: A Visit From Elvis, New Restaurants & More
January 30, 2010
by Terry David Mulligan | Elvis is in The Tasting Room. An exclusive visit with Elvis Costello. Then we head for Dallas, Texas as a guest in a documentary about – dinner. Food writers Andrew Morrison and Jamie Maw talk about new restaurants [Bao Bei, Lupo, etc], the Wine Diva reviews Okanagan wines, we visit Ricardo’s North of Kelowna, and end the show inside the Olympic flame relay runners bus. It all starts streaming next after the jump…
The Tasting Room: Special Show On The Niagara Ice Wine Fest
January 20, 2010
by Terry David Mulligan | A two hour return to Niagara for the 15th Annual Ice Wine Festival. Round table conversations with owners, growers, winemakers, chefs and wine bloggers! It all streams next after the jump… Read more
The Tasting Room: Listening To The Latest In Local Wine Intel
January 15, 2010
by Terry David Mulligan | The Diva does dollars…a bunch of outstanding wines under $20 bucks. Tony Gismondi and Kasey Wilson talk what they know – 2009 in food and wine. Joyce Wegner and the second issue of Savour magazine. All the early news on the 32nd annual Playhouse Wine Festival. Then it’s the Jane and John show: Jane Ferrari from Australia’s Yalumba, and the Dean of Canadian Wine Writers, John Schreiner.
PS. We also hide a quick interview with singer/songwriter Jim Byrnes in the first hour. See if you can find it. It all streams next after the jump… Read more
The Tasting Room: Possibly The Very Best Pinot Noir In Canada…
January 10, 2010
by Terry David Mulligan | We start with a two part visit to the cellars of Foxtrot a legendary Naramata Bench winery that to this day cannot be found without some real digging for info…which is exactly what we do. If they truly make the best Pinot Noir in Canada, why can’t anyone find them or their wines? Read more
“Cellared In Canada” Fiasco Slowly Spinning Towards Drain
October 2, 2009
Good news from the Vancouver Sun:
Two of Canada’s largest winemakers said Thursday they are going to change the labeling of their bulk import wines in response to consumer backlash over selling them as B.C. wine.
They never intended to mislead consumers, John Peller, president of Andrew Peller Ltd. and Eric Morham, president of Vincor Canada, said in an exclusive interview with the editorial board of The Vancouver Sun. New label concepts are already in the works, they said.
“We’ve heard the feedback loud and clear,” said Peller.
I think it was the monkey throwing its own feces that did it.
