Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Banff-ff-ff


R. and I spent the last week visiting friends and skiing in and around Banff-ff-ff. A great trip, with mostly amazing weather and great conditions, never mind what the locals think.


Driving Banff-ff-ff-wards.


Banff-ff-ffThe visitor of Banff-ff-ff.


Lake LouiseLake Louise, frozen.


waterstopR. wants you to notice the blue frozen waterfall. Shortly afterwards, she decided that the ice was getting thinner, and that we should turn back around.


Walking back towards the Fairmont Lake Louise... time to go ski.


Ski Lake Louise.


Look at that speed!


"Can we go now?"


XC at the Canmore Olympic Centre. There was also an international biathlon meet on this week, which resulted in us being lapped several times by some Baltic guy who was out training in the wee hours of the morning.


We didn't let him get us down though. It must have been all the extra wind-resistance we had, what with the lack of multi-coloured spandex and all.


A view of Canmore. The white patch at the base of the mountains is the Canmore Olympic Centre, where we XC'd.


Crowfoot GlacierCrowfoot Glacier. Third toe melted already.


Bow LakeBow Lake.


video
A kite-boarder. I guess it's called kite-boarding.


cliffJust before entering the Columbia Icefields.


AthabascaR. getting stuck in the snow at Athabasca Glacier.


Snowtubing at Mt. Norquay.


video
Perhaps a bit too much spinning.


Upper Hot Springs in Banff. Perfect post-tubing wind-down. Or un-winding. Spin in the other direction. Driving home, what came on the radio? Hello 80's! Did you know he's Canadian?


Ice-fishing on Lake Minnewonka. Looks warm.


The gondola at Sunshine Village.


R. discovering A&W's root beer float. Can I get that back now?


Downtown Canmore.


Canmore Wine MerchantsA quick stop at Canmore Wine Merchants, where we looked for some Canadian wines and tried a couple of non-Canadian things:

2007 Bichot Bourgogne Vielle Vignes - light, pure fruit, clear, clean, good acidity. Very approachable.

2006 Mas du Soleilla Petit Mars
(Languedoc) - a blend of syrah, grenache and carignan. Fairly extracted, peppery tannins, medium bodied. Big and ripe without tipping over to jammy, palatable stuff.



At the top of the Continental Divide. Criss-crossing between "Sunny Alberta" and "Beautiful British Columbia."


Slopeside sake, the universal refreshment.


"You want me to ski where?"


That wasn't so bad, was it?


No, but it could have been... that back there is Delirium Dive. Just like the K-2.



Well, after a week of skiing, and 80's flashbacks, we just had to rent this teen-scene ski classic! I want my two dollars!


TimbitsFinally, some Canadian culinary delicacies... Tim Horton's Timbits. The other Canadian highlight on this trip has to be Ontario's Creemore Springs Brewery's Premium Lager. Now owned by Molson, but still hand-crafting unpasteurised, unfiltered beer. I'm not usually a big lager drinker, but for this I can make an exception. If only I could find it closer to home!


bye bye BanffA week of sensational weather comes to an end, but only as we head to the airport. A week full of sunny skies and warm-ish weather gets chased out by this snow storm. Stupendous timing!

Monday, March 8, 2010

Funaguchi Kikusui Ichiban Shibori

Funaguchi Kikusui Ichiban shiboriBefore heading to Goat's Eye Mountain

Funaguchi Kikusui Ichiban Shibori from Niigata Prefecture's Kikusui Shuzo, this "one-cup" sake is a nama genshu shiboritate honjozo. Kikusui is located in ski country, and this product was first released in 1972, with young skiers as the target market. Kikusui even recommends chilling this in the snow, something we are not averse to! Seimai-buai of 70% and 19.8% abv. Full-flavoured, sweet and intoxicating, pronounced fermented canteloupe taste. This is strong brew, a proper winter warmer. Red Bull for the sake-drinking classes.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Shimantogawa Junmai Ginjo

ShimantogawaIcefields Parkway

Shimantogawa Junmai Ginjo from Kochi Prefecture's Tosa-Kikusui Shuzo. Yamada Nishiki milled to 60%, SMV +4, acidity 1.5, 15% abv. Light, dry and smooth, with a notably bitter finish. I'm not sure how this would do at warmer temperatures, but it was just fine slopeside.


Shooting ShimantogawaThe Village at Sunshine Valley

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Kuro-Ninki Junmai Ginjo

Kuro-Ninki Junmai GinjoAt Athabasca Glacier

Kuro-Ninki Junmai Ginjo from Fukushima Prefecture's Ninki-Ichi - "making the world's best sake by soul." Ninki Shuzo produces only tezukuri (hand-made) ginjo-shu. "Fukushima" rice milled to 60%, SMV +3.5, acidity 1.0, 15.4% abv. Full aroma, bakery notes, full flavoured, tangy, with melon and nut notes, a little starchy, but the acidity keeps this smooth, silky, and well-balanced. A satisfying, contemplative brew.

Friday, March 5, 2010

Nezumi Otoko Jungin

Nezumi Otoko JunginFrom the slopes of Lake Louise

Nezumi Otoko ("Rat Man") Junmai Ginjo from Tottori Prefecture's Chiyomusubi Shuzo. I guess the folks at Chiyomusubi like their manga, since they've released several such-labeled cup-sake. Nezumi Otoko is a character from GeGeGe no Kitaro, a series that ran from 1959 to 1969! The author, Shigeru Mizuki, lives in Sakaiminato, the brewery's hometown. This brew is Gohyakumangoku milled to 55%, SMV +1.5, acidity 1.4, 16% abv. Surprisingly rich, savoury and full, vegetal touches, quite smooth. Feels just a bit too serious for skiing-sake (hmm... this should be its own category.)


The R-FactorThe R-Factor was still high though.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Denshin "Ine" Junmai

Denshin Ine JunmaiOn Lake Louise

Denshin "Ine" (rice field), a junmai-shu from Fukui Prefecture's Ippongi Kubohonten. Brewed from Koshi no Shizuku, a variety only available in Fukui Prefecture, milled to 60%, SMV ±0, acidity 1.4, and 15.5% abv. Smooth, mild, clean and light, with only faint aroma. Gains a bit of roundness and a bitter finish as it comes up to room temperature, but I preferred to keep this on ice.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

2007 Prager Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Hinter der Burg

Prager
2007 Prager Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Hinter der Burg (Wachau) - Just a classical wine in every proportion (12.5% abv) - nose is fresh and bright, green apples, pears, green peas, lentils, wet stones. Medium weight, good concentration - definitely Federspiel material weight-wise. Very nicely balanced acidity, white pepper, more pear, saline, spring water, and just a touch of quinine-spice. Dry, refreshing, and delicious. Another winning biodynamic producer, whatever your opinion may be.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Setchukanbai Junmai Ginjo [1 Koku - 30]

Setchukanbai Junmai Ginjo
"Plum Tree in the Snow", from Gifu Prefecture's Furuta Shuzo. Unfortunately, parts of the website are down, so I'm only able to find limited information on this. I remember having a very choppy conversation with the owner about this sake in November, and could only glean that it was made from a local rice varietal. Nihon-shu-do is +6, and 14.5% abv. Pronounced ginjo nose, floral and sweet, very clean and light on entry, savoury/tangy mid-palate followed by rich, sweet rice and a dry starchy finish. Very easy drinking, this. Too easy...

Monday, March 1, 2010

Frontiers in Viticulture: Baja California

I had the chance recently to spend a day in Valle de Guadalupe, about 70 miles south of San Diego. The area has multiple histories of wine-making. First, during the Spanish Colonial period. The second era began in 1903, when some 50 Russian families settled in the area, planting vine stocks that they'd brought with them. These were a later group than those that settled the "Russian" River area of California. But the contemporary wine scene is only about 30 years old. It was a lovely drive, and a very great relief to get beyond the depressing nature of Tijuana.


Coastal RoadThe coastal road is sorely, and only recently, over-developed, but there remain some beautiful stretches.


just inlandValle de Guadalupe is just north of Ensenada, and only a few miles inland.


rolling hillsThe valley is bordered by rolling hills to the west and the Sierra Blanca to the southeast.


Valle de GuadalupeOn weekdays, not heavily touristed!


FordingI was surprised to see so much water amongst the scrub - some standing water, and some shallow streams, easily swollen. But, even my poor little Mazda rental made it across this stream. (Another stream did prevent further explorations though.)


The road to PijoanViñas Pijoan – sketchy dirt road, rife with dry rivulets. Wasn't sure my little car would make it!

The choice of Pijoan wasn't quite random. There are more than 30 wineries in the Valle de Guadalupe, including some big operations (Domecq, Cetto, Adobe Guadalupe...) that get visitors by the bus-load - but only on the weekends. However, most are small, open by appointment only. After some research, I had narrowed it down to Casa de Piedras, Mogor Bodan, Vinisterra, and Viñas Pijoan. For whatever reason, my emails to Vinisterra bounced, and I didn't hear back from Piedras or Bodan. Turns out the former is rarely able to take visitors, and Mogor Bodan, the maker of the only Mexican Chasselas, passed away last year. I hear it is very good though, and still available. If only I'd had more time to look for it!

Pau Pijoan is a former veterinarian whose wine hobby got the best of him, and he went full-time only 10 years ago. He is assisted by his lovely wife, Leonora, and daughter Paula - a surfing oceanographer who is into sake! Go on Paula!

Only one winery in the valley is certified organic, but Pijoan still tends towards natural practices - 4 adopted stray dogs roam the vineyards for pests, no herbicides are used, and so on. The wines here are all cuvée, and with the exception of the syrah, the grapes are purchased from vineyards within the valley. So far, Pau feels that his vines aren't yet established enough for what he wants to produce. Fair enough.


barrelsUse of oak is not unheard of. American, French and even Hungarian. To date, all his wines are named after the women in his life – wife, mother, daughters, and grandmothers. None are spared. However, a fortified wine is in the works, named after granddad.


vinesSyrah on the vine. Other varietals grown in the Valle de Guadalupe include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, Viognier, and in (only) one case, Chasselas.



PijoanOn to the tasting:

I first got to taste a couple of tank samples, the 2009 Domenica, a Grenache blend augmented by Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah, and the 2009 Paulinha, a Zinfandel-Merlot blend, also with a touch of Petite Sirah. Have to admit, I don't know the first thing about interpreting tank samples.

  • 2008 Paulinha - equal proportion of merlot and zinfandel with a touch of Petite Sirah. The Merlot and Zinfandel vinified as a rosé, with the Petite Sirah vinified by carbonic maceration and added for colour and structure. Creative - I understand that previous blends have included Barbera and Syrah. Described as a summer cooler, lightly chilled. Fruity and light, not as much acidity as I was expecting, tropical fruit nature.

  • 2007 Doménica - 75% grenache and barrel-aged. Medium bodied and fruit-forward, I was pleased to see the oak-influence fading some from the tank sample.

  • 2007 Mare - Mare is Catalan for "mother", a tribute to Pau's Catalan roots. ≈86% zinfandel from 40-year-old vines, cut with 14% Merlot. A pleasant surprise, really, not your typical blueberry milk-shake style CA Zin, the Merlot seems to be very effective here. 13.5% abv, a backbone of salty minerality, with nice berry and bramble.

  • 2007 Leonora - sensibly, the flagship wine. A Cab-Merlot blend, the oak is rather prominent at the moment, but again, much more reigned in than one seems to find in the other California, and with less extract. Certainly fruit-forward, perhaps a bit too primary right now for me to fully appreciate.


On the whole, pleasant wines, and I will keep an eye on their blog - the current top post describes a 6 year vertical tasting-dinner of the Leonora which Paula had described, and which sounded very promising indeed. The wines were pricey though, a problem not unique to Pijoan (I did buy a bottle of the Mare for $25 though, given CA prices this might have been a good value.) Interestingly, this is due primarily to the domestic tax situation, which has made it difficult for these wines to get much awareness abroad. The regional government is also pushing for a D.O. designation, which the winemakers are almost uniformly opposed to, saying it's too much too soon.


in the vineyardsSee? Vinroy was here.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

2006 Les Crêtes Torrette Vigne Les Toules

Les Crêetes Torrette Vigne Les Toules2006 Les Crêtes Torrette Vigne Les Toules (Aymavilles, Valle d'Aoste (DOC))

What a delightful wine this is, or rather was, as it was "disappeared" rapidly! 12.5% abv will do that, but oh so tasty. 70% Petite Rouge, 30% "miscellaneous." Organically produced. The terrain is moraine - had to look that up - "unconsolidated glacial debris", sandy slopes facing every direction, at an altitude of 500 to 650 meters. Guyot trained vines, manually harvested, about 4 tons per acre yield. 8 days fermentation in INOX, followed by 8 months aging in steel before bottling. Production is at a pretty good clip, 40,000 bottles.

Crystalline black cherry colour. Bright and fresh nose, cranberries, with both citrus and cream notes, with a definite loamy undercurrent. The nose carries onto the palate, light to mid-weight, almost frizzy acidity upfront, with a definite fade, settling smartly, juicy yet dry, finishing softly. Sour cherry and mineral driven, not very complex, but easy drinking and [poof], it was gone! $21, methinks this a repeat purchase.