Objective (Wine) Subjectivity

We’ve all said it, in our heads or out loud – I’m guilty too. “This wine is terrible!” But is it really? Is it bad wine or is it just not suiting to your taste buds or the situation you may be in?

Wine is so incredibly subjective but there is some objectivity that is involved, which often gets overlooked. It is very possible, and common for you to enjoy a wine (whether it be the producer, the varietal, the use of oak or non-use of it, etc.) when your best bud can’t stand the very same wine. Obviously the wine isn’t bad if you enjoy it but why doesn’t the other person like it? Well, the detailed version of that answer is very long but I’m going to sum it up rather abruptly – it all boils down to taste. So where does this objectivity that I speak of enter the equation when tastes are subjective?

Objectivity comes into the wine equation when you are comparing and analyzing wines. You need to examine each wine on the same scale  so you have a benchmark (the Wine and Spirit Education Trust, aka WSET, calls this the systematic approach to tasting). If we ALL used the same scale we’d be much more likely to stay on the same page with wine reviews, preferences and consumer demand but where’s the diversity in that? Like so many other things in wine there are many different ways to assess it but by and large it boils down to a few good points to look for in every glass:

• Colour – Is your wine clear? Or is it hazy? What colour is it? Ruby or purple? Lemony-green or gold? How does that colour compare to other wines made from the same grape? Is it consistently a similar colour like a deep purple or does it vary like and unoaked Chardonnay compared to an oaked Chardonnay? Colour can indicate many things from grapes variety to viticulture and wine-making techniques through to the age of the wine.

• Smell – What does it smell like? Take a small sniff at first in case it is off and truly bad – not an aroma you wish to inhale deeply. Then give it a swirl and stick your sniffer right in there. Is it floral? Fruits? Vegetal? How does it compare to other wines or the same or similar variety?

• Taste – Is it dry or sweet? How’s the acidity – does your mouth water a lot after a sip? What about tannins – are your gums dry? How does it feel in your mouth – is it thick and heavy like a glass of milk or light bodied like water? Does it taste like it smells? Does it taste like the other wines you’ve had from the same grape?

• Conclusions – What do you think the quality of this wine is? If it is not faulted, it is at least an acceptable or good quality – even if you don’t care for it. If the structure and tastes are well balanced along with the nose, acidity and tannin levels then that conclusion can go up from good to very good or excellent or even outstanding, particularly if the wine is more complex (meaning you could spend hours tasting and sniffing and smell something different each time.) Take notes if you wish, it helps for future buying and comparing!

One of the most important wine lessons I’ve ever learned from Master of
Wine, Rhys Pender: At the end of the day quality is unrelated to preference. You can not like a wine. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, it is such a personal, subjective subject. A handy lesson about quality – it can be measured by evaluating the balance, intensity, length and complexity of the wine. I’m keeping this very 101 for the sake of the blog entry but some winos take this very seriously and to many deeper levels than what I’m mentioning here. I know many of you just drink what you enjoy and there’s definitely nothing wrong with that – keep it up. But think about those wines you’ve passed off as being bad or maybe you’ve even thought of them as lesser grapes and so on. Perhaps now you’ll consider reassessing how you discuss these wines with others as they may be that person’s favourite. Now you know they don’t have poor taste or lack in the palate department, they just have different taste buds and preferences than you do.

My sister-in-law isn’t a fan of one of my favourite grapes, Pinot Noir. But I know she has amazing taste and drinks lots of great wines that I also enjoy. Chatting (not judging) with her about it made me realize that what I love about Pinot Noir is exactly what her palate doesn’t love about Pinot Noir. Now I am able to make better wine recommendations to her based on this knowledge. Plus, it makes for interesting conversation with your local wino! Having a conversation about why your buddy enjoys, or doesn’t enjoy what you do will open your eyes to this objectivity in wine subjectivity. I suspect there’s an important life lesson in this as well…wine is oh-so-knowledgeable in it’s bringing us together and splitting us apart but let’s not get too philosophical!

Happy drinking, whatever may be in your glass! Cheers.

Camping Wino

We’re wandering on home from a few days of camping in Revelstoke at our favourite little waterfront rec-site about 30 clicks north of the town. We had to test Eddie’s camping abilities. She’s no Wanda but she can climb hills like a mountain goat, her bed (which doubles as a cargo carrier when the air mattress is deflated) is super comfy, and she holds our canoe like it is a feather. I had a few days off from the winery and we’re in between family and friends visiting so it seemed like the perfect time for a get-a-way to one of our most treasured spots. The site hosts found it pretty funny that we escaped the Okanagan when so many escape to it.

Mid-week camping is the best because you get to relax in the peace and quiet of a mostly empty campground while missing out on the weekend tomfoolery that July camping often brings. Though I suppose many people looking at my bag of four bottles of wine for two people and two nights away may think I was the one bringing the tomfoolery! I only had three bottles packed at first but as usual I couldn’t leave the fourth behind and packed it last minute.

It is no secret that I love bubbles and mimosas so naturally we had a bottle of sparkling wine with us – a See Ya Later Ranch Brut. I was really excited our first night there when I unpacked the wine and realized I had in fact, decided to make it a special occasion and threw in a Sumac Ridge Estate Winery 2007 Meritage, it went beautifully with our buffalo and orzo dish.

It is standing up really well and I am a happy gal because I have one bottle left – it is no longer in production.

I also packed a See Ya Later Pinot Noir, an easy drinking Pinot that I find to be a perfect pairing while sipping around the campfire. And that fourth bottle I threw in was also from See Ya Later, it was a Riesling – one of my fave varietals to sip beside a lake on a sunny afternoon. (The See Ya Later case was the easiest to access out of my collection, hence the theme, plus they’re reliably yummy wines).

I had planned to enjoy the mimosas with a nice greasy breakfast spread but the afternoon/night previous we thoroughly enjoyed the Riesling and Meritage as well as a couple of local Revelstoke brews (kolsch). Needless to say we weren’t really feeling the bubbles first thing the next day. Though we did enjoy the mimosas at the perfect moment, late-afternoon after a few hours spent ogling waterfalls from our canoe. All in all, the wine and camping were pretty grand.

We’re moseying home now so I can work my other gig tonight at the local coffeehouse. We’ve got some live tunes tonight which means I get I listen to awesome music outside while serving delicious local wines and eats. Yep, there’s not much to complain about these days…except that our battery died and we needed a boost. It seems our dome light has a mind of it’s own and no off switch. Nothing a boost, screwdriver and a couple of broken lightbulbs can’t fix for next time!

28 Bottles Later

I declare our trip south to be a success! We visited with Young & Wyse, Moon Curser, Nk’Mip and See Ya Later Ranch. We’ll get to Meyer Family Vineyards another time.

I found lots of gems to bring home. I picked-up a couple of bottles each at Young & Wyse and Mooncurser. And a case each at Nk’Mip and See Ya Later. We had great service at each location. It is refreshing to get out and find people that still care about the customer’s experience. We enjoyed a delicious lunch of venison burgers on Nk’Mip’s lovely patio. We just missed the rain that had been there and the rain that was to come so the patio was basically open long enough for us to enjoy lunch, perfection! The sun even shone a little bit – it does exist! (We’ve had a wet June in the Okanagan.)

It’s tough to pick one bottle to highlight but here we go!

The Highlights:

Young & Wyse Black Label 33*30*24*13 – 2009 $31.90

If you guessed the name of this wine represents the blend held within the bottle, well, you’d be correct! Our host opened this bottle just so we could have a taste. I got a lot of coffee and mocha off this blend of Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. It is a nicely structured wine with a velvety mouth-feel and very tasty fruit notes interwoven on the finish. I look forward to enjoying this liquid puppy with BBQ at some point this summer.

Moon Curser Tempranillo – 2010 $29.00

I love, love, love the artwork that Moon Curser uses. It is a total perk that I also really enjoy their wines. This Tempranillo has some excellent red cherry and tobacco notes with some stewed fruit thrown in for added yummy-ness. (No, not literally added in!) The soft tannins make this a great sipper all on it’s own. It took all my efforts to ensure I only bought wine and not the really nifty bamboo tee that feature the very cool label designs.

Nk’Mip Qwam Qwmt Syrah – 2008 $34.99

Mmmm blueberries, plum, and vanilla. While this wine can age a few more years it is tasting absolutely great right now. It has a nice deep colour and hints of spicey and peppery notes. I could have brought 12 of these bad boys home but liked the other wines lots as well so the case slots had to be shared with other bottles of excellence like Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a bottle of Merlot thrown in for good measure!

See Ya Later Ranch Ping – 2009 $27.99

I love Ping. It is a great bordeaux blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Lots of blackberry and cherry can be found in this wine. The wine is aged in a combo of French and American oak for 19 months in a 60/40 split. It has just enough Cab Franc in the blend to give it some added complexity without taking away from the structure of the Cab Sauv and the fruitiness of the Merlot. I’d love to enjoy this bottle with some Lamb after another year or two – though it is perfectly drinkable right this moment.

My picking two blends and two single varietals was not on purpose, I just divvy out the cards where my taste buds tell me to. We did pick-up a fair amount of whites on this trip as well but since whites tend to be a what everyone talks about when the summer heat hits, I picked my red faves which also happen to be my overall faves.

We came home after our day of wine tripping and I let my driver pick-out our dinner bottle. He chose our last bottle of Sparkling Rosé. I sabred the bottle in the back yard and we spent the evening relaxing!

Whoops!

Hi friends, looks like last week’s post didn’t post! Ah, the modern woes of technology. I’m positive I hit that magic “publish” button but it doesn’t seem to have worked. So the words in the previous post are from last Friday. Sorry for the wait! So as to not overload your word quota for the day, or take too much of your attention, I will save this week’s post, which is a follow-up to last week’s, for another day! Until then, cheers!

Day trip!

Happy Friday! I’m ecstatic because I am currently celebrating a four day weekend. Not only am I celebrating a four day weekend on an actual weekend (rare in the hospitality industry), we also bought a new wine ride yesterday – a 2003 Mazda 4 x 4. Now, I’ve yet to break it to Wanda that I’ve been cheating on her. She’s a great ‘ole gal but it’s time she retire. I’m sure it will sting a bit that her replacement (not that my dear old van could ever be replaced) is 20 years her junior but wine cases are heavy and Eddie, the Mazda, has a nice size truck bed that is covered with a canopy and will hold a cooler, or air mattress for camping, just perfectly.

Wanda has served us better than we could have ever imagined but we just can’t bare to make her climb any more mountains, though I’d like to find a small piece of land (that isn’t my front yard) to park her on so we can, from time to time, go enjoy some wine and camp in the comfort of her while she’s parked on a bank overlooking some water. Anyone have any land they wish to donate to Wanda? Otherwise I see her soon becoming part of a Quebecois family of transient fruit pickers.

The tears over Wanda’s retirement are drying quickly as I plan Eddie’s first Okanagan wine touring day-trip! We’re heading south tomorrow so I can practice some of those touring tricks and tips I told you about in my last couple of posts. It’s that time of year again where I get a grand deal or two at a few sister wineries. While we’re out, I’m thinking we might as well explore some of the other goodness the south Okanagan wineries have to offer. So the plan is to head south as soon as we can tomorrow, after a few necessities are taken care of. My list is ambitious and I’m breaking my own rules by organizing a list longer than three wineries but I know in my tour, after a couple of stops, a couple more stops will get knocked off the list and put on the “next time” list. Right now the list stands at a couple wineries I’ve visited before and a few that I’ve been dying to try out.

The List:

Nk’Mip – I’ve told you repeatedly how much I love Nk’Mip wines. This entire southerly trip is planned around our Nk’Mip visit. I just hope the rain holds off so we can enjoy a wine flight and delicious eats on their patio before I fill up a mixed case to bring home…there will most definitely be some Pinot Noir and buttery Chardonnay (don’t judge me, I like unoaked too) in this case.

Mooncurser – Last fall I had the chance to indulge in a taste of Mooncurser’s Bordeaux red blend, Border Vines. I loved it instantly. I immediately grabbed a bottle as the tasting was at a VQA store. I am excited to visit them and enjoy their dark and tall tales while tasting (and spitting) their portfolio.

Young & Wyse – I don’t know much about this winery other than what I’ve read. I’m not overly familiar with their product but in wine publications and online they always catch my eye. I like the experienced family run approach and look forward to trying their selections.

See Ya Later Ranch:Now, I’ve been to the ranch a number of times, it is magical at the top of the mountain. And I’m excited to try the road uphill to the winery with Eddie as opposed to Wanda (the local cyclists could peddle up the hill faster). I know the wines well and some of the folks even better. This is more of a stop to visit a friend but I will be leaving with a case of tasty, tasty wine.

If there is time I’d love to swing a stop at Meyer Family Vineyards. It might not happen this trip but I definitely want to get here. They focus on Burgundy style wines – mmmm Pinot Noir, plus the gal of the family was in my last wine class and I’d love to pay a visit.

So until I’ve tasted, so long! I’ll let you know what I enjoy and where we end up stopping. Now we’re off to find a good canoeing lake for Sunday – it’s a bit easier to load the canoe onto Eddie than Wanda.

Happy sipping!

Wine Trippin’:Part Two

Here are those promised pointers from last week for tasting travellers to experience satisfied sipping:

• Time of year – call ahead to see if the wineries you plan to visit are open. Ask their hours. DO NOT rely on guide books for the operating hours as they can often change after the books have been printed.

• Choose your region wisely. Are you looking for specific types of wine? Large wineries? Small ones? A mix of both? A dry Gewurztraminer or a bold Cab Sauv? Make sure the region you pick offers all you want. Each region will have different characteristics in their wine based on that fancy word terroir I told you about awhile ago. After you’ve selected your area, look at the regions within that area. For example, I learned of one of my favourite regions in the Sonoma area after we arrived in Bodega Bay. The Russian River Valley (RRV) suited our tastes perfectly but I had already chosen wineries more centrally located in Sonoma. Better planning would have allowed us to spend more time in the RRV. However, we chose to see the glass half full and look at that as an opportunity to go back for another visit, or five.

• Food. Mmmm food. Can’t type. Eating. Wait, what are we talking about? Oh yes, two of my favourite things, food and wine. Does the place you’ve chosen to visit offer a specific cuisine to suit their foods? (Mmmm Chianti and tomato dishes). Perhaps there is a real local movement happening where you’re visiting. (There sure is in the Okanagan Valley, and British Columbia as a whole, we’re die-hards when it comes to supporting local food and wine). Will you eat lunches out? At a winery? Or do you prefer to find your perfect bottle to match your picnic on a terrace overlooking the beautiful scenery only wine-country can offer? Aside from meals, make sure you keep snacks close-by. Unsalted, plain crackers or bread help to refresh your taste buds. And for the love of everything holy, take lots, and lots of water with you. I don’t care how much or little water you normally drink, during a day of wine tasting it is imperative to stay hydrated with more than just fermented grape juice, as good as it is. Trust me, you’ll thank me later when you’re still awake at 5pm and not napping off the buzz that will leave you hungover all evening.

• Where to stay. The fella and I like to rent flats or houses. We use a number of different online sources to find vacation properties that are rented out at reasonable rates. We love to cook for ourselves. We do love to eat out but we prefer to save those pennies for additional bottles of wine to pair with the dinners we dream up and leisurely prepare at our vacation rental. Though for some, cooking their own meals isn’t ideal and not considered vacation-fun. If that’s the case be sure to look for a place that will feed you well. Some wineries offer guest suites or B & B’s right on site. You can kick start your mornings with a splash of whatever tickles your tasters and breakfast in bed. You’ll want to consider how close you are to town and amenities, would you rather be centrally located or more rural? This can depend on the next point…

• Driving Ms. Daisy. Will you be driving your own car? ROAD TRIP!!! Or will you fly/train/bus to your destination and rent a car there? Perhaps you’ll just be on foot. Think carefully before getting behind the wheel for a day of wine tasting. It can be best to take advantage of shuttles or wine touring companies. However, that’s not for everyone so if you decide to drive, decide before fastening those seat-belts who will be the designated spitter. Perhaps someone on your trip isn’t a wine fan and will do the driving for you, score! Whoever drives should get to choose the dinner bottle as a reward for their restraint.

• Spit. Yes, you can spit along with the designated spitter and nobody will think twice. If you don’t like a particular wine, you don’t have to drink it. Most people serving you will take no offense if you dump something out that doesn’t suit your tastes. This trick can also help you last the course of the day while fairing better than those who pack away all five (give or take a couple) tastes at each winery they visit.

• Map your route. Most wine regions are great with marking their wineries and routes to get to them. For this point I’m less concerned with directions (though do consider having some to avoid the number one vacation ruin-er: “Do you know where we are? Let’s ask for directions.”), than I am with how many wineries you visit in a day and how far you have to travel to visit said wineries. Visiting too many tasting rooms in one day can be more overwhelming that planning your trip. I recommend choosing three to start. You can allow a surprise stop here and there for winery names you might recognize, or for the quaint chateaux that catches your attention mid-route. When behind the tasting bar, I am never one to commend those who boast about visiting 20 wineries in two days. While that kind of trip can send you home with a trunk full of wine, I bet you’d be hard pressed to tell me at the end of those two days where the wines in your trunk are from and what makes them so special.

• Speaking of trunks…your wine doesn’t like it in there. It’s hot, humid and bouncy. Take a cooler with you for those hot touring days and put your purchases in it and take them into your abode at night. You don’t want your wine to spoil before you even get it back to your B & B or hotel.

• Wine country is more than just wine.While the point of visiting wine country is to taste, these regions are often situated in majestic areas that offer intense natural beauty…or shopping. Why not check out whichever suits your fancy. I love to hike and do my best to add some in between the tastings. Plus, it helps with all that food I mentioned earlier.

• What to wear. As you might have guessed from my preference of hiking over shopping, I’m not a fashionista. I would bet on the fact that most wineries couldn’t care less what you wear into their tasting room, so long as it is tasteful – more to the point, so long as it isn’t tasteless! I’m not going to tell you what to pack (other than a corkscrew), but I would suggest not wearing white to a wine tasting. You’d be amazed at the number of times I see white on the other side of the tasting bar. (Uh, red wine stains. I’d be happy to sell you some Wine Away!) Though, it does remind me that the rest of the world isn’t as clumsy as I am. Finally on this note, if you plan on touring a winery, this can often mean walking up ramps and into the cellar – leave the heels behind! Seriously.

If you have any questions about planning your trip to wine country, I’d be happy to help. Leave me a comment below and I’ll be in touch. Cheers and happy touring!

Wine Trippin’

It’s finally June. Hooray for summertime and for many of you, vacation time! I know what I like to do during my time off and would encourage you do to the same: Wine touring, naturally!

Planning a trip to wine country for the first time or the tenth time can be daunting, just like planning any sort of vacation. Where do you stay? What do you do? Where do you eat? What do you taste? To drive or go with a tour company? What’s the budget? And so on…When it comes to wine country there are so many freakin’ options it can certainly overwhelm the first time visitor. Did you know most people visiting wineries fall into the overwhelmed guest category as opposed to being the enthusiast or simple sipper? Know what that means? You’re in good company. It is likely the person beside you at the bar is wondering and thinking the same things you are. Am I doing it right? What am I supposed to smell? Is it ok if I just like it without the fancy words? Well friends, don’t be shy, step right up to the bar and swirl, sip and spit away! Don’t hesitate to ask for tasting technique tips.

Wine country touring is a timely subject for Canadians, just Wednesday night Bill C-311 (I told you about this last week) passed in Parliament. It moves onto Senate and has to jump through a number of more hoops and formalities (and something else that just developed on Thursday – new provincial yammerings that may be potential barriers). Hopefully one day you will be able to legally ship your wine home from one of our gorgeous wine regions, be it BC, Ontario or Nova Scotia, and any place in between. It may be another long awhile before shipping becomes totally legal but why not start planning that trip now? The wine will help to ease the pain.

Back to the matter at hand, your vacation! One of my first trips to wine country, a few years ago now, came out of a planned trip to California with the fella. We realized we’d be close to wine country on our travels to Bodega Bay (north of San Fran) so being the nerd I am, I went out and bought a book (or two) about Sonoma and the wineries in that area. I read through and flagged the pages of the wineries that stood out to me, for whatever reason. Yes, it was sort of like choosing a book by it’s cover, but when there are so many options this can sometimes work for the novice visitor. We went in the off-season so this allowed me to narrow the list of wineries down even further because some of them close during the slower times – this is true of most wine regions and is a very important point to consider. The last thing you want is to have your plan and excitement for a given winery all worked up only to realized you’re knocking at wine-less doors. Some pointers will follow in my next post, stay tuned! It’ll appear for you mid-week as a special post. You’ll still get your Fresh Friday words, don’t you worry about that. See ya then, cheers!