The winners of the first edition of the BC Italian Wine Awards are being promoted throughout special in-store promotional displays in Liberty Wines stores from December 5th to December 19th.

The winners of the awards were announced on Nov 28 at this year’s edition of “Flavours of Italy” gala dinner, which took place at Federico’s Supper Club on Commercial Drive.

The Italian Chamber of Commerce in Canada – West collected 23 BC nominations from 12 wine agencies participating at 9th annual Flavours of Italy industry trade and consumer wine tasting event and have asked all participants to cast their votes for their favourite Italian red and white.

As a result, ICCC has determined the winners in 4 categories:

1.       BEST RED – INDUSTRY EXPERTS’ CHOICE

Frescobaldi Nipozzano Chianti Ruffina Riserva DOCG Tuscany 2007 (imported by Grady Wine Marketing)

2.       BEST RED – CONSUMERS’ CHOICE

Barbera d’Asti Ricossa Barbera Piedmont 2009 (imported by Select Wines)

3.       BEST WHITE – INDUSTRY EXPERTS’ CHOICE

Argiolas Costamolino Vermentino Sardegna 2010 (imported by Stile Wines)

4.       BEST WHITE – CONSUMERS’ CHOICE

Fazi Battaglia Verdicchio “Titulus” Marche 2010 (imported by Bacchus Group)

Full article and pictures available on the e-magazine of the Chamber, Connect.it:  connectit.iccbc.com

While visiting Victoria recently I met up with Gary Lindsay who is the Purveyor of Precious Liquids for Driftwood Brewery who then gave me a tour of their brewery.

Founded in the spring of 2008, Driftwood Brewing Company is a rapidly expanding microbrewery which focuses on using quality, local ingredients to brew fresh beers in the tradition of classic world styles. Their emphasis on quality and tradition have made them a favourite among beer connoisseurs throughout BC.

Gary showed me the barrels of hops and yeast and explained the beer making process, I met Mason Meyer who is the Brewmaster as they were working on production of one of their fine ales. They bottle the beers 2-3 times per week, 5 of their beers are available year round.

I asked if they are going to be producing a Pumpkin Ale this fall and the answer was pretty much a no, it is not a beer that you will ever see us produce as Gary explained. Our Sartori Harvest IPA is the only one we produce in the fall, it is their Harvest beer.

A couple of their other popular beers include the White Bark a Belgian Bit with coriander and orange peel; as well as their at Tug a Northwest-American IPA.

You can visit Driftwood Brewery online at http://driftwoodbeer.com/home/

When people hear Napa Valley, they think big Cabernets.  Which is true, you can get some huge Cabernet Sauvignons there, but they also produce other wines, such as Chardonnay, Riesling, and Pinot Noir.  Did you know that the Napa Valley is one-eighth the size of Bordeaux and produces just 4% of California’s wine grape harvest, and 95% of its wineries are family owned?  Neither did I till I attended the latest Taste of Napa, hosted by the Arts Umbrella along with the Wine Institute of California and Napa Valley Vintners.

With empty glass in hand, I entered the tasting room to experience the latest Napa Valley wines available, or hopefully soon to be available in British Columbia.  Here are a few of my selections from the evening.

White Wine and Bubbles

Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs and Blanc de Noirs

Yes, Napa does produce sparkling wine.  One of their premier producers is Schramsberg Vineyards.  Try their Blanc de Blancs.  This is 100% made with the Chardonnay grape.

• Schramsberg Vineyards Blanc de Blanc, 2008. Light lemon colour.  Vanilla and spice on the nose.  High acid with small bubbles.  Lemons and green apples greet your tongue. A very nice, elegant dry sparkling wine.

Another surprise for you may be that Riesling is produced in Napa.

• Cornerstone Cellars Riesling, 2010. This wine had a light orange and flowery nose.  Medium body, round and soft in your mouth, but still dry on the palate.  Some acidity to keep it refreshing with orange and flowery flavours.  This is a different Riesling, maybe true to it’s Napa terroir.  It can’t get confused with a German Riesling.

A few other non-Chardonnay white wines you may like.

• Long Meadow Ranch Winery Sauvignon Blanc, 2010. Light lemon and herbal aromas.  High acid with citrus and gooseberry flavours.  Medium length.  This is a very easy to drink Sauvignon Blanc.
• John Anthony Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, 2010. This is a fairly new winery, starting with grape planting in 1996. 10% of the grapes for this wine were fermented in stainless steel and then aged in French oak, before blending back. The oak aging was meant to round off the corners, or take a bit of the edge off of a typical unoaked Sauvignon Blanc. Nice nose with light flowers and vanilla.  Medium body with light acidity.  Lemon, vanilla and tropical fruit flavours.  Nutmeg spiciness shows up in the middle of the palate and continues to the finish.
• Signorello Estate Seta, 2009.  This is a premium wine made with the Bordeaux blend of Semillon (60%) and Sauvignon Blanc (40%). Only 460 cases of this wine are produced per year.  This wine had honey, lemon and a slight bit of oak on the nose.  Medium body and smooth mouth feel.  Very flowery flavour along with ripe apples and lemon.  Some cinnamon spice on the finish.  A very nice wine.

Waterstone Chardonnay 2009

And if you are a Chardonnay fan, here are a few for you.

• Waterstone Chardonnay, 2009. This is my favourite white wine of the night.  Not a typical Napa Chardonnay.  This wine had a medium pear colour.  Vanilla and bartlett pear aromas. Medium body, soft and round mouthfeel.  Cinnamon and tropical fruit flavours with light acidity.  Nice and fruity, some vanilla with a long dry finish.
• Clos De Val Wine Co. Ltd., Chardonnay 2009. Light lemon with a green tinge in colour.  Light vanilla and tropical fruit nose. Medium body, low acidity with oak/vanilla and tropical fruit flavours.  It’s dry and has a slight bit of sweet spices on the long finish.  A very good quality wine, with a premium price.
• Grgich Hills Estate Chardonnay, 2008. If you prefer wines that are organic or biodynamic, Grgich Hills is both. This wine is all oak fermented.  Pale lemon in colour.  Quite a smoky nose with burnt toast and lemon aromas.  Medium body.  Round mouthfeel with medium acidity.  Vanilla, oak and pineapple flavours and a long finish.  This is a BIG Napa Chardonnay.

Napa Cabernets and Red Blends

Did you know, the Napa Valley Appellation is composed of 15 sub-appellations from coastal, e.g. Los Carneros, to cool mountain climate, e.g. Atlas Peak.  Each sub-appellation has different climate and/or soil and produces different flavours and aromas for the same grape.  So try a Cabernet Sauvignon from different areas in Napa and see what differences you can find.  Here are a few of the red wines I enjoyed and hope you will too.

Blackbird Vineyards Illustration

• Blackbird Vineyards Illustration, 2008.  My favourite red of the evening.  This is a Bordeaux blend containing 75% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Medium ruby in colour with lots of cassis aromas.  Dry and meaty with firm tannins.  Dark cherry and dark chocolate flavour with vanilla on the finish. Very plush mouth feel.  A very high quality wine.
• Cain Vineyard & Winery Cain Five, 2007.  Another Bordeaux blend. This one consists of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 6% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. The grapes are from the Spring Mountain District, which is very well known for producing high quality wines.  Blackish garnet, very deep colour in the glass. Meaty, slightly smoky with a dark cherry nose. Full body and very dry, but with very ripe sweet fruit flavours of cherries and black fruit.  Good balance between the fruit and the dry tannins.  This is an elegant wine, but you should enjoy this one with food, to soften the tannins (or let it age 3-4 years).
• Dyer Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, 1996.  This is the inaugural vintage of this wine, and an honor to have the chance to taste.  It is no longer available in stores.  The owner, Bill Dyer, who was also the past winemaker at Church & State in Vancouver Island, brought this wine out of his personal cellar for us to try.  For a 15 year old wine, it showed no sign of aging to me.  Medium garnet in colour.  It has a light “Sangiovese” type nose (to me I get sausages from the Sangiovese grape). Full body with vanilla, pencil leads and dark fruit flavours.  Medium acidity to keep the wine lively and medium tannins to provide just the right amount of structure for this wine. An elegant wine.

Salvestrin Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

• Salvestrin Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007. This could be my runner up for favourite red wine of the evening. Deep ruby colour with nice aromas of caramel, dark chocolate and dark fruit. Medium body with dark cherries, licorice and a streak of minerality running through this wine.  High acidity and dry tannins structure this wine and will let it age, if you prefer.
• Signorello Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate, 2007. This is a Bordeaux blend consisting of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot,  and 8% Cabernet Franc. Deep ruby colour.  Ripe dark fruit nose, with some cinnamon and black pepper.  Full body with lots of cassis, ripe cherries and a hint of mint.  Round mouth feel with medium tannins to give it a nice dry finish.
• Waterstone Study in Blue, 2007. An odd name for an odd blend of grapes. This one is made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Merlot.  Syrah is typically not in a Bordeaux blend, as the Syrah grape comes from the Rhone Valley, so never shall the two meet.  But here in the New World, we do grow different varieties of grapes from different regions together in the same place. This wine had cassis, vanilla and plum aromas. Very fruit flavour with blueberries, vanilla and milk chocolate.  There was also a bit of spice and minerality to this wine.  Higher acidity than in most Bordeaux style wines but this will help in aging, but keep the wine fresh tasting.  The milk chocolate flavour helped make this a memorable wine for me.

Who is the Arts Umbrella?

The Taste of Napa is held yearly with the Arts Umbrella, but do you know about the Arts Umbrella? Read on. The Arts Umbrella is a not-for-profit arts education centre for children and youth ages 2 to 19. Arts Umbrella is committed to delivering the highest quality visual and performing arts education to young people, regardless of their socio-economic circumstances. Arts Umbrella caters to children of all artistic interests and skill levels— from pre-school to advanced pre-professional training. More than 270 tuition-based classes and numerous outreach classes occur each week, with innovative and high-quality instruction provided by almost 200 dedicated artists and arts educators.  If you would like to help the Arts Umbrella or find out more about them and their events, here is their website link.

Shawn Soole | Victoria

What drew you to Bartending?

I was a handyman at a hotel when I was 17, they asked me to come in to help out while  I was living in Brisbane, Australia. From there I worked up and down the coast in Australia for 10 years, then moved to Canada and worked in Victoria for the past 5 years.

What goes into creating a new cocktail? What inspires you?

Just think about a new flavour I had when I was a kid. Such as Earl Grey and the goes from there working backwards to the beginning.

Shawn mixes up a few of his signature cocktails:

1)    Managua

• Nicagaragua Rum
• Averna amuro
• Boker’s bitters
• Flamed orange garnish

Managua

If you weren’t a bartender, what would you be doing?

Criminal Psychologist

What is you cocktail program like at Clive’s Classic Lounge?

50 cocktails that are pretty varied –Lungo Italiano, Bar Keep’s creations, Intense Idealogy, barrel aged cocktails. Tiki Punches (in the summer), Classic Tiki’s & Anji-Sticks, Quintessiantial series, spirit flights and spirits Cocktails.

2)    Cannibal’s Campfire

• Mount Gay rum
• Islay Whiskey
• Earl Grey Tea Syrup
• Grapefruit juice
• Ice

Canables Campfire

Who are your mentors?

• Angus Winchester
• Phillip Duff
• Gary Reagan

Tell us about Clive’s Classic Lounge, what type of drinks do you showcase?

House mixology -50 cocktails on the menu, European style hotel lobby bar from the 1920’s that is defined

3)    The Humbolt

• Oaken Gin (Victoria Spirits)
• House made Chai Tea bitters
• Sugar syrup

The Humbolt

What is your Favourite Drink right now?

Sullivan’s Australian Double Cask – single malt whiskey

What is your favourite Bar in the World?

Cure in New Orleans

What is one of the Feature spirits of your bar at Clive’s?

We currently have 75 Whiskey’s and are going to double to 150 later this year.

Janice Mansfield

Janice Mansfield is the woman behind House Made Bitters in Victoria, BC  hand crafted in small batches, with the finest ingredients. These bitters are used by bartenders to make their cocktails. Each bitter has an alchohol base and she makes 6 standard flavours and 6 specialty flavours. The most popular bitter is the Grapefruit, then Cherry and Chocolate.

Shawn Soole a Bartender at Clive’s Classic Lounge in Victoria makes The Humbolt cocktail with the Chai Tea bitters.

5 years ago Janice got tired of drinking blue cocktails, researched classic cocktails and then got into bitters.

 Solomon Siegel | Victoria

I met up with Solomon Siegel who is the Food & Beverage Director at Hotel Rialto in Victoria. We chatted about bartending, cocktail culture and he mixed up some cocktails.

What drew you to bartending?

I worked at Pagliacci’s starting when I was 12 years old, in my teenage years I was interested in beverages and bartending it always seemed interesting. I started learning about wine and beer, I was also interested in coffee, started making espresso’s in our house when I was 6 years old.

What goes into creating a new cocktail? What inspires you?

The ingredients are the inspirations (the techniques) blended in a way that exemplifies them. Specific spirits, keep it simple, balanced and beautiful.

What was your training like?

Very much self-trained from a restaurant bartender stand point. My training was challenging the techniques.

Tell our readers where you have worked in the past 10 years?

For the past 1-1/2 years I have  been the Food & Beverage Manager at Hotel Rialto. Previously I had my own bar, “Solomon’s” on Herald Street for 1-1/2 years. Before that I worked for BC Ambulance as a Paramedic for 3 years, I also worked at Discovery Coffee and Café Fantastico and at the beginning at Pagliacci’s.

Who are your mentors?

1)    My dad who is the best host in the world

2)    Simon Ogden

3)    Shawn Soole

Tell us about Venetto Lounge, what type of drinks do you showcase?

Classic cocktails that are spirit forward, delicate alchemy of mixing spirits and fruit juices.

Solomon mixes up one of his signature cocktails

1)    Ghetto Punch

• Don Juilio Bianco Tequila
• Madeira
• Ginger of the Indies
• Brewed Tea
• Regans Orange Bitters

Food and wine maestros Chef Perry Mascitti and Sommelier Tommy Thompson have put together a score of eight distinct “wine, food and tradition” experiences for the 3rd annual Taste of Tulalip.  The two day enological and culinary extravaganza, held at the four-diamond Tulalip Resort Casino, has been recognized as one of the top Northwest foodie “happenings”.  A star-studded encounter of the wine kind, Taste of Tulalip will take place on November 11 & 12. Each event may be purchased separately or as a package at www.tasteoftulalip.com.

The weekend begins with a Friday poolside reception and six-course Celebration Dinner paired with Washington wines in the Grand Orca Ballroom, followed by a VIP after-party in the mPulse Lounge.  During the evening, Tulalip Resort Casino will present a check to the weekend’s charitable partner, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, drawn from the ticket sale proceeds.

On Saturday, the Taste continues with a visit by Top Chef alum and ABC television host Carla Hall.   She will be joined for a cooking demo and tasting in the Canoe Cabaret by emcee and “Head Thristy Girl”, Leslie Sbrocco.  Next up is the expansive Grand Taste showcasing over 100 wines from Washington, Napa and Italy paired with an abundant array of fare from the Tulalip culinary team.  Other “don’t miss” events include Chef and mixology expert Kathy Casey holding court at the Magnum Party in the mPulse Lounge, while Chefs and Soms mix it up at the Rock n’ Roll Challenge in the Chinook Rooms.

During both days, attendees will have the opportunity to purchase a favorite find at the Taste of Tulalip retail wine shop.

Friday, November 11

Get Your Taste Started Reception ~ At 6:00pm the festivities begin…guests get cracking, tasting, drinking and snacking.  Chef Perry and Som Tom have crafted a tempting opening act of appetizers and sublime wines.

The Celebration Dinner:  A Meal of Superfluidity that’s sure to Suffonsify ~ The main event begins at 7:00pm.  The celebrated Tulalip culinary team will raise the curtain on a 6-course dinner paired with a stellar cast of Washington grapes.

Pulsate at the mPulse After Party ~ Very Important Partiers will have a blast, as they hit the dance floor as late as they can last.

Saturday, November 12

Here’s Something to Chew On Chef Demo and Q & A Panel  (all access pass holders) ~ The “Hootie Hoo!” gal, star of “The Chew” shares cooking tips and quips about her daytime TV debut.

Grand Taste:  Titillate Your Taste Buds ~ Rub glasses and elbows with over 100 of Washington, California and Italy’s “wine virtuosos” as they pour rare, library and signature tastes.  Sample an extensive array of specially paired fare by the award winning Tulalip culinary team.

Kathy Casey’s Magnum Party, a Soiree Larger Than Life ~ When Kathy throws a party, everything is BIG…character, carafes and cuisine.  She shares nibbles and wine bordering on the divine!

Rock n’ Roll Chef Challenge:  A Mash-up of Food & Wine that will have you Swaying to the Beat ~ Observe Tulalip Chefs along with two of our state’s finest – Chefs Jake Crenshaw and Wayne Johnson, as they whip up some tasty Iron Chef dishes.  Guest Sommeliers Christopher Chan and Erik Liedholm will dash about to find the perfect wine match.

Taste of Tulalip Wine Shop ~ Sommelier Tommy has paired up with David LeClaire, owner of Seattle’s Wine World, to create a mini-mega store.  For those who want to purchase some favs from the weekend’s sipping, here’s the perfect chance.

On October 16th, 2011, the Vancouver Farmers Markets will present their 3rd annual dinner fundraiser event: RIPE: A Harvest Celebration, at the Creekside Community Centre from 4pm – 8pm. RIPE is a casual, family-style meal that includes a feast of delicious and seasonal food prepared by local chefs and market vendors, regional beer, wine, and cocktails, a silent auction, and live entertainment.

The RIPE dinner will be a sit-down, buffet-style meal starting with appetizers prepared by chefs from Meat & Bread, Vij’s Rangoli, Campagnola, and Swallow Tail Supper Club, using seasonal food provided by Farmers Markets vendors. Cocktails, beer and wine will be sipped while enjoying the spectacular view of the mountains from the Creekside Community Centre in Olympic Village.

The Vancouver Farmers Markets, a registered BC non-profit society, hosts their annual dinner celebration to raise funds for two main purposes:

1.       To grow and improve the organization that hosts Vancouver’s weekly, year-round Farmers Markets in their efforts to bring healthy, local food to urban consumers.

2.       To build the Farmers Nest Egg Fund, an initiative created by VFM to help farmer vendors in times of financial need and to expand the network of local farmers that make the markets so successful.

RIPE tickets are available at any of the Vancouver Farmers Markets, at Rangoli Restaurant, and online at http://eatlocal.org/ripe/. Ticket prices are $50 for members, $65 for non-members (includes one year VFM membership), and $25 for children under 12.

Bump & Grind Cafe Winner of 2010 Krups Vancouver

For this friendly competition’s seventh year, KRUPS invites Canadians to vote online for who they believe is their hometown’s best independent café amongst past winners of the KRUPS Kup of Excellence in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax.

Everyone who votes at www.vote.krups.ca will have a chance to win the XP2240 Combination Espresso-Cappuccino & Coffee Machine and GVX2 Expert Burr Grinder by KRUPS

Home Outfitters is a proud supporter and official retailer of the KRUPS Kup of Excellence this year. All coffee lovers who visit the competing cafés during the voting period can pick-up the Home Outfitters card and benefit from their exclusive in-store promotion on KRUPS items.

Stepping this friendly competition up a notch for it’s seventh year, KRUPS asks voters to decide which of the winning cafés is the cream of the crema by voting for their personal favourite at www.vote.krups.ca The public voting will begin in August and ends September 14^th.

VANCOUVER

- Bump N Grind, 916 Commercial Drive

- Thomas Haas, 128-998 Harbourside Drive

- Caffè Artigiano, 1101 W. Pender

CALGARY

- Bumpy’s Café, 1040 8th Street SW

- deVille Luxury Coffee & Pastries, 214-100 7th Avenue SW

MONTREAL

- Café Java Mythe, 301 rue Guizot Est

- Toi, Moi & Café, 244 rue Laurier Ouest

- Café Vasco Da Gama, 1472 rue Peel

TORONTO

- Te Aro Roasted, 983 Queen Street East

- Crema Coffee, 3079 Dundas Street West

- Dark Horse Espresso Bar, 682 Queen Street East

- B Espresso Bar, 111 Queen Street East

Art of the Cocktail is a three-day cocktail festival celebrating art, craft, and tradition. Join us at the Crystal Garden, Chateau Victoria and local restaurants for a journey into cocktail culture, where you can sample sophisticated cocktails from around the world, savour the newest artisan spirits and explore adventurous cocktails.

In the spirit of other local festivals, such as the Wine or Whisky Festival, the Art of the Cocktail Grand Tasting is an opportunity to explore the vast world of spirits and cocktails, learn tricks from top mixologists, and experience new flavours.

Art of the Cocktail Events:

The Grand Tasting – $45 +HST (includes 5 sample cocktails)

Saturday, October 1st, 7pm – Crystal Garden.

The main event. An evening of cocktail sampling introducing nearly 70 different flavours from the world of elegant spirits. Along with the big players, the Tasting will also highlight artisan, small and regional distillers who will present cocktail demonstrations and samples of the most exciting and colourful cocktails from around the world. While on your cocktail journey, savour delicious complimentary appetizers from some of the most innovative chefs on the West Coast.

Additional cocktail samples are available for $1. Drinking and driving is not allowed and a ride home is available from Art of the Cocktail volunteers. http://www.artofthecocktail.ca/schedule/grand-tasting

Cocktail Workshops – $25 +HST

Saturday – Monday, October 1st-3rd – Chateau Victoria.

Learn tips, tricks and recipes from world-class spirit masters in these seminars and workshops. Explore everything from the history of Gin, and how to mix a real Martini, to the Science of Citrus. Dabble in Barrel-Aging, experiment with carbonation, explore the spirituality of Mezcal, and learn how cocktails survived through prohibition.

http://www.artofthecocktail.ca/schedule/workshops

The Best Bartender in the Pacific Northwest Competition

Monday, October 3rd – Veneto Tapas Lounge.

Watch as top mixologists gather to compete and share their tastiest elixirs. See how the pros mix, muddle, shake, and zest their way to the top. Who will bring home the title of “Best Bartender of the Pacific Northwest?” www.artofthecocktail.ca/schedule/competition

Times Colonist Home Bartenders Competition

Saturday, October 1st. – Crystal Garden.

Watch and cheer as non-professional cocktail enthusiasts and home bartenders dazzle the judges with their creations and win prizes.

www.artofthecocktail.ca/schedule/competition

Tour de Cocktailia – $5

Sunday, October 2nd – Various.

Guests will be given a passport to the 5 finest cocktail bars in town, and invited to travel around the city and enjoy a cocktail at each place. Only after the passport is stamped at all 5 locations will guests gain access to the Bartender’s Brunch, an exclusive late-night gathering with savoury treats. http://www.artofthecocktail.ca/schedule/tour-de-cocktailia

* ticket does not include beverages at particpating lounges.

Tickets are only available in advance, and can be purchased at the Victoria Film Festival Office at 1215 Blanshard weekdays from 10-4, and online at boxoffice.victoriafilmfestival.com.