UGC Bordeaux - 2009 Barsac/Sauternes

I don't want to suggest that Sauternes is in some trouble, but as with other sweet wines, it's near impossible to shed its label as something you only drink with dessert. And we all know how those go - almost no one actually opens another bottle after dinner, and no one even thinks of having it with dinner. Let's change that. In a great, cool vintage where the wines retain a good acidity, yet have ripeness and that all important botrytis character - a LOT like 2007 - the wines are absolutely stunning on the table. Few things in the world provide that deep satisfaction as old Sauternes, and yes, let's work together and change the perception of these wines. First by NEVER referring to them as dessert wines, omg.

The 2009 Sauternes share the ripeness of their dry white counterparts, but unfortunately, a few of them seem primary. All honey, big fruit, and lots of sweetness, but lacking in acidity, botrytis spice, and depth. Because the most interesting thing about a sweet wine should not be the fact that it's sweet. The best (most expensive) wines showed their pedigree though. You want to see lots of complexity, great acidity, great potential for decades of aging. These wines are expensive, and in my opinion, fall short of the 2007's as a whole.

Château Bastor-Lamontagne 2009: honey and apricots on the aroma, one of those aromas that cannot be mistaken for anything but a botrytis affected wine; ripe fruit, good acid on the palate

Château Climens 2009: pure, linear fruit already apparent; very pure and fine on the palate, sweet yet balanced

Château Coutet 2009: presented by the always articulate Aline Baly, Marketing & Communication Manager; honey and ripe fruit, viscous; round and sweet on the palate, long with good richness

Château de Fargues 2009: clearly the finest Sauternes of the tasting, and at $87 for a half bottle, it should be; botrytis spice on the nose, floral and ripe fruits; honey on the palate, long and a very spicy finish; fine and elegant, already complex with great depth

Château de Rayne-Vigneau 2009: ripe fruit, pure, mineral; compact on the palate, slightly bitter on the finish, interesting and needs time to come together

Château Doisy Daëne 2009: a wine I've been following for quite some time - I am SO excited for the 2007's to start coming around; pretty, almost floral in aroma, very refined fruit; really sweet, dense, rich, and long

Château Guiraud 2009: pure fruit, quite pretty, flowers and all that, the signature of Guiraud; ripe sweet fruit, textural and really viscous on the palate

Château La Tour Blanche 2009: blast of oak over the fruit, sweet palate, some spice on the finish; really needs time in the bottle

Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey 2009: spicy oak on the nose, pure fruit, sweet but balanced palate

Château Suduiraut 2009: I have a half-bottle of the 1997 somewhere - we'll see soon enough how this ages after a decade in bottle; a bit reticent on the nose, but the fruit is very pure, concentrated and very sweet; a big, big wine

DF

UGC Bordeaux - 2009 Graves & Pessac-Léognan

DF with Olivier and Anne Bernard, Domaine de Chevalier

The dry white wines of Bordeaux are always exciting to taste. The past few years have seen successive vintages of stunning dry whites from here - 2005, 2008, and definitely 2007 have all been winners. Just something about the acidity and levels of extract on the palate that make the experience feel like drinking electricity. And, might I add, these are the few white wines in the world that wear so much new oak with such style.

I always start tasting here, moving onto Sauternes, then the red wines. Certainly gets the palate going, as these tastings sometimes can feel like marathon sessions. Something about the 2009's was fairly obvious early on - they're all extremely ripe, with a few of the better ones showing an overt tropical fruit character. The impression of the acid is not quite as present, but not so much as to leave the wines flabby. Just does not have that same degree of dry extract in the mouth. New oak as always (and expected) in these wines when young. What I found interesting was that as ripe as the wines were, they remained balanced, with the sauvignon blanc character still present. Certainly very drinkable now, and being so ripe, one for the short to mid-term.

Château de Chantegrive Blanc 2009: a fair bit of oak here, round in fruit; creamy on the palate, soft acid

Château Carbonnieux Blanc 2009: so delicate on the nose, linear and fresh, very clear fruit; a very cool style of wine indeed, very pure, with just a kiss of oak; very fine and elegant example, a favourite of mine

Domaine de Chevalier Blanc 2009: always such a pleasure talking to Monsieur and Madame Bernard, the passionate and eloquent managers of this estate; really well-integrated oak, floral notes, so fragrant already; delicate, ripe fruit, exceedingly elegant on the palate, showing the most amazing peach and tropical character on the palate; just a delicious, friendly, complex, and inviting wine

Château de Fieuzal Blanc 2009: slightly green in aroma, those sauvignon notes, with the fruit quite open; lean palate, put together, but altogether more grounded

Château Haut-Bergey Blanc 2009: I quite like this wine, but it was showing slightly awkward tonight; a fair bit of round oak, with the fruit reticent

Château Larrivet-Haut-Brion Blanc 2009: this wine is always well priced, showing well in 2007 and 2008; slightly green on the nose, fruit a bit shy at the moment; sweet oak on the palate; all the elements are there, just needs time to come together

Château Latour-Martillac Blanc 2009: that hideous label is an absolute eyesore, but the wine is the real deal; ripe fruit on the nose, fresh; beautifully extracted on the palate, with the fruit becoming almost crunchy in texture; a fabulous success for this estate, for this vintage

Château Malartic-Lagravière Blanc 2009: the oak is present, but remains in the background, rising up a bit in the mouth; nutty, but too bad the fruit is hidden

Château Pape Clément Blanc 2009: the heavyweight at, check it, $245 a bottle . . . horrifying; some oak on the nose, but the fruit is ripe and holds it nicely; really elegant in texture, very fine, with the oak rising up on the finish; heavyweight indeed

Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc 2009: for once, their reds out-price the whites; oaky ripe fruit, really bright on the palate; well integrated already with the oak rising on the finish; this estate always likes more structured white wines, and the 2009 does need some time to just come together and develop into itself

DF

three pints and a lamb burger

C'est What Brew/Vin Pub Restaurant is one of Toronto's hidden gems. All cozy and that, but it's so much more than just a bar, pouring some of the finest, most exciting beers in the city.

We (actually, just me) stumbled out of the UGC Bordeaux tasting excited and in the best mood. The wines were gorgeous, completely blowing me away. And since it seems that it's no longer Vintages policy to hand out paper spit cups at these tasting, I was trying to walk off 3 hours of non-stop drinking, alternating between white, red, dry and sweet wines. Hungry too. They need to bring the venue for this tasting back to the Four Seasons.

Because what else can you drink after a wine tasting than beer? And fuck me if I'm going to go for a pitcher of some bullshit, mass-produced brew. It was packed inside, so we settled at the bar first to have a round. I started with a pint of Neudstadt 10W30, just brilliance in rich, balanced, delicious brown ale.

I had the lamb burger - so satisfying. Also went on to have a pint of Railway City Dead Elephant Ale and a Big Butt Smoked Dark Ale. And I'm paying for it now, badly hungover. It was a good night, but everything after 11pm seems a bit hazy. Let me wake up, and I'll start posting my tasting notes.

DF

just after the tasting

So, we've finished the UGC Bordeaux tasting of the 2009 vintage and are at C'est What, grabbing some food and a few pints. Just some quick thoughts - the reds were stunning across the board, with some truly exciting wines. The cabernets were a great success. Still an issue with some right bank wines being overextracted. Lots of new oak everywhere, but in the best examples, the elements are already well-integrated. The dry whites lacked energy, but did show ripe, tropical fruit characteristics. Sauternes was very sweet and rich.

A great, great tasting overall - a lesson that in good vintages, few regions can compete with Bordeaux in terms of sheer excitement. Detailed tasting notes and impressions to come soon. Time to indulge a bit in the wonderful ales they have here, and a lamb burger - someone is going to have to carry me home tonight.

DF

a spot of Grant's

I've lived alone with my father for 3 weeks now. And I can't believe it, but I've turned into a petulant teenager again, all would you leave me ALONE/just give me TWO minutes of quiet/NO I shouldn't have to confirm something we do every single day. Petulant like I can't even help myself.

This helps. The last few drops of Grant's. Strangely, that trail of fire you feel going down your throat into the stomach has a calming effect on me. What it's not helping with is the dreaming. I don't care so much about my dreams, but I did just watch Inception. I've been having these recurring dreams that all end up the same, horrible way. I dream that I'm in school again, and it's suddenly a deadline for an exam/assignment. And I suddenly realize that because I've skipped so many classes, I don't even know that exams are coming up for 2 of my classes. My subconscious is clearly trying to tell me something.

Anyways, I got a haircut today. Suddenly realized last night that I look like an idiot immigrant. Cleaned it up, and all the products were 100% vegan!! Looking forward to tomorrow's UGC Bordeaux tasting. In fact, I'm having a glass of young Clare Valley dry riesling right now to tune up my palate. No coffee, just light tea for tomorrow, and easy on the toothpaste. As last year, and the year before, I'll have tasting notes and general impressions up. If you're going to the tasting tomorrow (in Toronto), please send me an email - let's arrange to meet up.

DF

because they have to be a certain way

I don't always eat chocolate, but when I do . . . . . . . . I eat tiramisu dessert cups mysteriously found in the bottom fridge drawer.

DF

something different to keep you nervous

Shirakawago Sasanigori | Gifu Prefecture

It looks like milk doesn't it? It's good to challenge yourself with new things once in a while. Keeps you nervous, and as they say, on your toes.

The thing I miss most about being in Shanghai is eating with family. It's a different kind of food there - it's being back in the old country, and eating things that can't be found here. And the drinking. Oh yes, the rice wine. I've got these awesome uncles that everyone needs to have. It's a source of great pride for the Fangs that we are immune to the Asian glow. We drink until we can't stand/talk/walk straight, but we do not turn red. I particularly remember an amazing lunch we had the last time I was back home . . . . . oh God, that was almost two years ago. Food was amazing, just a full table of authentic, traditional Shanghai and Ningbo cuisine.

I've got so much love for two of my uncles, my father's oldest, and youngest brothers. And they were determined to see if I lived up to the Fang name. I'd like to think that I did pretty well. We finished something like 5 bottles of Shaoxing rice wine between the 3 of us - big 820 mL bottles, pushing 20% abv. I like drinking, but my goodness, it almost seemed a bit ridiculous to be indulging like this for lunch. We finished eating, about to have dessert served . . . I thought we were wrapping up when I fully realized the calibre of men I was drinking with. They called for 3 more (1 litre) bottles of beer to, as they said, rinse out the palate.

Needless to say, making our way back home through the Shanghai Metro was a bit of a struggle.

What a totally irrelevant story to this nigori sake. Milky white, with that extracted rice aroma. Gritty in texture, dry, with the alcohol showing a bit. Certainly a different experience. And it's good to open yourself to different things. Oh God I miss Shanghai.

DF

the yellow croaker and home cooking

A Shanghai classic, yellow croaker and pickled cabbage soup. One of the most humble fish, that we can't even find fresh here . . . taking all of 20 minutes to put together. And as I was cooking, something occurred to me about how these dishes became, well, classics. Any real Shanghai native will recognize what this is. The simplest ingredients, but satisfies everything you want a a savoury fish soup to be.

Shanghai (and by extension its residents) seems glamorous, but people forget that my city suffered under the Communists. We carry the heaviest tax burden in all of China, and often feeling the most disconnected - government ideology notwithstanding, the divide between north and southern Chinese should not be underestimated. They think of us as arrogant and self-centered; that we think of ourselves as Shanghainese and everyone else as just Chinese should tell you everything you need to know about us. But what we all forget is that our home cooking is above all, economical. Flavour and texture, paramount of course. But as this is our daily food, we have to also be economical with our resources.

Yellow croaker and pickled vegetable soup:

Hard sear on the fish

Using the same pan and leftover oil, fry your pickled cabbage until tender

Add water, bring to a boil

Fish goes in, and boil hard until the soup turns milky

Season to taste

DF

A New Year

My mother's still in Shanghai, so it's not much of a celebration this year. And of course, the first day of the new year today was a shitfest. Just nothing seeming to going right, from apparently losing my keys to not bringing my workout pants to, yes, even forgetting how I write my signature.

We had a New Year's dinner this Saturday at a family friend's. I brought the wine, a pair of South Americans - an Argentinean pinot noir, and a Chilean petit verdot. Yes, a varietal petit verdot. Both pleasing, in that innocuous, unremarkable, yet drinkable, easily likeable style. And with nothing left, we (I) had to turn to Coors, the company that apparently thinks its consumers are too stupid (or hammered beyond belief) to know if the bottles are cold or not, so they slapped on a temperature by colour label. Because North Americans have the common sense of, well, no common sense actually.

Food was good. And they went into the great effort to make egg dumplings. Hideously difficult and time-consuming, but it's nice to see traditions being honoured. Finished, and laid on top of a beautiful pork soup, loaded with stuffed bean curd and bamboo shoot. Shanghai classic.

DF

a bit of snow, a bit of red

It's snowing a bit. Out soon to a family friend's for dinner, to celebrate our New Year. Have the wines ready, some Chilean, some Argentinean. Ready to eat and become thoroughly, as they say, bottoms up. Photos, and possibly a tipsy video, to follow.

DF

cold and wet and a little miserable

It's been fairly miserable this week. Weather acting up, among other things. Look at this, we're getting foggy, muggy weather mid-January in Toronto. Like driving through a cloud. My office is only on the 4th floor, and I can't see the highway.

Last Friday's meal was a disaster. I was lazy and feeling for a one-pot meal, so I somehow got it in my mind that I'd cook spaghetti al ragù alla bolognese. We had a bottle of Niagara vidal lying around - I've been put on blast for saying this before, but if you don't know a thing about wine, DON'T BUY IT AS A GIFT!! Drives me apeshit crazy now that I owe someone a gift back for a shit bottle of wine I don't know what to do with. So, a simple meat sauce with half the bottle of wine. Only I forgot one simple, cardinal rule - don't trust a bullshit wine even for cooking. My beautiful bolognese sauce turned bitter, and all kinds of vile. Dinner shot to hell.

At least the wines were decent. And on such a foggy night, it was maybe appropriate to be drinking Barolo. I need to get serious about this whole let's replace all my Bordeaux with Barolo thing. Nebbiolo, derived from the Italian nebbia, meaning fog. And of course, a first taste of Faizeau 2009. A question of whether the producer has been doing something differently these past few vintages, because the character of the wines is totally different - but we'll ask that another time.

DF

Tian Mu Lake white tea

天目湖白茶

Tea is a constant in our family. We've always been conscious about drinking a lot of water, and good tea makes it a pleasure. It also helps that we don't pay for a lot of the tea that we drink, and we always receive interesting things to taste alongside the TieGuanYin, LongJing, and Pu'Er, standbys in our cupboard. What can I say, my family knows people.

This is one of those interesting things. Or rather, something new to taste. A white tea, from a place called Tian Mu Lake. I researched a bit about it - there aren't a lot of resources about this particular variety. It's a new tea, whatever that means. Is it a new style, or a new planting? All new tea farms? The land has always been there - and as far as I'm concerned, white tea is simply a marketing catchphrase. The explanation that it's the most tender shoots is utter nonsense, as proper green tea is already produced from the baby shoots. That's why green tea produced around QingMing holiday in early April is the most highly prized - it's when the first buds appear. Anyways, if you're interested in reading about this tea, Hank Horkoff has a terrific piece about it on The Network Sense. Really well-written, well-researched . . . well done sir.

We bought that glass teapot in Shanghai, when I was last home in 2010. We've used it maybe twice? It's actually a terrible vessel to brew tea in. Doesn't hold heat well, the spout doesn't really pour right, and the fit of the glass top is suspect. But you do get to see the tea leaves do their dance, moving up and down in the hot water. If only the tea were as interesting. Brews lightly flavoured water, a suggestion that you're drinking tea.

Eagerly waiting for our next shipment, and hoping for a better surprise. Say no to white tea, because we all should know better.

DF

the ten year old Rioja

2001 Marqués de Cáceres Gran Reserva, DOCa Rioja

Eleven years ago when this wine was made - although technically, the wine was born towards the end of 2011, so ten years and a few months ago - I was beginning high school. Young, impressionable, clueless . . . yet somehow I thought I knew it all. We've all been there. So stupid. So immature.

My favourite class in the second semester was an art class called Media Arts. They let us play with digital cameras (giant bricks that you put 3.5" floppy disks in), Photoshop, iMovie . . . and taught us what art installations were. It was my first experience with non-Classical art, and in my first assignment for that class, I wrote I don't think this counts as art. A decade later, I still think it's questionable for the arts curriculum to insist that a bunch of 16 year olds learn contemporary art before the classics. What they don't teach you is that the most successful contemporary artists have a solid foundation in the classics - illustration, sketching, painting, etc. You can't just suddenly become conceptual without developing strong, basic art skills. It doesn't work like that, which is why our class produced students who were deluded into thinking that they were, in fact, artistic.

There are no shortcuts. When I send my piano students to performances and recitals, they sound magnificent on stage. It's a few minutes of glory, but what the audience doesn't see (or hear) are the hours and hours of practice, of technical exercises . . . of endless repetition and often, frustration. Fundamentals are everything. You can't become a artist/musician/whatever by showing up and trying to go right for the end product. You have to start at the beginning, and go through all the steps. Patient, methodical, and diligent work is not sexy (or easy), but it's the only way. As they say, it may take 100 hammer strikes to break the rock, but was it that 100th blow that did the job, or the preceding 99?

The last issue of Decanter magazine had an (excellent, as always) article written by Andrew Jefford, explaining exactly how oak is used in Rioja. The classification rules dictate the years that the wine must remain in oak and bottle before release. For example, Reserva wines require at least 1 year in oak, 2 years in bottle, and Gran Reserva requires 2 years in oak and 3 years in bottle; producers often age the wines even longer. What Jefford explained was that often, the wines are aged into several different types of wood before they're bottled. They may be aged first for a few months in new American white oak for toasty flavours and tannins, then into older French casks to allow for a subtle oxidation and a harmonious integration of all the parts. Or, the winemaker may experiment with casks of varying toasts. All very complex indeed, underlining the skill and precision demanded of the winemaker's palate. It's never so simple as simply sticking the wine in oak for 24 months, then into bottle. Good things take careful study and hard work. This particular wine, from a traditional producer of Rioja, is stunning. That gentle rusticity, that beautiful Rioja nose of strawberries and cream. Developing in the glass and with more air, becoming more complex, more refined, more singular. And at a decade old . . . it was worth the wait.

DF

the last of the mulberry wine

I'm having these crippling episodes of self-doubt and anxiety again. I look like shit, I can't sleep, drinking heavily again . . . and the real business hasn't even started yet! It's been a few years since I've graduated, and lately, it's becoming quite clear that if I'm going to make something of myself, as they say, I need to go back to school. So it's time to tighten up that sphincter and get to work.

I'm reminded of the last of the mulberry wine we brought back from the old country. My paternal ancestry traces back to the coastal town of Ningbo, about 220 km or so south of Shanghai. It's an ancient town, with a history going back to 4800 B.C., and was an important trading port through the dynasties. My grandfather left the town as a young boy, moving to Shanghai to work - he apparently never lost his accent. We still have (distant) relatives living there, and who run a farm. High up on my list is to go visit and work the fields and chickens they still raise. I hear their homemade rice hooch is a winner as well.

I've written so much about this, but mulberry wine is a treasure handed down to us by our ancestors, and it's a tradition we need to protect. Mulberry is native to the area, and locals soak the ripe berries in baijiu, the fiery rice spirit possessing upwards of 40% abv. If the mulberries are of good quality, the liquid turns purple, becoming sweeter and purer in flavour and texture. The alcohol absorbs into the berries, preserving them and giving the texture of the fruit an amazing crispiness. And done right, all it takes is 3 berries to knock you the fuck out. We Ningbo country bumpkins appreciate people who can hold their liquor. My last visit back home, I experienced first-hand what it means for our people to drink hard. Those motherfuckers don't play around.

Locals actually use this for medicinal purposes. Particularly effective for bad bouts of diarrhea, I've been told. Country medicine ftw!!

DF

looking forward to UGC 2012!

Something to look forward to! Yes, it's that time of year again when all the aristocrats from Bordeaux come to Toronto to allow us the privilege of tasting their sweet sweet nectar. I'm so excited, because in 2 weeks, the UGC will once again host a tasting of their wines, this time the vaunted 2009 vintage. The last 2 years, the red wines were certainly underwhelming. This year looks to be much different.

I've always been so impressed with the quality of dry white Bordeaux, and 2007 was a wild success for Sauternes. The reds? Really hit and miss for me - I've felt indifferent about them far more than not at these tastings. The prices being asked for them certainly play a role in that perception. But the 2009 reds are said to be amazing, and I can't wait to taste. Also, looking forward to meeting and talking with some of the owners and estate managers again! Plus . . . it's all on a Friday night. Who knows, maybe we'll see a repeat performance.

DF

The Celt Experience - beer and food

We want to take a look at these beers in a more natural setting; namely, the table. For individual tasting notes for each beer, refer here please.

It's almost a shame that beer is most often think of as being best enjoyed on its own. After all, few alcoholic beverages have the versatility to go with a wide range of foods as beer does. Wine certainly doesn't. Try to drink the wrong wine with the wrong dish . . . utterly disastrous. And unfortunately, wine and food can be tricky. Why do you think there are so many writers whose entire careers revolve around piece after boring piece about what to drink with what?

Just as the true winos have disproved the whole red meat with red wine, white meat with white wine absurdity, we have to get beyond the notion that beers are best ice cold and on its own. That's no good. So let's start now and make a conscious effort to drink good craft beers with food, and understand how different styles match different flavour profiles. Beer is versatile, so incredibly versatile with food. Savoury food, spicy food, all kinds of proteins, raw seafoods . . . start of meal, end of meal, and pretty much everything in between, beer can handle it all. The key is to know the style. And by style, we're really looking at the hop profile, the type of malt used, and what kind of roast was applied. So as long as we can identify the flavour profile of the beer, we can determine which ones to serve with any specific food.

Celt Experience Bleddyn 1075

Starting with the Bleddyn 1075, in the pale ale style. Really hop forward, with the bitterness rising on the finish. Bit of a higher alcohol too, at 5.6%, staying fresh and lean. With these types of beers, you want contrasting flavours. These bitter ales are really singular in both flavour and texture - those hoppy notes refresh the palate, and you want to eat food that wraps around that bitterness, not enhance it. So of course, common sense would dictate something either very rich, or very spicy. Rich dishes, meats or whatever you like, work because the beer cleans it all up in the mouth. You want your drinks to prep the palate for the next mouthful of food, letting you eat more than you should. Spicy foods - and whatever kind of spicy, chili peppers or peppercorns or whatever you're into - works extremely well. We do this poached beef tenderloin that's been tenderized in the pressure cooker, and eaten with a chili/garlic sauce. Spicy and almost numbing on the tongue, but a good pull of the Bleddyn 1075 cooled off the heat, with the hops taming that overt spiciness.

Not common, but I liked drinking this with seafood. We had these really fresh west coast shrimps, and simply poached them in salt water. Dipped in a savoury soy/sesame seed oil sauce, the hoppiness of the beer again seems to lift that marine flavour of the shrimp. With so many different flavours and textures of food around the table, a beer that cleanses and refreshes is very welcome indeed.

               

Celt Experience Golden (left) and Bronze (right)

With these softer, rounder ales, I found them more easy of a companion, just because the hops weren't so overt. We didn't exactly find the perfect food match (if such a thing even exists), but nothing didn't work either. The beers went lovely with the roast duck we were having, showing just as well with the homegrown bok choy and celery as well, cooked in the Shanghainese style. I love the warm roasted malt character, the roundness on the palate, and that slight hoppy lift on the finish. I'd imagine this to be excellent with a pan seared rib steak, whatever protein you like eating. The beers have an effect of both building up the savoury elements of the food you're eating, as well as finishing dry, key in refreshing the palate. It's that complementary thing you want to aim for - the beer and food aligning up in flavour profile.

               

Celt Experience Native Storm (left) and Dark-Age (right)

These ales with the heavier roasts are bit trickier, just because they can almost be a blanket on the palate, covering up more delicate flavours. But then you don't want your food to be too rich; if the flavours are both assertive, you're creating a brawl in the mouth. And that's no fun for anyone. Some say these stouts go well with raw oysters on the half-shell. I disagree, but then again I'm with the winos who swear by Sancerre and dry white Bordeaux (oaked sauvignon blanc) with shellfish. These richer beers, to me, are perfect for autumn flavours. Game, if you can find it, seared quickly with some thyme or rosemary or whatever you like. Mushrooms, oh yes. And my goodness, if you can find truffles . . . divine. What I like about these two beers is that the textures remain leaner and more refreshing. Serving the same function as acidity in wine, it's the texture of the beer that really determines how well it will pair with food.

Outlining specifically the dish that pair with each beer is a pointless exercise, and something that only food/wine writer hacks and wannabes concentrate. Context of how (and when and why) the beer or wine is being drunk is all important, not to mention the drinker's personal tastes. What we can do here is discuss some of the broader flavour profiles that seem to complement each style of beer, with encouragement that everyone experiments to see what works. And that's really the fun part right? The point I really want to make here isn't necessarily that certain styles of beer should only be drunk with certain styles of food. Rather, it's to make clear that fine craft beers deserve to be drunk with a meal, with loved ones, and with a sense of adventure. That's my point.

For friends in Ontario, this was shared with me by Rubaiyat Wine and Spirit - the availability of the following beers through the LCBO are as follows:

Celt Native Storm Crafted Ale, LCBO Item #260299, will be released as part of the LCBO's Spring Beers on February 26, 2012.

Celt Golden Crafted Ale, LCBO Item #224600, will be released as part of the LCBO's Summer Beers on May 20, 2011

Celt Bronze Crafted Ale, LCBO Item #236091, will probably be included in their Autumn Ales released in September, although this is not yet confirmed.

DF

The Celt Experience - Crafted Ale

In November, I got a message about this beer. Turns out it was from Tom Newman, the head brewer of The Celt Experience. He asked if I would be interested in writing about their full range of beers, and how they each relate to food. Samples would be sent over for me to taste. Rubaiyat Wine and Spirit Merchants stepped in and offered to bring them in for me. Things always work out when you have friends.

At first, the plan for this piece was to focus on pairing each beer with a specific food or flavour profile. But over the course of tasting and then drinking them over (a simple Chinese) dinner, it became evident that simply talking about what food to pair with each ale was not going to present a complete picture. As a wine drinker, I think it's more meaningful to dig a bit deeper and really examine what constitutes a fine beer (or if there is even such a thing), and the situations which call for a corkscrew, or a bottle opener.

So we tasted through the beers, in order of texture - to make sure my palate would follow a natural progression, we started with the hoppiest, ending with the most heavily roasted ale. Since Tom was kind enough to send me two bottles of each beer, for a total of 10, I was able to set up one as a strict tasting, and the other to drink over food. And let's quickly get something out of the way.

The beers are extraordinary, absolutely captivating.

Fine wine has certain tangible characteristics. Balance in fruit, acid, alcohol, and oak. A fine and elegant texture, and length on the palate. Structure to allow for aging and further development in the bottle. And of course, the intangibles . . . that true and authentic expression of terroir, the inimitable personality and character of where/when/how the wine was made. So how do we define a fine beer? Surely a set of different criteria needs to be applied. Beer, by nature, is a simpler drink. More dependant on brewing styles than any strictly regional tendencies - vintages also don't apply, and in most cases, aging containers are best when neutral. I remember a particularly vile oak aged bottle of Innis & Gunn that managed to taste more of wood than beer.

So how is fine beer to be defined? Balance, for one. Malt, hops, the quality of the roast . . . no single element overriding any other. Texture is also important, as is a dry finish. One thing I also look for in beer is harmony of its elements. What you don't want to see is the beer falling apart in the glass, where the flavour of the roasted malts seem to drift out, sitting on the top like a thick layer of caramel. Quality of its head of foam, how it laces the glass. Hops are also important too, not only in quality, but in balance. There's been a (North American) trend of making as bitter of a beer as possible. Bitterness is good and proper for ales, but so is balance. It has to taste like it belongs, not a shock to the palate. And finally, fine beer is not skunky beer. Unlike wine, rusticity in beer is not an indication of fine character - it's a sign that something wrong happened during the brewing process. I can't drink Belgian beers anymore, because they still insist on convincing you that skunky brews are good. Whether it's an issue of hygiene during brewing, or bad yeast strains, or maybe something a bit more sinister . . . stinky beers are no fun for anyone.

It was an absolute joy to taste these beers. All organic ales, each is given a proprietary name relating to Welsh history. I tried to frame each beer by general type: the Bleddyn 1075, a pale ale; the Golden and Bronze, examples of more traditional English ales; the Native Storm, a brown ale; and the Dark-Age, a stout. All of them low in alcohol too, an important factor in determining balance. All the beers hover around 4.0% alcohol, with the exception of the Bleddyn 1075 at 5.6%. The bottles are nicely packaged in the 50 cL format and each different beer is distinguished by the label colour. The back labels are very informative, giving drinkers a bit of background on the name, as well as how the beer was made. For example, on the Bleddyn 1075:

Bleddyn ap Cynfyn was ruler of Gwynedd and Powys and probably of Cerdigion and Brycheiniog as well, and undoubtedly the most powerful Welsh king. After his death in 1075, his sons were too young to rule, and his dominions passed into the hands of a cousin Trahaern ap Caradog. This delicious pale strong ale has an original gravity of 1075 with a high mash temperature leaving a fine full bodied texture. Generous US and New Zealand variety hopping gives a very bitter tongue, which is complemented by a crisp sweetness and a delicious citrus and grapefruit aroma.

To begin, I want to first share my tasting notes for each beer. All the beers were tasted at a cool temperature, but were not chilled. Final thoughts to follow.

Celt Experience Bleddyn 1075

What I see as the pale ale of the lineup. Bright amber colour, with a great rocky head of foam. Fresh aroma, sort of that freshly cut grain; fragrant. Hops begin on the palate, roars halfway and continues to the finish - just a tremendous wall of bitterness. Harmonious indeed, great transition on the palate, very pure. Compact and austere.

Celt Experience Golden

More leaning toward a traditional style of ale? Round aromatics, quite open on the palate. Hops bring balance and complexity, but don't intrude. Linear, and very well made. Palate shows same impeccable harmony.

Celt Experience Bronze

Darker in colour than the previous two beers. The roasted character is evident. Balanced hops, which rise every so slightly on the finish. Dry on the palate, very fresh. Good amount of richness on the palate.

Celt Experience Native Storm

A more traditional English brown ale, with that round, malty nose. Follows on palate, which starts with some sweetness and a good amount of soft texture. Pleasant and friendly, a warming ale. Hops rise only on the finish, gently.

Celt Experience Dark-Age

The stout. Fresh aromas on the bouquet - roasted yes, but hardly like the mocha char I was expecting. That richness does come up on the palate, good texture, but lean. Hoppy finish, maybe not as much weight as a Guinness, for comparisons sake, but no less satisfying. Friendlier with food, certainly - much less likely to sit on top of the food and obliterate any flavours.

So at the end of it all, have we answered the question of what makes a fine beer, and what situation calls for beer over wine? I think I have a better understanding now, at least with the first one. Fine beer is balanced, it's complex, yet has to retain a drinkability. And Celt Experience has all of those characteristics. All the beers are well made, and most importantly, are genuine. There's a sensibility to them that makes them perfect for the table, unlike certain West Coast IPA's that look to blow your head off.

As for when to choose beer over wine? That's a silly question. It all depends on context - company, mood, season, whatever . . . and as long as there are fine wines and fine beers to choose from, we'll be alright. Much appreciation to Tom and Becky for sharing their beers with me, and a hearty cheers to everyone at Celt Experience.

DF

looking back on the best wines of 2011

I'm not a very reflective person, but thinking about favourite wines gives me great satisfaction. It's been yet another year of wine. Lots of wine in fact. More humble bottles, certainly, but no less interesting. I've learned so much, making my Niagara tasting trips. But the highlight of 2011 must be my visit to Champagne in early May, walking some of the greatest cellars in the world. Much to remember fondly back on.

My favourite wines of 2011.

DF