Viva Italia! or the 'Drinker visits A Taste of Italy

Friday night, Mik and I head down to Pier 23 for the annual Amici del Vino "Taste of Italy" wine fair (and food expo). In addition to representation from a number of agencies who sell Italian wines in Nova Scotia already, plus two of the private wine stores, there were nine wineries that appear to have been sponsored by the Italian government to travel the world and try to create markets for their wines. Those wines were available for sale by the case, but only through the highly efficient NSLC Special Orders program. Hmmmmm.... I'll pass.

But it was from those wineries where the most interesting wines were found, for the most part, I thought.

It was an evening of more Barbera based wines than Nova Scotia has ever seen in one room at one time. And there were some dandies. Plus a number of Moscato based wines (Muscat) and even a couple of rare grapes, Nosiola and Brachetto.

My favourites, in no particular order:

Scambia wines siriaulivieriscambia@libero.it (someone should rep this winery). They showed three wines, and all three were excellent, interesting, and very well made. The Orvieto was complex, and intriguing (from the DOC Gualdo di Meana and priced under $20). The Rosso Orviento from DOC Runico was perhaps my favourite lower priced wine of the evening, and their biggie, a Sangiovese from the DOC of Brunaio was wonderful stuff, but at $80 and from the 1997 vintage, it should be.

From Marenco wines (www.marencovini.com) the Moscato Secco Muma T.W. was great stuff, and I really wanted one bottle to compare with our own Nova Scotia dry Muscats. Their Barbera D'Asti was also impressive, huge dark and complex - not what one thinks of with this grape.

Pisoni wines (www.pisoni.net) showed the very interesting Nosiola IGT from Trentino, a rarely seen grape in North America making a clean white wine that reminded me of Chenin Blanc.

Sgarzi Luigi (www.cantinesgarzi.it) showed a bunch of wines from the south, and from Emilia Romagna. I liked the Nero D'Avola-Syrah blend from Luigi Leonardo in Sicily. ($14!!)

Villa di Maser (www.villadimaser.it) showed the best wine of the show, their Montello Il Maserino DOC 2001. This was a $100 wine, but it showed wonderfully.

And finally, I would be remiss in not praising the Tre Donna Barbera D'Alba, 2001, from Vin•Art. Yes, it is $37 but it is quite the substantial wine.

And the chocolate grappa? Gag gag gag gag gag, spit.

Did I mention the food? It was great. I spent most of my time drinking and gabbing. Here is the gossip. Alanna is back from Italy with her Italian husband to follow by mail. Simone and Terry are opening an Italian restaurant in Lunenburg. And Susan, the wine goddess, will be really pissed that she missed this one.

Later time spent at Seven and then the Armview (what was I thinking, I was not nearly drunk enough for that?) proved very boring and unproductive, other than watching gorgeous young women get very drunk and fall down. Why is it that the music has to be so loud you can't hear a blonde hit the floor anymore? These young people just don't know how to party.

Oh, and somewhere there, I lost Mik. Let me know if you find him.

Wine of the Week, November 20

Trapiche Broquel Malbec, 2005, Argentina. (POW, and POW Sections $15.19)

Yes, I KNOW Ron Crooks at the Port of Wines is pushing this one like he owns shares in the company, but dammit, he is right on this one. And if you don't yet know about this wine, you should. Extraordinary value for the $15 and change. Plus it looks just fine on a table. Malbec is normally a wine for big red meat, game and the like, and can even handle some spice. This one is refined, almost Bordeaux like, and exhibits class not normally found at this price. It will keep for a few years, if you can keep your hands off it. Buy more than one.

The Ceilidh, or Thank you Mr. NSLC!

Every year I swear I am not going unless someone comps me a ticket. This year I scored two! Meeting my contact and effecting a sly handoff at the Midtown Tavern moments before the show starts (Thank you Mr. NSLC!), I drag The Skipper along, kicking and screaming "No more free booze!, what is WITH you guys!". I know that sooner or later, Kempton and I will drive him back to the more sedate practice of home agriculture.

We arrive to a lineup - a room full of people from various backgrounds and interest. And why not? This is not just a Scotch show, no way, José Cuervo, there is a lot of other stuff in there too. Like Rum. Lots of Rum. I am thinking already that this ain't a-gonna be purty, no matter how it stacks up.

But what the hey, we're in like flint, and when the doors open we make our way (no we did not run) to the already well formed lineup for the $1,800 bottle of Macallan that has been opened in the farthest corner of the room. In the line I greet erstwhile Brewnoser and seal milkmaid extraordinaire Sarah, with best biologist Bruce waiting their turn for the purported elixir that none can afford to drink.

It ain't bad, actually.

The alcohol has dropped from some previously higher cask strength level, via the path of the Angel's Share, leaving a fiery somewhat dark whisky that simply explodes in aroma and flavous with a wee drop of good water, which the gentleman at the booth is happy to offer. (more on the water thing later - yes a rant is surfacing). Watching the bottle diminish, I figure that my share is worth about $175. Not a bad sip. Hey, I'm already up $220, maybe I should go to the Casino!

I wander around a bit, seeing a lot of familiar faces, few of which I can rember by name, which makes sense as I usually see them in similar circumstances. I boldly head out on a blends tasting binge, but find myself drawn to the peat. In Auld Reekie, and especially in a mystery malt from Wilson and Morgan, called W&M House Malt.

I managed to get some of the Port Ellen 21 year old, toasting the loss of this now dismantled still with Sarah and Bruce, and whoever else was close enough to hear; enjoyed the Bunnahabhain; the Icewine version of Glen Breton, and a lot of other fine things.

But it was two comments, from people there, telling me what to do, or not to more like, that got to me a bit. The first was one guy, watching me dump a part finished sample of a not-so-special malt into a dump bucket, looking at me and, like that demented child porn sucking turd who did the Keith's ads, telling me I was violating some ancient law of nature by allowing it to be wasted. I told him to go drive his pickup into a bus load of kids later on, and to make sure the breathalyzer was calibrated when he blew. Coulda been the whisky, as they say.

Then it was this old fart with a Scottish tartan tie and a name tag with a "Mac" in front of his real family name. Seeing me add water to a malt and taste it, then add a bit more and get it right, he looked at me and exclaimed "What are you doing to that fine malt?". I asked him where the hell he was from, Rhode Island? I then explained to him, in what seemed to me to be quite a patient voice about how one really should add some good water to a malt, especially the cask strength stuff I was currently sampling, in order to be able to taste the g.d. thing properly! I figure my Carnoustie golf shirt outranked his little tartan beret. And no, I was NOT shouting at him. Really. Arsehole poser that he was.

I then saved someone's evening, as he had been listening to me explain to the old ponsy fart about the water thing. Turns out it was Dave, who used to work with me long ago and far far away. He was a helpless beer drinker, stranded in hard liquor land. I told him to just keep adding water to it until he liked it. That is what they do in the pubs in Fife, I know for sure. I ran into him later on, and he was smiling, and raised a glass to me. "The water helping?" I asked. "Damn straight", he says, "I like to get a big mouthfull of stuff into my mouth just like beer. This is great!". I ask what he is drinking, and he point to the bottle on the table beside him. It is a 25 year old Cognac. Oh well.....

As the thing ends, I go buy a bottle (hey 10% off, yee hah, Thank you Mr. NSLC!) of the W&M, and we eventually head out on the town. Someone (Pierre?) has it in their head to go to Bubbles Mansion. That is full, packed and lined up. And us with a full bottle each of scotch or rum in tow, we could have had some fun in there! The Alehouse next door is empty, dead, nada happening. But they turn us away becasue they want $5 for a band we are not going to stay and hear. (good business decision, they would have sold a hundred dollars worth of beer, plus some snacks, I bet).

We bail and head to Rogues Roost, where the Friday started, as it usually does for me. Back so soon? asks the (cute) server. We order beers, and I now think, though I am not sure, that I walked out on my one-beer tab, thinking someone else got it. Oh well, they won't forget that next Friday.

I head down to Onyx, in the rain, and drink a few freebie Champagne cocktails with the Moet rep. The manager of the Joe Howe liquor store even gives me a lift home. Thank you Mr. NSLC!

Sunday Brunch at Saege

Sunday was maybe the last time this year to go for a warm afternoon stroll and have a late brunch in the city. Plus it was the last day the Public Gardens would be open, so L and I chose to head down to the Spring Garden Road area and have brunch at Saege. Now, this is not a place I can go and be anonymous, as I know several people who work there, including the manager and one of the chefs. Sure enough, on entering we are met by the lovely Karin, who greets us warmly and shows us to a seat by the window on the sidewalk.

The full menu is there on the table, but on top of it is a Special Brunch menu. About 10 or 12 different items are listed, and we don't get past this before we both find something we like the look of.

I order a Mimosa (hey it's brunch!) and the chicken crepe, and L chooses a fritata. The Mimosa comes quickly. As I look around the room, I see that just about everyone has their food, or is already finished eating, and as it is about 2:30, I'm looking forward to food, soon.

The Mimosa tastes like it has bourbon added...

I watch Karin do a wonderful job helping a slightly handicapped senior with a walker find a seat and get comfortable. She seems to have just the right sense of when to help, and when to allow the person to do for themselves.

Just as I have decided that maybe the Mimosa tastes like it has tequila in it, and not bourbon, the food arrives. Now that was fast! Our server agrees, saying that the specials come quickly.

Both dishes are atrractively presented, and hot. No waiting around under a heat lamp. L's fritata is excellent, tasty, and approaching comfort food. My crepe is less intensely flavoured, and starts off as a bit plain. The smokey bacon sauce does tend to grow on one, as you eat it. One thing I can say - don't order a Mimosa with it! The combination was downright unattractive.

Both brunch items are over $10, more like $12-$13, which seems a bit pricey, but not for the location, I suppose.

We leave happy, taking our time through the Gardens, and walk down to Botticelli's at Bishop's Landing, where we are completely blown away by the gelato (pistachio, Italian cream, mango, pumpkin pie). Waddling back up the hill to Pete's Frootique for late supper groceries, it feels like a great day to be living in Halifax.

I am still wondering what was in that Mimosa, though....

Tony Aspler Dinner at Chives Bistro, November 9

I attended this event in the company of Susan (the aforementioned wine goddess Sommelier from the Mystery Wine search). We sat with Gina Haverstock, also a Sommelier. Gina is a graduate of the Brock University Cool Climate Viticultural Instiutute. She now makes wine as well as drinking it.

This event was one of the best I have attended in terms of the pairing of the wines with the different courses. There were 20 people, and Chef Craig Flinn and his staff really did a wonderful job of plating interesting food, with real honest flavours and attractive presentation. But kudos go to Sommelier Craig Michie, who now works at The Bishop's Cellar, for his choices on which wines to serve. He had the unenviable task of choosing wines when the winemakers were going to be in attendance with Tony Aspler, who is, without question, Canada's best known and probably most read wine writer. The winemakers in attendance, in addition to Gina, who is currently working at Gaspereau Vineyards, were Suzanne Corkum of St. Famille, Jurg Stutz of Grand Pré, and Hans Christian Jost (you guess where he works).

Host of the event was the ebullient John Stuart of Bishop's Cellar, and the wines all came from their store. The event was the launch of Tony's new book, The Wine Atlas of Canada.

The evening started with a glass of Gaspereau Vineyards NY Muscat. Susan and I (and I think Gina too) all recognized it. First as NY Muscat (that's not hard), then as NOT Jost Eagle Tree (a bit harder) and, finally NOT Grand Pré (the real test). It made a perfect aperatif, with the aromatics filling the senses with that muscat love we all appreciate, and the crisp acidic finish readying the palate for what was to come.

The starter course of soup, a roasted celery with balsamic vinegar concoction, was well matched by the Petite Riviere Vineyards Cotes de Lahave Blanc sur lie. This wine has a striking nose, like that of fine champagne, without the carbonation. There is a slightly vegetal thing happening there that seemed hard to distinguish between the soup and the wine, as the two melded to become better with the other.

Acadie Blanc Reserve from Grand Pré matched well with a mixed green salad with pear, especially matching the pear (we assume that was Craig's thought). Susan went back to the Muscat and encouraged us to try that with the salad, and we were glad we did. A very successful pairing, different from the Acadie Blanc, more integrated and almost sexy.

The next course was a seared pork loin, bacon wrapped, in a smokey fruity sauce (cranberry?) with a stacked scalloped potato. The Jost Trilogy matched this extremely well. This Baco Noir, Foch, Leon Milllot blend seemed to have an answer for all the various flavours the dish offered, but most effectively matched the smokey character of the sauce and the bacon.

Dessert of apple tart with vanilla bean ice cream was very happilty matched by the 2004 St. Famille Icewine. This wine has a great nose, of apple cider, caramel, and creme brulé, with stunning acidity in the mid and finish that really stood up to the sweet dessert.

Tony's book, which I purchased, is an extremely attractive package with thoughly researched content. I bought it for the summaries of just about every Canadian winery, and the good coverage of our part of the world.

And for the ladies, there is a great full page picture of "hunky" Hans Christian in his vineyard. Clothed, though - it is not a calendar. I am sure I saw Susan getting that page of her copy of the book specially autographed by HC as he was leaving....

Anyway, I know the NS winemakers have to be proud of how their products showed on this evening - they certainly owe a debt to Craig Michie for the great job he did in allowing them to show so well, and to be a full and equal partner to the great Chives menu.

Chowhounding I

After my two days eating and drinking around Halifax with Jim Leff, he of chowhound.com fame, I have found myself returning to my previous "chowhounding" ways. That is, finding small, unlikely places that make great food....... and eating it of course. In company of my friend Peter, I had been in a groove of finding and eating at a lot of places we in Halifax now take for granted, prior to their becoming famous. We were regulars at Mexico Lindo back when they were up on Convoy Avenue next to the old laundromat. We almost felt like we personally discovered the old Sisters of the Carribean outlet in Dartmouth, and we were seeking out and finding places on a regular basis.

Look out, we're baaaaack!

So, here are my recommendations from recent Chowhounding in HRM

Bach's Cafe on Agricola - real Korean food. I usually order a soup/wonton thing with hot sauce and kimchee on the side.
Iqbals Grocery on Charles St. near Agricola - they moved a while ago, and at first glance this appears to be a samosa factory. But they serve great food to the 6 seats in front of the take out counter.
Smith's Bakery on Agricola and Charles (in sight of Iqbal's) - great lunches, not just baked goods from one of the city's last family bakeries (most small bakeries have left the tax-burdened HRM). I like the pasta bakes/lasagna when they have it.
Ranni's Roti Hut - In the old IGA store on the corner of Queen and Greene St. Not sure if I have the name right, but you won't miss it. Order lamb roti. Wonderful.
Scotia Square Food Court - The Indian and Korean places in there rock. Especially the Indian place on the days when they do a buffet - you load up your plate with what you want for I think $5.99.
Phil's Seafood - You probably know about this already, but it is the best Fish and Chips in town. On the Purcell's Cove Road across from the Armdale Yacht Club at Melville Cove, or in the newer location on Quinpool, near Preston.

Fine dining can have its place. But not every meal requires the finest silver too!

jane's on the common, lunch October 31

After Sunday's somewhat disappointing supper, it was time to get recalibrated to good service, great detail, and delicious food. Yes, I hold a bias towards jane's but so what. At least I'm correct in doing so, and in case no one has noticed, I'm not alone.

We walked around the corner (it is left, left, left, left from out our door to in jane's) for a quick lunch.

Table for two? No problem.
Fresh tasting cold water, menus? Right away.
Drink order/ask? Immediately.
Fresh bread? Arrived with the drinks.
Food turnaround? 9 mins.
Soup of the day? Magnificent.
Regular menu item? Great, and consistent with the last visit (shrimp cakes).
Clear? Right away.
Dessert/coffee ask? With the clear.
Coffee? Very good coffee (Just Us) arrives next trip back, with cream, and with milk to choose.
Desserts? 5 mins. Great.
Coffee refill? Automatic, and unobtrusive.
Bill? Arrives intuitively, when we are ready to go.
Cost? Affordable, and happily paid.
Total time elapsed, home to back home? 35 mins.

OK, who is next?