Vancouver, Pender, Victoria
Seeing as how you all love long posts...
I won't bore Canwiners with verbotten discussion of the European and Aussie events we attended at the recent Vancouver Playhouse Wine Festival. I will note only that there was greater participation from BC wineries than usual. Since we chose not to attend the "cattle call" tasting, we can make no comment on their wares.
After 3 nights in Vancouver, we headed for the Tsawwassen Ferry and Pender Island. There we were pleased to relax at the home of a friend. A treat was our first bottle of 2004 Inniskillin Okanagn Malbec, enjoyed with a ribeye steak at the house. The second night saw us take a 2003 Black Hills Nota Bene to what must be Pender's finest restaurant, tiny Pistou Grill. Tiny wine selection, but the waitress was pleased (for a $20 fee) to open our NB for us. Joan opted for the Maple Ridge venison while I chose a pork tenderloin. Very nice. Dessert of lavender-Grand Marnier crème brulée and intense chocolate torte were fabulous, but the chocolate was enough to overwhelm the wine, which was soft and elegant and an excellent match for the main course.
Next, down the Pat Bay highway. We detoured to search for the 3 wineries advertised at the roadside. Alas, one of them was unfindable and the other two were not yet open for the season.
Finally, 3 nights in Victoria, and shirt-sleeves weather (while we watched snow falling in Ontario on the evening news.) Everywhere flowers and the smell of fresh manure.
We took our cue here from Canwine veteran Bob Macdonald, and dined at Brasserie l'Ecole and Cafe Brio, as well as our old favourite, Camille's.
The brasserie is a lively, narrow, darkish place, much like a Parisian bistro. We were surprised how busy it was on a Thursday night, but reminded ourselves that the following day was a holiday - Good Friday.
What a clever idea, to be able to have any wine on the list poured by the glass, at 20% of the bottle price. We tried our first-ever wine from Joie, farther north up the Naramata Road from our usual haunts. The Noble Blend was very light and accompanied well Joan's mussels and my endive salad.
With our delicious mains of halibut for me, and duck leg white wine confit for Joan, we each enjoyed a glass of French white. Canadian wines were very sparse at l'Ecole, but we'd go back again for the excellent food.
At Cafe Brio on Friday, we shared a yummy spicy sausage appetizer in hopes of saving room for dessert. We both ordered veal osso buco which was perfectly paired with an exquisite, fruity yet still tannic 2003 Osoyoos Larose. Maybe even better than the Nota Bene. The risotto was a tad crunchy. We managed to only share a dessert sampler, which was a fine finish to the meal.
We had perused Camille's wine list on their web site, and decided that we must try a Kettle Valley Petit Verdot, one of those rare KV wines that we'd never tasted - or even knew existed. The 2003 - 11.5% alcohol, lighter body than expected, only 22 cases released - did not disappoint. Joan quickly picked up on a nose of strawberries, while I thought there was a hint of raspberry and something floral. Our appetizer of camembert/spinach salad and our main courses of duck breast and lamb sirloin were a good match. For dessert, the Alderlea "Harvest Hearth" - a port style wine with tones of sultana raisins, vanilla, cinnamon and chocolate - filled the bill.
Now home to allow our stomachs and livers a little down time. Must get back to Victoria more often.
I won't bore Canwiners with verbotten discussion of the European and Aussie events we attended at the recent Vancouver Playhouse Wine Festival. I will note only that there was greater participation from BC wineries than usual. Since we chose not to attend the "cattle call" tasting, we can make no comment on their wares.
After 3 nights in Vancouver, we headed for the Tsawwassen Ferry and Pender Island. There we were pleased to relax at the home of a friend. A treat was our first bottle of 2004 Inniskillin Okanagn Malbec, enjoyed with a ribeye steak at the house. The second night saw us take a 2003 Black Hills Nota Bene to what must be Pender's finest restaurant, tiny Pistou Grill. Tiny wine selection, but the waitress was pleased (for a $20 fee) to open our NB for us. Joan opted for the Maple Ridge venison while I chose a pork tenderloin. Very nice. Dessert of lavender-Grand Marnier crème brulée and intense chocolate torte were fabulous, but the chocolate was enough to overwhelm the wine, which was soft and elegant and an excellent match for the main course.
Next, down the Pat Bay highway. We detoured to search for the 3 wineries advertised at the roadside. Alas, one of them was unfindable and the other two were not yet open for the season.
Finally, 3 nights in Victoria, and shirt-sleeves weather (while we watched snow falling in Ontario on the evening news.) Everywhere flowers and the smell of fresh manure.
We took our cue here from Canwine veteran Bob Macdonald, and dined at Brasserie l'Ecole and Cafe Brio, as well as our old favourite, Camille's.
The brasserie is a lively, narrow, darkish place, much like a Parisian bistro. We were surprised how busy it was on a Thursday night, but reminded ourselves that the following day was a holiday - Good Friday.
What a clever idea, to be able to have any wine on the list poured by the glass, at 20% of the bottle price. We tried our first-ever wine from Joie, farther north up the Naramata Road from our usual haunts. The Noble Blend was very light and accompanied well Joan's mussels and my endive salad.
With our delicious mains of halibut for me, and duck leg white wine confit for Joan, we each enjoyed a glass of French white. Canadian wines were very sparse at l'Ecole, but we'd go back again for the excellent food.
At Cafe Brio on Friday, we shared a yummy spicy sausage appetizer in hopes of saving room for dessert. We both ordered veal osso buco which was perfectly paired with an exquisite, fruity yet still tannic 2003 Osoyoos Larose. Maybe even better than the Nota Bene. The risotto was a tad crunchy. We managed to only share a dessert sampler, which was a fine finish to the meal.
We had perused Camille's wine list on their web site, and decided that we must try a Kettle Valley Petit Verdot, one of those rare KV wines that we'd never tasted - or even knew existed. The 2003 - 11.5% alcohol, lighter body than expected, only 22 cases released - did not disappoint. Joan quickly picked up on a nose of strawberries, while I thought there was a hint of raspberry and something floral. Our appetizer of camembert/spinach salad and our main courses of duck breast and lamb sirloin were a good match. For dessert, the Alderlea "Harvest Hearth" - a port style wine with tones of sultana raisins, vanilla, cinnamon and chocolate - filled the bill.
Now home to allow our stomachs and livers a little down time. Must get back to Victoria more often.
posted by Lorne | 7:27 p.m.
2 Comments:
"Seeing as how you all love long posts..."...I "resemble that remark [smile].
Thanks Lorne. Sounds like a good trip. You hit two of my top favourites in Victoria and have reminded me that it is time that we return to Camille's again.
Camille's along with the long departed Rebecca's [now D'Arcy McGee's] and the Herald Street Cafe when Greg and Sylvia of Cafe Brio operated it, were our first options years ago.
I will have to keep my eyes open for the KV Petit Verdot. I did not realize they made one.
> I will have to keep my eyes open for the>\ KV Petit Verdot. I did not realize they made one.
I suspect they sold it all to a few of their favourite restaurants, Bob. You might ask them if any went to Edmonton.
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