Bodegas Real is a Real Steal

Before Christmas I wandered into Liberty Wine Merchants on Granville Island. Feeling experimental, I asked the clerk to recommend a nice full bodied red wine. He steered me towards the end of the aisle and hoisted up a black box of 2005 Bodegas Real Tempranillo-Shiraz declaring it the best value. The 3 liter box—the equivalent of four bottles of wine—cost only $37.99, which works out to approximately $9.50 a bottle. Seeing my dubious apprehension (wasn’t boxed wine the biggest faux-pas since jello-mold salads?) he quickly reassured me, “Most wineries in Europe already use boxes instead of bottles because shipping costs are based on weight and of course, glass bottles are heavy, so most vineyards are switching to boxes to cut down on shipping costs. Besides, the bladders are now less oxygen permeable, which doesn’t allow the wine to spoil. They’re even allowed to put a vintage year on it now! Don’t be surprised if you start seeing boxed wines more often.” What could I lose at this price? If it tasted awful I could always use it for cooking, right? I bought the box and set out for an evening of taste testing.

Tenuously I poured myself a glass from the spigot and swirled it around and inhaled the scent of field berries, which reminded me of summer. The opaque, blackberry coloured wine budded smooth on the tongue, blossoming into an intense berry flavour. Although quite fruity, the well balanced dryness complemented the distinct hint of oak. It remained silky, never changing to acidic or biting. Typically I favour Australian, Chilean and Canadian wines because the European wines I’d sampled in the past hadn’t made my taste buds sing, but this Spanish wine won me over; it’s my favourite red wine of the new year for the flavour and value. Tip: The Robson Liberty Wine Merchant location charges $39.99 for a box while the Granville Island location only charges $37.99. Sometimes it pays to live on the south side of the bridge.

My Favourite White Wine of 2008

Last August I spent a weekend with my girl posse in the Okanagan valley visiting some of the wineries and developing an appreciation for what some of BC's vineyards have to offer. On the tour we took with Okanagan Wine Tours, we stopped at St. Hubertus, Cedar Creek and Summerhill vineyards to sample a selection of their wines. I was always a red wine girl but after this excursion I finally tasted what I'd missed out on. In the Cedar Creek winery shop, our wine guide raved about their Ehrenfelser describing its flavour as complex and multifaceted and said it has a cult following in the Okanagan valley, regularly selling out. Although we hadn't sampled it in the tasting I took his advice and bought two bottles.

That evening we opened a few different wines to try over dinner and were instantly convinced that the 2007 Ehrenfesler was the best white we'd tried all day. The intense fruit flavours changed like a citrus kaleidoscope on the palate--from lime to grapefruit; a refreshing reprieve from the B.C. interior's summer heat. I've become a fan of this white since taking the first taste back in August. It's difficult to find but I've discovered that you can get it at Okanagan Estate Wine Cellar at 3669 West 4th (right near Alma & 4th). It retails for $18.10 a bottle, which is worth every penny. Cheers!

Icebox

With Vancouver buried under a duvet of snow, I decided it was time to break out the Mission Hill 2004 Riesling ice wine that I've hoarded since last Christmas. I haven't sampled ice wine in quite some time, so I considered it a treat to savor it over a thick slice of pumpkin pie. The heady smell of raisin and spiced apples, and its rich golden colour reminded me of apple strudel. The silky smooth sweetness that washed over my tongue made me smile--delectable!

Ice wine is extremely high on the sweetness scale, so if you don't like port or liqueurs, you probably won't like it. I received this bottle as a gift; however, I do know that it runs for about $40 a bottle at Taylorwood wines in Yaletown. It comes in a lovely black cylinder, the perfect gift for anyone who's in for a bit of a wine adventure.

Have a Winederful Holiday

Well, it's Christmas Day and due to nature's stormy temper, I did not make it back to the flatlands for the holidays. So to console myself, I decided to have pizza and red wine for Christmas dinner; there's nothing better that indulgance to warm the heart. Earlier this afternoon I stopped by Firefly--one of my favourite wine stores--and asked one of the helpful staff to recommend a nice Chilean wine that was similar to my usual Santa Rita stand-by. He lead me over to the shelf and pointed out a sleek bottle of 2005 Chocalan Carmenere Reserve insisting it was the best bang for the buck. Feeling adventurous I bought the Carmenere Reserve (approx $20) and a bottle of the Chocolan Syrah 2007 (approx $15).

Just before dinner I uncorked the 2005 Carmenere Reserve and poured a generous glass. Swirling it I let the ruby-red whirlpool slow before I put my nose to the rim and inhaled the aroma of blackberries and cocoa (no saddle leather here). The taste was slightly biting, spicy and rich in berry flavor. It complimented the dark Lindt chocolate with chili (my newest addiction!) that I ate for dessert. I agree that this wine is certainly a good value for the money, but I must admit that I like the Vina Casa Blanca Syrah (2006) from Chile more; I found it silkier, smoother, more robust. I'll have to do a taste test comparison if I don't get distracted by the vast array of fantastic wine out there. Happy sampling!