Jacob's Creek Moscato

On a recent business trip to Victoria, I wanted to thoroughly enjoy my child-free days. Don't get me wrong - I love my kid but it's not often that you get the opportunity to drink without having to worry who's watching the kid.

I picked up this bottle of wine from a hotel-attached liquor store on my way back to my hotel. It was the only Moscato they carried and I was desperate for something easy to drink. I think it was $14. Less than a glass of wine bought at the hotel restaurant. It was a pretty label but I should have turned it around and read the back because I only discovered back in the hotel room that it was carbonated or "frizzante" as indicated. Yuck. Hence the low rating. Otherwise if you like a sweet, fizzy wine this is perfect for you. I let it sit overnight to try it make it go flat and not wanting to be wasteful, tried to finish it off before I left. Couldn't even do that. I think I left what you see above. It was difficult for me because not finishing a bottle of opened booze is alcohol abuse in my eyes! lol.

Wouldn't buy it again but not due to the taste but because I'm not a fizzy-drink kind of gal.

Chateau Doisy-Vedrines

Mela came back from Bordeau a month ago and of course, she returned with wine. This is a bottle that she shared with me a 2002 Chateau Doisy-Vedrines. When she saw the cork, she said the Grand-Cru stamp meant that it was an excellent vineyard. A quick wiki search returned the following:

"
Grand cru (French for great growth) is a regional wine classification that designates a vineyard known for its favorable reputation in producing wine. Although often used to describe grapes, wine or cognac, the term is not technically a classification of wine quality per se, but is intended to indicate the potential of the vineyard or terroir. It is the highest level of classification of AOC wines from Burgundy or Alsace. The same term is applied to Châteaux in Saint-Émilion, although in that region it has a different meaning and does not represent the top tier of classification. In Burgundy the level immediately below grand cru is known as premier cru, sometimes written as 1er cru.^[6]"

 I don't by any means have a sophisticated enough palate to distinguish what made it a good wine, but it was tasty. Very flavourful and very sweet. Like crazy sweet. Although it smelled like brown sugar, it also had a high alcohol scent and the lines on the glass told me that probably wasn't far from the truth. But it didn't taste like it. The husband said it reminded him of the top of a creme brulee. Mela drank three glasses. It was delicious and I felt honored that she would share it with me. A great wine with an acidic or spicy pairing (I unfortunately only had triple lemon biscuits from TJ's and wasabi seaweed) but it wasn't bad.

My Love of Joie

Joie wines
About a year ago, a good girlfriend of mine, Mela, and I went to this place called the Salt Tasting Room in Gastown. It's like this little slice of heaven in a not-so-fantastic neighbourhood. The entrance of the place is in this alley that you clutch your purse in, thinking that you'll see some guy shooting up behind a dumpster. Then you open the door to the restaurant and you're transported to some other dimension. Long wooden tables, brick walls and this huge chalkboard advertising all the types of food you can pair your wine with. What's super cool? No ovens!
Website: http://www.salttastingroom.com/

We decided to have a flight of wines with food (3 types of wines, paired with 3 types of food). One of the wines we tried was "Joie: A Noble Blend". Our feedback? Simply AMAZING. It's a sweeter wine with flavours of apple. The harmony of flavours blew our minds away and it instantly ranked as my favourite wine.

I had to taste for myself if this winery was a one-wine hit place, or if all their wines were like this. Unfortunately their wines aren't sold in the BC Liquor stores (only speciality wine stores) so buying this wine is serious business for me! Plus on average their wines are about $25 which totally breaks my $20 max rule. But you know what? I broke my rules and haven't regretted it one bit. Totally worth every single penny they sell the wine for.

I had a sample of "Joie Rose" at the downtown Joey's restaurant location (which has the most selection of wines by the glass in Vancouver, by the way). Again, a sweeter wine with some floral notes to it and again, 10 out of 10 from me on this wine. I think I've bought about 5 bottles since.

My older brother, Chris, bought me the Riseling that we enjoyed the other night at our family dinner. Again, thumbs up from everyone all around. I still rank it above some of the other wines I've tried but out of all the Joie wines I've tried, it probably places 3rd.

I can't wait to try all their other types since I still haven't tried their un-oaked chardonnay and their Muscat which is sold out for 2008.

They're clearly not a one-hit wine wonder. I have thoroughly enjoyed every single type of wine they've made and others don't disagree. Recently they won TWO Lieutenant Governor General’s Awards of Excellence for their wines. Not bad considering only 12 wines get this award every year!!!

Here's a link to their website: http://www.joie.ca/2008_joie_vintage_spec_sheet.htm

Winzertanz: Gustav Adolf Schmitt

Nica found this German white for me one day in the liquor store. I always lingered around the German whites because honestly, I think they make the best whites in the world. Cheap, cheerful and just the right amount of sweetness. This wine is also sold in the 2 litre format which is even better for under $15!!! (obviously you can see why I like this wine so much). The only place I've found it in the 2 litre format though, it the BC liquor store on 41st and Cambie. I pick up a couple bottles everytime I go visit my parents.

Anyway, solid 9 out of 10 from me on this one. Easy to drink is an understatement. I can finish off a whole 2 litre bottle in one night and I can't even drink that much water in one sitting. Sometimes if you're drunk enough, it only tastes like apple juice. Clean start, clean finish, sweeter wine and great chilled. The price is worth it as an everyday wine.

Calona Vineyards: Sovereign Opal 2007

My friend Julie did it again. She's found another great white! Wine, that is.

This is a VQA wine, and when you first smell it, you fall in love. It has hints of peach and apple and this... I don't know how to explain it, it just SMELLS good. It tastes like it smells too! (Unlike vanilla extract and durian). It's slightly sweet, but not TOO sweet. When it hits the back of your tongue before you swallow, it's pleasant and not cringingly tart.

The bottle is elegant (although honestly it should be what's inside that counts) but overall, nice packaging and a wine that deserves it. It's about $13 and can be found in any BC Liquor store. I've already bought 3 bottles and I'm not sure how long they're going to last. It's a perfect summer wine! 9.5 out of 10.

Unduragga: 2007 Sauvignon Blanc

My friend Julie has this uncanny knack for finding really good, cheap wines. One of her last recommendations was Australia's Hardy's Shiraz. Under $10.00 and really tasty without being too spicy.
Her latest wine has been a Chilean wine. A 2007 Unduragga Sauvignon Blanc. It was crisp, fresh and not too sweet or dry.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10