Posted by Shea | February 26th, 2010 | Leave a comment »
Today’s wine for the weekend – the 1997 Remoissenet Père & Fils Renommée Bourgogne Blanc - is not something I expect everyone to run out and grab. Instead, I chose something both off the beaten path for most people and something that may seem a little pricey (even though it is a great deal for what it is). What I’m talking about is an aged white Burgundy. For those who don’t know white wine from Burgundy is made (mostly) with Chardonnay. Now, don’t go thinking this is the kind of Chardonnay you have gotten used to tasting with those big butter and tropical flavours. Burgundy doesn’t really go there, and, when you add 13 years of age to a bottle you aren’t even in the same room as new world Chardonnay. So here we have a 13 year old bottle made from fruit that has been ‘declassified’ from fancier (i.e. more famous, better quality fruit, etc.) vineyards and put into this ‘basic’ bottling.
When you pour this into your glass you will notice quite a different colour than you are probably used to for white wine – a dark golden brown rich and deep hue. And the first sniff? Here’s where things get interesting. This has a very subtle nose with mineral and soy aromas. When you taste this wine the first thing you will notice is that it is very very savory for a Chardonnay, and almost a little oxydized tasting. This is the result of age. As wine ages its fruit disappears a bit and flavours imparted by the bottle start to appear. Here I found more soy notes, herbs, and a nice saltiness.
This is old school wine and it will be a challenge for the unitiated palate. But, it is also an adventure. Try it with truffles, or a white sauce with fish and pasta. I guarantee you haven’t tasted a Chardonnay like this before. And the price? Well let’s say that it’s 1/2 of what you can expect to pay for most old white Burgundies. Splurge and get this to celebrate the end of the Olympics.
$36 at Kitsilano Wine Cellars
*Shea Coulson is the author of Justgrapeswine.com, a Vancouver based wine blog focusing on wine and beer reviews, education, and wine industry trends and developments.
Posted by Rob | February 23rd, 2010 | 7 Comments »
Chantal Eustace and Rebecca Lindell of the Vancouver Sun are reporting that everything from Kits to the Drive are Olympic dead zones.
Compared to the Olympic herds tearing through the downtown core, areas such as Kitsilano, South Main Street or Commercial Drive seem downright empty. Depending on whom you talk to, these local hubs are either Olympic dead zones or understated hot spots — offering a much-needed reprieve from three-hour lineups, elbow-to-elbow sidewalks and standing-room-only pavilions.
Their article seems to have some mixed messages when it comes to Kitsilano.
It seems easier than usual to find street parking in Kitsilano since the Games began, observed Unity Whittaker, owner of U — The Life Accessory Store.
“Business is almost quieter than usual for us,” she said, adding it’s been disappointing. “I thought it would be busy.”
But next door at Brown’s Social House on Fourth Avenue, customer volume has gone up over the past week, manager Scott Harris said Sunday.
He said the weekend was busier than the opening weekend of the Games, bringing in customers from around the world, including Russia and Sweden.
“It’s an international crowd,” said Harris, before excusing himself to get back to work. “We are extremely busy this weekend.”
What does everybody else think? And have the Kitsilano Chamber of Commerce and the West 4th Avenue Business Improvement Association done enough to get Games visitors to cross the Burrard Street bridge?
Posted by Shea | February 18th, 2010 | 2 Comments »
Today’s wine is a wine to remind you of sun, sea and quaint towns – the Vall del Calas Celler de Capcanes 2004 Montsant from Spain. Montsant is the region – located in Catalan Spain near Barcelona – and Vall del Calas is the producer. Now, this is a wine made not just from Spain’s famous indiginous grape Tempranillo, but also from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
I’m not quite as excited about this as last week’s wine, but here is a good example of a clean modern Spanish red that will please a fairly wide range of palates. To me it smelled like bright red cherry, some herbas and earth and pepper. It was a modern and ‘clean’ wine (meaning that it doesn’t have funky or dirty tastes – which, by the way, some people think are flavours to seek out). I found it also tasted like some earth red berries and chocolate. I like the wine because it is both rich in flavour but it is not overwhelming. You know, we’ve all had those wines that we love on the first sip and then after a while we can’t handle them anymore. Well, this wine avoids that predicament – it’s easy and tasty drinking all the way.
I think this is a very well made and tasty modern Spanish wine. It’s not all about the fruit, but it’s also not all about the rusticity. It’s a smooth drinking blend of modern fruit and rustic earth – perfect for the right food pairing (some more lightly seasoned red meats). Diverse, tasty, clean, and easy drinking. A great wine for the weekend.
$25 at Kitsilano Wine Cellars
*Shea Coulson is the author of Justgrapeswine.com, a Vancouver based wine blog focusing on wine and beer reviews, education, and wine industry trends and developments.
Posted by Rob | February 18th, 2010 | 4 Comments »
Maclean’s Anne Kingston reported today that the Canadian Men’s Olympic hockey team dined at db Bistro Moderne last night and will be dining at the Kits hotspot on its off-nights between games for the remainder of the tournament.
The team’s unmarked white bus pulled up at 6:30 and the players, who had just all met one another as a team two days previously, filed through the entrance bar area where many picked up a glass of beer. They then took their place at a long table where they were served “family style,” the food presented on platters, while managers and trainers fanned out at surrounding tables. Spending a night outside of the Olympic Village offered the team vital bonding and relaxation time, head coach Mike Babcock explained as the team chowed down on a delicious, well-balanced, management-approved dinner.
According to Kingston, the wine flowed “moderately” during the dinner that wound down at 8:30 – Sidney Crosby nursed two glasses of red.
Posted by Rob | February 17th, 2010 | Leave a comment »
According to
Sandra Thomas of the Vancouver Courier, there wasn’t a dry eye at the Billy Bishop Legion in Kits last Saturday morning as the prime minister of the Netherlands addressed a group of surviving veterans of the 1945 liberation of Holland. Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende was in town for the opening ceremonies of the Games and took the time to present each of the veterans with a special medal marking the 65th anniversary of the liberation.
During his speech, Balkenende told the veterans he was born in 1956, 11 years after the liberation. He said the Canadian soldiers reached out to the Dutch in the darkest days of that nation. And, he added, if it wasn’t for the Canadians he would have been born to famine and fear, instead of the freedom he enjoyed growing up.
“Sixty-five years is a long time, but our appreciation has not failed and will not fail,” Balkenende told the men and women. “It is my honour to stand face to face with you.”
Ironically Prime Minister Balkenende had no idea he was addressing the veterans in a historic building that will likely soon be closed. The Billy Bishop is named after First World War pilot ace William Avery “Billy” Bishop. Last year, the Billy paid $20K in property taxes for 2008, but was still struggling to come up with the $21K needed for 2009. The Billy is also now facing a 25 per cent property tax increase for 2010.
Posted by Frances | February 15th, 2010 | 73 Comments »
If you had trouble catching a glimpse of the torch due to the huge crowd that came out to greet it last week, here’s your chance to get a closer look at an Olympic event: we’re giving away a pair of tickets to the Olympics. No, it’s not Men’s Hockey or Figure Skating, but it’s free and easy. All you need to do to enter is leave a comment on this post below. Double your chances of winning by joining our Facebook page.
You have a choice between: 2 tickets to Women’s Curling on Friday February 19, 9:00 am at the Vancouver Olympic Centre OR 2 tickets for the Victory Ceremony on Sunday February 21, 2010; 18:30 BC Place. Please indicate in your comment which pair of tickets you’d like.
Winning name will be drawn on Tuesday evening at 6 pm, and delivered by Wednesday afternoon, so enter now! Tell your friends to join, and if they win they might share the other ticket with you.
EDIT: Thank you to everyone who entered the contest. Contest is now closed, and the winning name has been randomly drawn: #17 Tricia Gould! Congratulations, hope you enjoy the curling event this Friday.
Posted by Andrea | February 15th, 2010 | Leave a comment »
Congratulations to Laura for winning the Survivor Bootcamp Valentine’s Day giveaway. Laura has won a boot camp pass for her and her special someone valued at over $250!
Thanks to everyone who entered the contest! Feel free to check out Survivor Bootcamp for more details on how you can squat, lift, and run your way into spring shape from the comfort of one of their Kits locations.
Posted by Shea | February 12th, 2010 | Leave a comment »
Today’s wine is another gem from Italy – this time from the east coast of that country. I love this wine because it is full and flavourful but also crisp and clean. It’s the perfect balance between a bigger more winter-friendly white wine and a summer crisp sipper. Given the balmy weather of late, I thought this would be a great suggestion. There’s nothing wrong with drinking white wine in the winter!
Which wine am I talking about – the Di Majo Norante Falanghina del Molise DOC 2006 – Falanghina being the grape and Molise the region. Yep, both are completely obscure, but the wine is also wonderful and really tasty. The wine smells like a nice warm climate with its aromas of ripe apple, tropical mango and guava. It also tastes like guava, burnt coconut, banana, and honeyed wildflowers. Opulent but clean, summery but winter appropriate. Grab yourself some hearty and healthy fish or seafood and dig into this great wine – it absolutely over-delivers at its price point and you are supporting a small producer making wines with care and craft. The perfect celebration for the weekend – Valentines, Chinese New Year or Olympic Fever.
$23 at Kitsilano Wine Cellars
*Shea Coulson is the author of Justgrapeswine.com, a Vancouver based wine blog focusing on wine and beer reviews, education, and wine industry trends and developments.
Posted by Andrea | February 11th, 2010 | Leave a comment »
With the excitement of the Olympics only 2 days away there hasn’t been the usual Hallmark buzz over Valentine’s Day. Love it or hate it, something tells me if you are in a relationship your special someone hasn’t forgotten what is happening on Feb 14th.
As we saw from the post below the Olympic Torch will be passing by West Broadway today. So while you don your red Canadian gear and cheer the torch home I have the perfect place you can quickly stop in to pick up a Valentine’s gift that she truly will love.
Alisa and Kathie owners of Wish.List boutique on the corner of W Broadway and Macdonald will be opening their doors and offering torch watchers hot drinks this evening and helping you pick out some v-day gifts while you are there. Talk about multi-tasking! They have everything from body lotion, to make-up, lingerie, candles and jewellery including their top gift list under $50.
One of my favorite Wish.List finds fitting for the dessert lover in your life is this Cupcake Apron – Under $40.
