by Bill Spohn » Sun Feb 09, 2014 8:09 pm
A new restaurant venue and an excellent array of wines. The venue was Canyon in North Vancouver, and it is worth quoting the resume of the chef:
“About Chef Scott Kidd Chef Scott Kidd has quite the history in the BC dining scene. Starting his culinary career at the renowned Sooke Harbour House on Vancouver Island, Kidd developed a passion for all things local long before it was a trend. Deciding on formal training, Kidd studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. His pedigree in Vancouver is a veritable who’s who of the best in Vancouver dining. He first hit the scene with Le Gavroche in its heyday of the mid to late 1980’s, then moved to create Lola’s and has held Executive Chef positions with some of the region’s finest restaurants including The William Tell, Bishop’s, Raincity Grill, Araxi (Whistler) and most recently Lift. This is a chef who started the “support local” movement in BC along with the likes of John Bishop and Robert Clark.”
2007 Kumeu River Chardonnay (N. Zealand) – good ringer for French chard – some colour, lemony nose, with light vanilla notes and a dry citrus finish.
2006 Ch. Carbonnieux – another very pleasant white, this time with a slightly odd spearminty estery element in the nose, mellow and full in the mouth, with a soft finish.
The restaurant presented a very tasty ling cod dish with these wines.
1999 York Creek Vineyards Meritage – a great start to the reds. Medium colour with a slightly green floral raspberry nose, sweet entry, and god length. In great shape.
2006 Ata Rangi McCrone Pinot Noir – Martinborough – first bottling for this wine, a cooperative project between Ata Rangi and the McCrones from Oregon. Medium colour, pronounced strawberry nose, with hints of spice, up front fruit and good finish with clean acidity and soft tannins. Only 60 cases of this made, the first vintage for the McCrones in New Zealand.
At some point in here we started on a course of lasagna
1995 Spring Mountain Miravalle – Alba – Chevalier – all cabernet from three vineyards, this wine had a nice deep colour, rather clarety nose, sweet in the mouth and a long silky finish. Also in topnotch shape with no rush!
We then embarked on a string of Rhones, unplanned as I had just asked people about where they thought their wines should go. We had a really excellent boeuf Bourguignon with the last wines.
2000 Bosquet des Papes CNduP Cuvee Tradition – sweet slightly warm nose with ripe fruit, notably ripe in the mouth, smooth medium length finish. Not stewy, but a bit too far on the ripe side for my preference.
1995 Clos des Papes CNduP – my bottle and the first one I’ve opened out of a case bought on release. I was a bit concerned when it showed little nose right after opening, but it opened up nicely and exhibited a very nice leather and plum, with notes of cherry and strawberry. Sweet on palate with elegance and finesse, but also good weight and a velvety feel. It developed some interesting spice at the end. No rush.
2001 Beaurenard Cuvee Boisrenard CNduP – fairly dark with a nose of spicy anise and fig. Good weight and finish, again no rush here, but drinking very well now.
On into the cheeses with:
2003 Mitolo Serpico – the cabernet from this winery showed lots of cassis/black fruit with some green hints, and tons of flavour intensity. Mature and ready now.
2010 Bodegas Breca Old Vines Garnacha – more black raspberry and lavish sweet fruit on palate from this Calatyud wine. Give away price and a great cheese wine. Not surprisingly, this is the sort of wine that appeals to RP, who awarded it 94 points. Still, a real bargain for the medium term at the price.