Tag: Chenin Blanc

Tasting

Bay/Bae Wines for Bay/Bae Moments

Posted on by Josh

This city is doing things to me. I willingly and happily went to a networking event, you guys! I mean, it was themed which made it as enticing as free booze at straight equivalents of such events: it was hosted at Oasis by Out in Tech, a company which focusses on LGBTQ+ folks in the tech world. I’ve attended the venue before, in the form of drag shows and fuzzy evenings, but upon a night of networking, it got packed real quickly, the drink lines as straight as the room’s sexualities.

I’m exclaiming my excitement for a queer tech networking event, yet weeks later I’m stoked about a regular one. 20-year-old me is grimacing at 25-year-old me. Also, you know you’ve reached peak queer tech when someone’s name tag says that they work at “U-bear”.… read more

Life · Quaffing · Tasting

2016 was questionable, so here are 20 wines to pair with 2017

Posted on by Josh

I ended a past blog post – themed: a review of 2015 – with the words “Welcome, 2016. I will cut you.” Though I feel like I did personally make some substantial dents in this crunchy titanium can of a year, the general consensus seems to be that we created a blueprint for goodness, but then said blueprint was stolen, lit on fire, and then puréed with an unwashed beige-coloured towel embroidered with the words “~fUcK yOu~”, styled in Comic Sans MS.

I won’t fill this post with hopes for 2017 so that I don’t build myself a bigger bowl of disappointment, but instead will list wines that remind me of an upwards trend of hope, a vague connection to the vapid consolation of Pantone’s Color of the Year, a fresh and flora-driven yellow-green named “Greenery“.… read more

Tasting

Rosé? For spring? Groundbreaking.

Posted on by Josh

Seminar led by the Wine Diva, but I’m quoting diva Meryl Streep, obviously. If you didn’t get that reference then why are we even friends? But really: I would wholeheartedly pair The Devil Wears Prada with a Loire wine. You’d need something light – maybe aloof – yet cutting, and dry. Also, that movie turns 10 this year? What?

I’ve once again come a little too underdressed for such an event, but I can’t help it because it’s muggy, sunny, and I like mesh a little too much. Cool off with Loire wines? Probably one of the favourite French areas of from last year’s Europe trip. My wallet cried.

Anyways, I think my main point here is that people need to get excited about weird Chenin Blanc and elegant light reds. … read more

Life · Quaffing · Tasting · Travel

Chenin Flair in Savennières

Posted on by Josh

I’m scared and embarrassed to accept what Erin and Theran say is true, which is that I inadvertently speak with a bit of a French accent when I talk in English with other French people. Gross. If I were a travel bingo card, would that be one of the squares?

Right as we arrived in Angers, our Airbnb host Julien (who created this, by the way) drove us to our designated living quarters, in the centre of the city, where seemingly ancient buildings, castles, and churches were spiffily fused with fresh energy and bright streets you could get lost in. Not unlike the vitality of a non-vintage Champagne that has a dollop of older reserve wine added to its house blend, you know?… read more

Life · Quaffing · Travel

Josh Likes Maryland: Part 1

Posted on by Josh

I’ve found that I can’t enjoy full-fledged roller coasters anymore, but I enjoy the hints of thrills from airplane turbulence and chunky landings. Kinda gross.

We fly to the eastern part of the continent for a family reunion on the mother’s side – not just the immediate family, but a whole congregation of 19 humans of all ages on a plane. And Baltimore is the closest relevant city to where we’re staying – so that’s where I tell people where we’re going for 13 days – and I have little knowledge on these parts of the United States so I understand none of the references on crabs (“…is there a really bad inside joke on lice that I’m not getting?”).

It’s a bit of a trek from the airport to the neighbourhood, which is best approximately described as a more brick and tree-laden Wisteria Lane, and the arrival day is a bit of midnight blur involving godly 1AM croissant sandwiches and inflating air mattresses.… read more

Life · Tasting

Sun rays and Vouvrays

Posted on by Josh

Studying for the upcoming diploma exam in around 4 weeks is just as terrifying as it is satisfying, with each strikethrough on my study planning sheet providing temporary pleasure before moving on to another daunting section, though I was particularly proud of myself for the past few sections on Australia and USA. The sun’s also begun to commit to bright and humid days, which means more exposed skin and mostly, weekend days that equate to regret when I’m literally rolling around in my bed with my laptop trying to relax and study at the same time. And it works – almost too well, to the point where I’m questioning why my growing talent for memorizing soil types isn’t better put to use by, say, memorizing blood passageways in the human body, or types of diseases that affect the brain.… read more

Life · Quaffing

Pre-Vancouver International Wine Fest 2015

Posted on by Josh

Days are leading up to the wine fest. Not that it’s daunting or anything – if that’s how I’m making it seem – but I’m purposefully not training my palate for the Shiraz-fest to come in favour of gracing my mouth with more refreshing whites. I’m sort of mirroring the sunny weather we’ve been having in the form of alcohol, and I find that it also helps to have some inspiring wine when you feel anything but. Yesterday’s Martin Códax “Burgáns” 2010 Rías Baixas ($25) was just that – perhaps not as fresh as it should be at that age, but bringing an unintentional spotlight to its funky hint of brine, along with something that seemed a bit nutty and yeasty amongst its peachy fruit.… read more

WSET Diploma

Liquid tarte tatin: 2005 Château de la Roulerie Coteaux du Layon Chaume

Posted on by Josh

2005 Château de la Roulerie Coteaux du Layon Chaume[Tasted during WSET Diploma – Unit 3 – Week 2: Loire Valley]

The last wine of the evening was a beautiful deep gold, and you just absolutely knew this was going to be some luscious sweet thing that you’d just pretend to spit. What’s fantastic about Chenin Blanc is that it has this piercing acidity that’s present in many of the wines it produces – so even for a sweet and full-bodied wine like this, there’s still this cleansing quality that stabs through the syrup to keep it youthful and crisp, even for a 9-year-old wine. Such a fantastic balance between the acid, sugar, and fruit, along with a lingering finish. This was revealed as $30 at 500mL and one classmate started giggling in disbelief.… read more

WSET Diploma

Nectar marred by vintage: 2011 Domaine Huet “Le Mont” Vouvray Demi-Sec

Posted on by Josh

2011 Domaine Huet "Le Mont" Vouvray Demi-Sec[Tasted during WSET Diploma – Unit 3 – Week 2: Loire Valley]

Beautiful golden colour upon pour. There was no doubt that this was Vouvray even before smelling it, since this was the 7th out of 8 wines we tried this day and we still haven’t bumped into a Chenin Blanc that had any residual sugar. I’m a big fan of (quality) sweeter Vouvray, where luscious sweet honeyed quince notes are balanced by high acidity. It’s another one of those wines you want to open for people who swear that sweet wines are the equivalent to Satan, or something.

Vouvray, if I’m correct, is the appellation in the Loire which plants the most Chenin Blanc, and the region produces the wine in all styles depending on the vintage – so sparkling, still, and sweet versions are all made.… read more

WSET Diploma

Wooly Bully: 2009 Domaine des Baumard “Clos Saint Yves” Savennières

Posted on by Josh

2009 Domaine des Baumard "Clos Saint Yves" Savennières[Tasted during WSET Diploma – Unit 3 – Week 2: Loire Valley]

One of my wine friends convinced me to buy a Savennières for Thanksgiving. I was really on the fence on spending that much on a wine (school is expensive!), but through several points including celebration, treating myself because of my new certification, and Thanksgiving itself, I decided to go for it. And so I slowly nursed a bottle of 2007 Domaine des Baumard Trie Spéciale to myself on (Canadian) Thanksgiving. I’m sure no one else around me would have enjoyed a bottle that tasted like cream of mushroom and delicious wet winter sweaters.

Savennières is a small appellation in the northern part of Anjou, where dry and concentrated wines from Chenin Blanc are made.… read more