Vancouver Magazine Wine Awards

[jamiemaw]

FYI, the January/February issue of Vancouver magazine contains the results of the first annual Van Mag Wine awards.

The results can be found HERE

By way of back story, we hatched the plot almost two years ago, however our original intention was to make it a ‘BC Only’ event. Later, we decided to throw the doors open and make it a consumer-driven, value-friendly competition open to any bottle available for sale in the province.

That just left the small matter of logistics. After appointing former BCLDB wine guru David Scolefield and bringing on a team of crack judges, entry solicitations were sent out. We anticipated perhaps 200 to 300 entries and were astonished when over 700 showed up. A one day judging morphed into two, passionate discussion ensued, and the result is that you, I think, are the beneficiary.

We’ll be very interested to get your feedback.

Jamie

Edited January 17, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[winegeek]

I have yet to receive my January magazine so am now looking even more forward to it with the wine awards. I must say that I am slightly leary of wine awards though. In BC for example, Jackson Triggs seems to win so much with, IMO, average wines.

[Ling]

^I agree. I haven't found a Jackson Triggs wine I really like yet.

I can't wait to see the wine awards in the magazine.

[jamiemaw]

I have yet to receive my January magazine so am now looking even more forward to it with the wine awards.  I must say that I am slightly leary of wine awards though.  In BC for example, Jackson Triggs seems to win so much with, IMO, average wines.

←

Winegeek, both you and Ling may well be pleased to know that the sweep of these awards was global, and the judges were asked to assume the role of consumers: it was all about value and aproachability.

If memory serves me, J-T placed only one wine for an award, their 2002 Proprietors' Reserve Shiraz, which won a Special Merit Award in the category of Big Reds. The Mt. Boucherie 2002 Summit Reserve Syrah, equivalently priced (c. $19), won the same award, as did the 1999 Wolf Blass Platinum Series Shiraz at $79.99.

Cheers,

Jamie

[Mooshmouse]

Mark Taylor discussed and distributed copies of the VanMag Wine Awards at Cru's recent Shiraz/Syrah dinner. I found the criteria especially interesting: what would you take home to serve with dinner this evening versus what would score most highly on a Wine Spectator review. Have only had a chance to give the awards a cursory glance, but I do like what I've read so far.

However, as discussed at our table that evening, I must be one of about four people in the entire Lower Mainland who is not a fan of the ever-popular Yellowtail Shiraz.

[montrachet]

However, as discussed at our table that evening, I must be one of about four people in the entire Lower Mainland who is not a fan of the ever-popular Yellowtail Shiraz. 

←

I am the 5th Moosh and I have a feeling there are others....

[jamiemaw]

Mark Taylor discussed and distributed copies of the VanMag Wine Awards at Cru's recent Shiraz/Syrah dinner.  I found the criteria especially interesting:  what would you take home to serve with dinner this evening versus what would score most highly on a Wine Spectator review.  Have only had a chance to give the awards a cursory glance, but I do like what I've read so far.

However, as discussed at our table that evening, I must be one of about four people in the entire Lower Mainland who is not a fan of the ever-popular Yellowtail Shiraz.  

←

Shame on you Mooshmouse.

Edited January 17, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[Mooshmouse]

Mark Taylor discussed and distributed copies of the VanMag Wine Awards at Cru's recent Shiraz/Syrah dinner.  I found the criteria especially interesting:  what would you take home to serve with dinner this evening versus what would score most highly on a Wine Spectator review.  Have only had a chance to give the awards a cursory glance, but I do like what I've read so far.

However, as discussed at our table that evening, I must be one of about four people in the entire Lower Mainland who is not a fan of the ever-popular Yellowtail Shiraz.  

←

Shame on you Mooshmouse.

←

For not yet fully reading the Awards, or not liking Yellowtail?!

As with montrachet, I'll gladly take those wet noodle lashings for the latter!

[Foodie in Vancouver]

I am a real 'homer' for BC wines and have made a concerted effort to not only buy BC wines, but to try and learn as much as possible about them by going to the wineries on a regular basis. I really admire those who work in the local industry as theirs seems like a lot riskier proposition than most people's work efforts. Too much rain, cool spring, forest fires and there goes the year. I have bad days, but never a bad year. Anyway, to get to where I was going. Because J-T makes no attempt to have any retail presence at the winery I have not bought many of their wines. But the other day I noticed a 1998 Proprietor's Reserve in the cupboard and hauled it out. And, you know what? It was a lovely wine. We had it with a piece of grilled tenderloin and it was mellow, soft and full of flavour. So then I thought - Hmmm. Maybe we should try more J-T wines. And then I remembered the big tanks at the side of the road and thought Hmmm. Not very interesting, why would I want to go there? But I was at one of the local BC wine stores the other day and bought some more J-T on the off chance that their wine might be OK after all. So, I guess what all this rambling is about (we just polished off a 99 Red Rooster Marechal Foch) is that J-T isn't all bad and does make some reasonable wines. And by the way, after leaving the Marechal Foch out over night it finally opened up and was quite a nice wine. But man oh man. It was tight, tannic and not very tasty when we first opened it last night. I have never liked M-F before but then again have never left it alone for 24 hours after opening. I wonder how many other wines we have walked away from that migtht have been more appealing given more time and air?

[jamiemaw]

Mark Taylor discussed and distributed copies of the VanMag Wine Awards at Cru's recent Shiraz/Syrah dinner.  I found the criteria especially interesting:  what would you take home to serve with dinner this evening versus what would score most highly on a Wine Spectator review.  Have only had a chance to give the awards a cursory glance, but I do like what I've read so far.

However, as discussed at our table that evening, I must be one of about four people in the entire Lower Mainland who is not a fan of the ever-popular Yellowtail Shiraz.  

←

Shame on you Mooshmouse.

←

For not yet fully reading the Awards, or not liking Yellowtail?!

As with montrachet, I'll gladly take those wet noodle lashings for the latter!

←

And shame on you too, Montrachet! Why I had a glass of the People's Choice just the other night and found it in complete lockstep with my Double Mushroom Burger down at La Tache Blanche. In fact it reminded me of our waitress: Slightly brassy around the corners perhaps but pretty nimble, and, beyond all else, certainly eager to please. The woman I was with, however, reminded me more of a pre-Mussolini Brunello: tall, elegant, broad-shouldered with bone structure like a German airport but an ass like a spider's elbow. On the whole I preferred to leave with her. So we left.

Edited January 17, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[winegeek]

However, as discussed at our table that evening, I must be one of about four people in the entire Lower Mainland who is not a fan of the ever-popular Yellowtail Shiraz. 

←

Yellowtail gets my NO vote! Would rather spend an extra 10 buck for Peter Lehman Shiraz.

[Andrew Morrison]

woah, two minutes for boarding...

[jamiemaw]

However, as discussed at our table that evening, I must be one of about four people in the entire Lower Mainland who is not a fan of the ever-popular Yellowtail Shiraz.  

←

Yellowtail gets my NO vote! Would rather spend an extra 10 buck for Peter Lehman Shiraz.

←

Both the Peter Lehman Futures and the Eight Songs placed highly in the awards.

As I was saying earlier, much better than a cheap piece of 'Tail.

Jamie

[Andrew Morrison]

jamie,

excuse me for casting a glance at another topic...any yalumbas make the cut?

andrew

[jamiemaw]

jamie,

excuse me for casting a glance at another topic...any yalumbas make the cut?

andrew

←

Yes, the 2002 Yalumba Barossa Bush Vines Grenache ($23.99) and the 1998 "The Signature" ($48.88) both took best Buy awards in Big Reds, while the 2001 Barossa Shiraz ($24.99) won a Special Merit award.

And two others, the Yalumba Clocktower Tawny Port ($17.99) took a Best Buy, and the Yalumba Museum Release Old reserve Muscat ($27.99) pulled a Special Merit.

Jamie

Edited January 17, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[Andrew Morrison]

I just went out and bought a coffee and a fresh copy of the new Vancouver Magazine (plus Vanity Fair's Star Wars issue).

I really appreciate the unique approach the vancouver wine awards took towards adjudication and concept. The selections of the judges sound spot on, though i was a little disheartened to see my good friend pirramimma petit verdot not among the honourably mentioned (the shiraz, yes). Nederburg's shiraz...whaaa?? I suppose they're experts...

Moreover, I particularly liked your little suggestions for dine-out etiquette, Jamie. Though i'm not one to kiss a gift-horse in the mouth during the deadest month of the year, i always hear my colleagues griping about the track-suited bridge and tunnel hordes. A tip is a tip is a tip. Speaking of which, i also appreciate the following:

"tip your server at least 15% of the bargain you're consuming - they're working just as hard, or harder, as on a regular night." - jamie maw, vanmag.

Never a truer word was said. Our average check is cut in half and we run (our asses off) with a winter skeleton crew. That being said, we don't have to tip out as much...

Hats off to Mr. Maw.

Andrew (dreaming oddly of whiskey and cheshire)

Edited January 17, 2005 by editor@waiterblog (log)

[jamiemaw]

I just went out and bought a coffee and a fresh copy of the new Vancouver Magazine (plus Vanity Fair's Star Wars issue).

I really appreciate the unique approach the vancouver wine awards took towards adjudication and concept. The selections of the judges sound spot on, though i was a little disheartened to see my good friend pirramimma petit verdot not among the honourably mentioned (the shiraz, yes). Nederburg's shiraz...whaaa??  I suppose they're experts...

←

Thanks for all that, Andrew. I hope that you and other readers, especially industry folk, in addition to the awards themselves, also enjoy Christina Burridge's excellent wriitng. To my mind she is one of the most lucid and straightforward wine writers in Canada right now.

Jamie

[peppyre]

Mark Taylor discussed and distributed copies of the VanMag Wine Awards at Cru's recent Shiraz/Syrah dinner.  I found the criteria especially interesting:  what would you take home to serve with dinner this evening versus what would score most highly on a Wine Spectator review.  Have only had a chance to give the awards a cursory glance, but I do like what I've read so far.

However, as discussed at our table that evening, I must be one of about four people in the entire Lower Mainland who is not a fan of the ever-popular Yellowtail Shiraz. 

←

I'm another one who can't stand the Yellowtail. Blech

Looking forward to some good reading tonight.

[shelora]

"bringing on a team of crack judges"

I look forward to the issue, but I'm intrigued by these "crack" judges you've hired?

[Coop]

I hope that dogging Yellow Tail wines, or for that matter all of the non descript Aussie Shirazs (Little Boomey, Banrock Station, that penguin one etc) goes the way of saying Emeril is a hack on this board. Yes the stuff is OK and some people like it, but isn't it time to get on with our lives. For more or less the same price you can buy the new vintage of Falesco Vitiano.

[peppyre]

I much prefer Kissing Bridge Shiraz. Around the same price but nice and bold flavours. There are some good inexpensive wines coming out of Australia.

[Coop]

For me, they all seem to come from one giant mixing pool. There seems to be little to distinguish one from the other. That being said, they certainly go well with food. Try an Aussie shiraz today, a good Cote du Rhone tomorrow and a Spanish wine like Los Rochas on Wednesday. You will be a much more balanced lush by the end of the week.

[jamiemaw]

With many thanks to Frances, the link to the Wine Awards' results can now be found at the top of this thread in Post No. 1 or right HERE

Thanks,

Jamie

Edited January 17, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[montrachet]

Just 5 Italian wines?

Now back to building my ark...

[barolo]

I picked up a copy at the Alberni liquor store last night. Not to discourage anyone from buying Vancouver Magazine but the articles as well as the results are available in booklet form there for free.

I haven't read it closely yet, but, a few things in Christina Burridge's opening article puzzled me. For example: "Old World vs New World It was a rout. While New World Wines made up 80 percent of the entries, they ruled supreme among the winners, taking 100 of 121 places." 100 out of 121 is about 83%, not so different from the percentage of entries. Am I missing something?

And in her conclusion:

"The provincial government has botched deregulation, so we can only hope that instead it will develop a vision for wine that encourages the local industry, meets the needs of tourists and locals, and provides for ample choice and good service in the stores. Otherwise globalization will dominate our own little Mondovino with the shelves taken over by convenience store selections from the big brands and interesting small scale wines relegated to a handful of specialty stores and independents".

I don't disagree with the first sentence, but what basis does Burridge have for the second one?

Looks to me like the results of the wine competition support the proliferation of convenience store selections like Yellow Tail. If that is what everyone likes to drink, it should hardly be surprising to find such wines stocked widely whether in a private or a publicly-owned retail environment. Why should anyone but a wine geek bother to search out "quirky, oddball wines" from Old World producers when the competition results support the notion that the "blockbuster global brand " are providing quality and value. And it seems to me that globalization is what got us the multitude of wines available in the liquor and wine stores now.

Interestingly the latest City Food has lots of recommendations from sommeliers and others in the wine trade. Their recommendations, and these are the every day wine-with-dinner bottles they claim to be drinking themselves, don't look anything like the results of the Vancouver Magazine competition. I should add that many of those wines are recommended in the liquor stores too. So what accounts for the difference - not many of these really good quirky wines were entered in the competition or they were entered in the competition but did not not show well in a blind tasting?