Field Blend - a unique approach to winemaking

I've been learning about Field Blends, a style of wine that's rare and unusual, and can make wonderful products.

In a Field Blend, grapes of different varietals are grown together in a single vineyard, then harvested and pressed in the same vat. This approach is distinct from most blends, where the varietals are vinified separately and blended according to the whim and expertise of the winemaker.

While field blends can be occasionally found in California and elsewhere, they are a specialty of one wine region - the vineyards within the city limits of Vienna, Austria. Vienna itself is unusual because it has over 600 hectares planted to the vine, the most within any urban centre in the world. The Nussberg hill is famous for the quality of its wines.

The Viennese (and their Roman and Celtic predecessors) have been making wine for over two and a half centuries. Wine is an important part of the culture and economy of the city, which is abundant with wine bars and "Heurigers", the buffet/banquets offered by city wineries (though limited by a peculiar law that permits each Heuriger to open only two weeks each month).In Vienna, field blends are called Gemischter Satz, and may be made from as few as two to as many as twenty varietals. They are often based on Grüner Veltliner, Riesling and Chardonnay, the most common grapes in the area.

My interest in Gemischter Satz comes from my meeting with Austrian winemaker Alexander Skoff from Zehal Wine in Vienna. His 2008 Gemischter Satz Nussberg is a perfect summer sipper - light and fruity, with a crisp finish that won't quit. It's made from Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris, harvested from 25 year old vines that grow on the Nussberg hillside next to the Danube River. Doesn't that sound lovely?

And it is. I've ordered two cases for ZenKitchen, along with some gorgeous Grüner Veltliner, and hope to have it on the list by the time the patio opens.

I can hardly wait.

How much Shochu?

After a lot of searching, I've found a Canadian importer of a variety of Shochus, as well as sake. That's the good news.

Shochu, for the all-too-many uninitiated, is a Japanese spirit. It's similar to vodka, but with more flavour. Each region of Japan (and Korea, where it's called Sochu) make their own version, using different starch sources as their base.

For instance, in Kumamoto, they use rice. Barley is used in Nagasaki, and potato in Kagoshima and Kyushu. Other starches include sweet rice, sweet potato, and buckwheat.

Some shochu, like Awamori, is exposed to a mould called Koji. This changes the flavour of the spirit, much like botrytis affects grapes and the wine that's made from them.

The problem - and it's a big one - is that the importer will only ship me cases of 12. That's a lot of shochu, especially when I want to carry a variety of them - maybe even offer shochu pairings or flights. And, no, no split cases.

One answer is to try to promote shochu locally - perhaps a tasting with wine and food writers, or the Sommelier Guild. Another is to build some shochu cocktails, to increase the consumption and knowledge of the product.

I'm open to ideas.

Niagara-on-the-Lake

What could be nicer than driving around Niagara on the Lake tasting wine? It really is a lovely area, and many of the wineries are close together.

I was particularly happy to visit Frogpond Farm, Ontario's first certified organic winery. I've been buying from them for 3 years now, but hadn't been down to meet owners Jens and Heike. It was a pleasure to see them.

The other highlight for me was to visit Southbrook Winery, Ontario's only Demeter-certified biodynamic winery. Elena Galey-Pride, Director of Customer Experience, joined me for an incredible tasting that included some 10 year old Chardonnay (stunning!) and a few wines only available to restaurants.

Here are my top picks from the wineries I visited:

Southbrook
09 Fresh White
The big shock here - it's 100% Vidal. Fresh is the right word - fruit forward, with lemon and vanilla.

07 Triomphe Chardonnay
Honey, lychee, light citrus. The palate shows restrained oak with a nice acidity. Really yum.

05 Triomphe Cabernet Merlot
This is restricted to licensee only - no LCBO or even winery sales.
ripe dark cherries, smoke and smooth tannins with a coffee finish. One of the best full-bodied Ontario reds I've tasted.

Palatine Hills
I didn't love anything, but liked a couple:

08 Fume Blanc - well balanced vegetal and acidity

07 Cab Merlot - avbl only in 1.5 litres. Good balance, but not outstanding flavour

07 Merlot - soft tannins, rich plum and raisin notes. Low acidity. My favourite Palatine product.

Stonechurch
07 Pinot Noir Reserve
Big tannins, lots of dark fruit. Reminds me of the Chilensis.

07 "Quintet" - Cab, Merlot, Cab Franc, other stuff. Black pepper and big tannins, with a lot of spice on the finish.

Strewn
07 Chardonnay
Butter and sweet apples, minerality. Toast on the palate is offset by the acidity. Very, very nice.
07 Cab Sauv
Candied red fruit, smoke and leather. Full tannins and good acidity, if a bit light on fruit on the palate. At $12 a bottle, though...

Also, watch for the 07 Sauvignon Blanc, not yet in the bottle.

Stratus
Lots of lovely wine, but it`s all very pricey.

07 Gamay (includes 15% Cab Sauv)
Rich red fruit and leather. Subtle and complex.

Frogpond Farm
08 Cabernet Merlot
Delicate, gentle tannins, red fruit and good acidity.

08 Vidal
Tart, bright fruity, spicy finish. Not as good as Southbrook's, but it`s only $12.

Lailey
07 Gamay-Zweigelt
A pretty colour with ripe fruit and tobacco on the nose. In the mouth, fresh red fruit, medium tannins and a nice acidity. Serve chilled.

07 Cab Franc
Chewy tannins and ripe fruit and smoke to the long finish.

Inniskillin
07 Shiraz-Cab
Lots of red fruit, cigar box. Big, rounded tannins. For the Australian Shiraz lovers.

Niagara Escarpment

I just got back from 2 days in Niagara. I visted 14 wineries and tasted over 100 wines. I won't post notes on all of them, but here are the ones I loved.

I hope to see many of them appear on the ZenKitchen wine list soon!

13th Street
08 Funk Riesling
Despite the unfortunate name, this is crisp with lots of dry lime flavour - really austere.

07 Gamay Noir
Candied fruit, strong smooth tannins and low acidity - nice for the patio.

08 Rose
Cab Franc and Cab Sauv blend, it's off-dry with a lot of dried fruit flavour.

13 Bellow
Basically a late harvest riesling, it's honey-scented with good acidity.

Cave Spring
Lots of nice wine, but most of it is LCBO general list. The exception:

07 Riesling CSV ($30)
Classic Riesling nose of petrol and lime
Dry, but with a hint of residual sugar
Long lime finish. Stunning, and worth every cent.

Vineland Estates
A lot of excellent product here, too.

07 Sauvignon Blanc
Real NZ style - canned peas, citrus. Beautiful.

08 Pinot Grigio
Will be released in a few weeks.
Grigio with flavour! Melon, minerals, crisp finish. Loved it. Loved. It.

08 Chenin Blanc
Lots of fruit, honeysuckle, crisp finish.
I think this is the Chenin we've been looking for.

Malivoire
08 Old Vines Foch
Tannic, with dark fruit and well-balanced acidity. I like Sandbanks' better, though.

09 Ladybug Rose
Currently at Vintages
Dry, good acidity, lots of fruit. Cheap, too.

Gewurztraminer Icewine
Gorgeous honey and floral flavours with a light acidity to balance.
On sale, but still expensive.

Right, I'm back.

OK, I know this blog has been dormant for a long time. I got kind of busy: opened a restaurant, changed jobs, did a TV series. I continued to taste wine, though, and it's time to restart the blog.

Sorry it took so long.