Month: May 2023

Wine tasting

Juice Import – Harvest Tasting

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I had an extra Juice Import’s Harvest Tasting ($25) ticket because Beep Beep had to cancel her trip to Calgary. As Lululemon already bought two spots for herself and her fiancé Books, I invited Foodiegal as my plus one. For this post, let’s listen to “Got ‘Til It’s Gone” by Janet Jackson.

Foodiegal waited for me outside Bricks Wine Co. We signed in and partook in welcome bubbles from Brand Bros, Pet Nat ($38.95) when we walked inside. Foodiegal enjoyed the clean, soft bubbles so much that she put this bottle on her wish list.

The theme of this tasting was a comparative analysis between Brand Bros and Jochen Beurer, two wineries in Germany where Erik helped to harvest the grapes. He started us off with a “serious” rosé, Brands Bros 2020 Wildrosé ($34.95), a wine with incredible intensity. The grapes are from 50-year-old Portugieser vines, and the harvest for this vintage was excruciatingly hot and dry. As this rosé is unfiltered, the owner, Daniel, instructs customers to shake and wait ten minutes for the particles to settle. We admired the colour and how the light reflected off the sediment floating in the wine.

If Wildrosé is considered serious, Jochen Beurer Rosé ($29.95) is carefree with its soft, gentle flavour. Erik described the wine as “bright and juicy, with a ton of freshness.” Foodiegal and I enjoyed this rosé. Erik noted this vintage is the product of all the grape varieties, and “then the juice is bled off and spontaneously fermented to full dryness in stainless steel before élevage and bottling.”

Erik took a sip of Brand Bros Monastery Riesling ($46.95) and sighed at its haunting complexity and proclaimed that this was everything he loved about wine. Cloudy in colour, I appreciated how the Riesling sparkled against my tongue. Erik informed us that the fifty-year-old vines are planted in limestone-dominant soil, which helps preserve acidity, even in scorching weather. Lululemon and I bought a bottle because it was that good. Foodiegal wasn’t a fan, so I drank her glass. Unfortunately, I forgot to ask Erik what to pair with this Riesling.

Erik asked us which we enjoyed more, the Monastery Riesling or Jochen Beurer Jungrs Scwaben Riesling ($59.95). About half the group preferred the Jungrs Scwaben. I favoured the yum factor of the Monastery, but I still appreciated the richer, smoother, sweeter Riesling from Beurer. I asked Erik why does Germany have the best Rieslings? Erik reckoned it was a combination of factors. Perfect climate, soil, and having a thousand years of experience create generational knowledge that gets passed on.

I was pleasantly surprised by Brand Bros Red ($31.95). Quaffable, with a pretty scent and soft carbonation. Erik mentioned this red was easy to pair with lots of food. Lululemon, Foodiegal and I bought a bottle.

The Jochen Beurer Red ($29.95) was heavier and richer in taste than Brand Bros. I was surprised how much I enjoyed the red wines because Germany’s famous for Riesling. I was particularly impressed with the sparkling red. I wondered why these two German wineries offer such high-quality, reasonably priced wines compared to some other wineries. Erik explained the land is cheaper in Germany, and their harvest produces high-yield crops, unlike pinot noir or more difficult grape varieties. As well, the government offers subsidies.

I learned that Erik also hosts private parties. I may enlist Erik’s service when my sister Me Shell visits me this summer. I can’t think of a better way to spend an evening. Supping on steaks and sipping on fine wines while listening to Bard Erik recite his journeys tasting the most natural wines in the most unlikely places.

Burgers · Fast Food

Flipp’n Burger

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It was my colleague Mo’s turn to select the restaurant for our corporate lunch. He picked Flipp’n Burger, a retro diner specializing in super-sized halal beef and chicken burgers. For this post, let’s listen “Take On Me” by a-ha.

Most of us ordered the signature burger, The Flipp’n ($15.75). I opted for Onions Rings ($5.95) with garlic aioli. The batter on the onion rings was crisp and puffy. Since we ordered delivery, the onion rings were cold and a tad greasy. I preferred Sharon’s deep-fried pickles. The thin coating was still crispy, while the pickle was still warm and juicy. The garlic sauce was pungent, with more minced garlic than aioli. The flipp’n sauce was creamier with a strong smoky flavour. Next time, I’d order something simpler, like ranch.

We were all wowed by our burgers. The beef was charred and crusty on the outside. The smell and flavour of the ground beef were intense, and the texture was somewhat dry with a nice chew to it, like a coarse sausage. The double patties were hefty pucks glued with melted cheddar and Swiss cheese. Each ingredient was generous and high quality, from the sauteed mushrooms to the thick-cut bacon.

A week ago, I tried V Burger and enjoyed it, and I’m also a fan of Flipp’n Burger, though the two are opposite. V Burger was wet with an abundance of sauces. Flipp’n Burger serves up a flame-broiled burger, so you get this mouth-watering fragrance and the caramelized bark on the patty. I want to take L to Flipp’n Burger on our next date night because I know he will be impressed.

A new hire in our office suggested we order from Alumni Sandwiches for our next corporate lunch. I suggested if he wanted to pick the spot, he should volunteer on our social committee. He was in, even stating that he knows the owner’s brother-in-law and would pick it up himself if Alumni wasn’t on a delivery app. Connections, perseverance, and good taste! A welcome addition to our team. 

17th Ave · Burgers · Vegetarian

V Burger – Vegetarian Delight

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After our wine tasting at Vine Arts, Lululemon suggested we get something to eat. She recommended V Burger. I was game, since I’m a social vegan, I avoid meet. I’m so glad she recommended this place because I finally found a vegetarian burger I love. Let’s listen to “Somebody That I Used To Know” by Gotye.

At 2:00 p.m., I was surprised to see so many people still eating there. The place appears popular with families and groups. We picked the Big Kahuna Burger ($12) and shared a side of Tater Tots ($5.50). I also ordered burgers and tots for takeaway for her fiance and my husband as we opted to eat inside the store.

Holy veg, the pea protein burger is as good as beef burgers. The hefty patty was meaty and juicy. The only thing missing was that crusty charbroiled exterior, but the texture mimicked beef well.

I liked how the glossy brown brioche bun held up to the wetness of the teriyaki roasted pineapple and juicy tomato. The bac’n tasted similar to bacon, but the texture was more like salami. The green lettuce was wilted, which was a shame because otherwise, this would have been a near-perfect burger. When L ate his burger, he didn’t know it was plant-based until I told him. I bragged to L that eating meat is so yesterday and plant-based food is way more v-edgy.

Don’t pass on the tater tots, which were gloriously hot, crunchy and munchy. Done right, tater tots done well are such a satisfying snack.

My friend Beep Beep is coming to visit me soon. I’m tempted to take her to V Burger because she’ll be impressed with the food and their food philosophy. Hitting the Sauce gives V Burger two phat thumbs up.

Restaurants · Wine tasting

Keys to the Natural Cellar – Vine Arts

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I attended Juice Import‘s Keys to the Natural Cellar ($35) event on Sunday at Vine Arts on 17th Ave SW. I was looking forward to this particular event because Erik featured natural wines that showcase an ability to age gracefully, which I need to learn to do. For this post, let’s listen to “Shiny Happy People” by R.E.M.

When we arrived, a staffer gallantly poured us a flute of prosecco to sip as we looked around. The whimsical setup of the shop reminded me of the Leaky Cauldron in Harry Potter. After a few minutes, we were escorted upstairs to the tasting. Lululemon was pumped to attend as she thinks Erik is one of the fascinating wine gurus in town. She asked him if he would host a wine tasting at her office. We discovered he does; the cost is only the wine purchased for the tasting.

Erik began with a question. Can natural wine age? The first wine we tried was 21 years old, almost as old as me.

The 2002 Tarlant l’Etincelante Champagne Brut Nature from Champagne, France tasted softer and cleaner than its initial prominent scent. He noted that people often drink prosecco regularly and champagne on special occasions, which makes it even more pronounced how different they are from each other. One is young and fruity, while the other has yeasty characteristics and not as bubbly. Erik found the champagne satisfying, full of umami. At around $275, it was a treat for everyone at the table to try a champagne from a winery with such stringent standards for fermentation. The owners refuse to release any wine unless it is fully mature.

Next was the 2018 Domaine Marnes Blanches Savagnin Sous Voile from Jura, France ($75). Marnes Blanches is one of my favourite wineries; their wine is always a hit at my parties, as it is so easy to pair with melted Comte cheese. Lululemon could smell maple. While it smelled sweet, Erik described notes of camomile and fresh, dried and bruised apple. We learned this wine comes from 45+-year-old vines grown on marl and limestone. I loved this one so much that I bought a bottle, as did my friend. Erik recommended pairing this cuvee with something fatty and raunchy, like salty almonds or raw clams.

Our third tasting was a 2015 white wine, Domaine Garreliere Chenin Blanc “Coulée Douce” ($45), from Loire Valley, France. This wine smelled bright and floral, and the texture was much lighter than the previous wine. Erik described the notes of stonefruit and pointed out the green tinge of colour. We liked this one so much that we bought a bottle as well. Erik recommended pairing this wine with mushrooms, morels, or gorgonzola. There was a cheese master in the room, and he recommended a gouda, such as a Dutch Grasskass.

Erik described the next wine, the 2014 Pacina Rosso from Tuscany, Italy, as a classic old Italian wine that tastes just as the winemakers intended. Pacina seldom releases their vintages consecutively as they wait for the wine to reach optimal maturity. I found the scent pretty, but my favourite red wine was the next one.

The 2018 Franz Weninger Saybritz Blaufrankisch from Burgenland, Austria, was bright and delicious. We admired the violet and red plum hue. I asked Erik about sentiment and why some wines have it, and others do not. He informed us that sediment comes from many things, such as skins, yeast, and colour. Leaving the sediment in (unfiltered) provides texture and quality as the natural tannins act as filters. In commercial wines, filtering wines provides that sterileness that some people have come to think as standard.

The dessert wine was a 2017 Cantina Marilina Gocce d’Autunno Passito from Sicily, Italy. Erik noted the “rapturous sunlight from Sicily” wine was baked under the sun for 10 to 15 days, and it is a bottle you could keep for a couple of decades.


I’ve been to a few tastings, and this might have been one of my favourite events because of all the neat things I learned. Thanks, Erik, for hosting these informative seminars and teaching us about natural wines.