Lululemon and I met up on Saturday for dinner. She said there was one stipulation: I wouldn’t fight her for the bill. I said sure, only if I got the next one. We debated which restaurant to visit and ended up at my recommendation, Ten Foot Henry. I like this spot for the wine list and the vegetarian options for Lululemon. Let’s listen to Mr. Sandman for this post.
I wanted to try the cauliflower gochujang ($23) and the gigli pasta ($25). Lululemon added the charred cabbage ($21) and the tomatoes with feta ($18). I told her this was too much food for the two of us. She ignored me and over-ordered. I informed her that she must have been Asian in her past life. Lululemon mentioned she had a Chinese childhood friend, and she did pick up on some traditions from her.
For drinks, she ordered a flute of Tomato Wheel Lambrusco ($15), and I ordered a glass of Chablis ($17). Lululemon enjoyed her sparkling red, and I told her that all the wine peeps, such as Vine Arts, Business and Pleasure, and Juice Imports, recommended Tomato Wheel. I read that the person behind the label is a Calgarian, and she buys the wine from Italy.
The tomato appetizer came first; this dish is a crowd-pleaser like all previous visits. I could smell the smoky char from the thick slices of warm bread. Blistering hot and sweet tomatoes mixed in with the feta made for total comfort food. All I needed was a small bowl of tomato soup, and I’d be in heaven.
I heard a lot about the gigli kale pesto pistachio pasta. The noodle itself was soft and wet. I liked the pop of flavour from the nuts and what I thought was lemon and cheese. The woman sitting next to me asked if she should order it. I nodded enthusiastically but later questioned my judgment when Lululemon noted that pasta had only one note and needed something sharp, like garlic or onions, to punch it up. After her comment, my bites of the pasta became less enjoyable.
We had another drink. Lululemon picked an orange wine while I tried a sparkling rosé wine from Maloof, a winery Juice Import brings in. This wine was just right; it tasted like strawberries.
The cabbage dish arrived, piled high and lusciously sauced. The leaves were soft and charred, tangy from the walnut vinaigrette and rich from the cheese. Lululemon loved the cabbage and confided it was the Ukrainian in her. I get her—rice is life for me.
We both thought the cauliflower was the best dish of the night. The gochujang sauce was thick and savoury, with a dry heat and notes of ginger and sesame. This dish was so good that I felt it could compete against any Korean restaurant in Calgary. I would order this again.
We weren’t done for the night. After dinner, we moseyed across the street to Shelter. We scored a seat at the bar, and Lululemon and I ordered some stellar cocktails. The bartender slayed, creating cocktails tailored to our whimsical requests. We oohed and awed as he poured a liquid into the glass while igniting it aflame. Thank you, Lululemon, for a fun night.
I snagged tickets to Juice Import’s second-ever Pinot Fest ($50). Bricks Wine Co. sent an email recommending guests to eat beforehand due to the anticipated massive selection of wines. I invited Sunflower as my guest, as she is my number-one wine buddy. She, in turn, insisted on treating me to brunch a Deane House. Let’s listen to “Take Me To Church” by Hazier for this post.
We sat in the peaceful nook by the windows. The natural light filtering through the windows illuminated the white framed walls in the historic building. We both ordered the specialty mimosas ($13), I tried the house-made apple, and Sunflower chose the cherry flavour.
I was craving seafood, so I ordered the Salt Spring Island Mussels ($24) while Sunflower ordered eggs benny with potato rösti and house preserves ($18).
The mussels were of varying sizes – some were supersized and plump, and others more petite. The thick garam masala sauce made reddish-brown splotches on my white linen napkin. The shoestring fries were tasty and crisp, similar to Mcdonald’s but superior in caramelized potatoey flavour. Delicious, and a different take on the usual moules frites.
The service at Deane House is top-notch, from the welcoming committee at the front of the house to every employee we encountered. It’s a darling spot, and I enjoyed the experience.
When we finished our food, we walked over to Bricks Wine Co. Our group was divided into two sections: bubbles and the red wine section. Like everyone in our group, I wanted to start in the champagne area. I pulled Sunflower to the front of the group because I predicted Juice Import co-owners Erik and Mark would remove the extra guests from the back. As usual, I was correct, and Sunflower and I scored the first part of the tasting in the bubbles section.
The crowd was different from the usual Sunday gang. I recognized only one Juice Import groupie, Coke. I spotted a woman who resembled the profile picture of a Calgary Herald food writer. I also recognized a bearded guy who was dining at the Deane House the same time as Sunflower and me.
In total, we sampled 22 wines. There was so much to try, so out of the necessity of not turning this post into a novel, I’m only going to highlight my favourite bottles. For fizz, we tried three bottles: Adn De Meunier Mignon Champagne ($76.95), Vigne D’Or Tarlant Champagne ($104.95) and Vigne D’Or Tarlant Champagne ($201.95).
Erik described Adn De Meunier Mignon as “tight, fresh and minerally.” I enjoyed the gentle carbonation and thought it was a tad tart. The more I drank, the more I liked this one.
Sunflower and I loved the Migne D’Or Tarlant. She commented on the creamy mouthfeel, and I enjoyed the prominent carbonation. Coke announced if there was ever a time to eat potato chips now, it would now. I walked over to the bowl and scooped some potato chips for Sunflower and me to munch on.
At two hundred buckaroos, I was most curious about the Vigne D’Or Tarlant. Erik informed us the region was the coldest area in the Champagne area. Aged since 2006, we were surprised by the smoky flavour. Erik commented this champagne was “grippingly acidic.”
We moved on to white wines: Franz Weninger Feherburgundi ($29.71), Maloof Thistle Pinot Gris ($42.95), and Field Blend A Sunday in August ($45.96). I liked the Feherburgundi so much that I bought a bottle. The colour was cloudy and it smelled a little of the forest. Erik described this wine as minty, waxy, tart and lemony. Erik suggested pairing this wine with white asparagus or pork sausage.
At this point, I started to feel woozy. I followed the lead of the lady standing beside me. She sipped, smacked her lips, and spat into the wine spit bucket. She made a neat pinging sound, while my first few attempts sounded more like a cough and sputter.
We tried three orange wines: Maloof Rouge De Cris ($44.50), Craven Pinot Gris ($35.96), and Else Pinot Gris ($46.95). The Craven wine was a stunner. The colour shone like a Christmas red stained glass window. Erik described this wine as approachable, meaning the flavours would be familiar to a North American audience. I tasted a hint of smoke. I snagged a bottle for an upcoming dinner party.
Our final tasting with Erik was Peter Wetzer Rose ($35). Almost all the 120 bottles that Juice Import received were sold to Bridgette Bar. He only had two bottles left to sell to us. I took a sip and was so impressed by the smooth, sweet flavour that I snuck away from the group and bought a bottle. Coke saw me and grabbed the remaining bottle.
Everyone was loud and merry when we switched to Mark’s section of red wines. I overheard my new friend Kat ask another woman if she was Elizabeth Chorney-Booth, the Calgary Herald food restaurant and CBC radio columnist. She confirmed she was, and Kat squealed in delight. Kat declared she was a fan girl of Chorney-Booth. Others chimed in with questions about restaurants, John Gilchrist and her writing style.
The first three pinots that we tried were the Claire Naudin La Plante ($40.95), Lighting Rock Elysia Pinot Noir ($54.95), and Lighting Rock Canyon View Pinot Noir ($54.95). Sunflower and I enjoyed La Plante. I managed to score one of the last two bottles.
Our table was boisterous, and everyone made side conversations throughout the tasting. I felt bad for Mark, who was valiantly trying to quiet us down and proceed with our wine tasting. I’ve been to more than six Juice Import Sunday tastings, but this was the first time the tasters spoke more than the presenters. We talked so much that a Bricks employee, who was pouring our wine, joked about hurrying up and chugging our fifty-dollar wines because we were running out of time and the next group was coming in.
Mark described how at one winery, he helped harvest the grapes. Sunflower asked about the hygienic practice of crushing grapes. Someone asked, did one have to shave their legs or clip their nails before commencing grape crushing? Mark tried to bring our rowdy laughter down and described the physical work that went into grape-crushing. Sunflower exclaimed that it sounded like a great workout. Coke heckled Sunflower and called her Miss Lululemon. You know, he’s on to something. She’s so fit, it’s intimidating. Hereon, I will refer to my friend as Lululemon.
Franz Weninger Pinot Noir ($38.95), Marnes Blanches Pinot Noir ($54.95) and Hermit Ram Zealand Pinot Noir ($41.95) was the last trio of wines. Lululemon and I enjoyed the Franz Weninger Pinot Noir. I also bought one of the only two bottles of Marnes Blanches Pinot Noir. I thought this French beauty had a beautiful scent. Mark described the wine as aromatic, with black tea notes. He recommended pairing this wine with goat cheese and strawberries. Coke suggested a strawberry shortcake.
Elizabeth said she found the Hermit Ram wine spicy. Everyone at the table nodded in unison. Mark described the scent as tomato leaves. Lululemon and I sniffed and agreed it smelled like fresh garden tomatoes.
Many of the wines we tried are exclusive to the Bricks Store, and all the wines we tried were biodynamic and natural. I’m glad I got the opportunity to attend a power tasting as the Pinot-Fest was a rare wine rager. Thanks Mark, Eric and Erin for hosting the twice sold out event.
So, it’s official – I’m a groupie. I should start wearing a Juice Import tee shirt to show my support for natural wine importers Erik Mercier and Mark Couillard. On Sunday, I took my sister-in-law Turned to Juice Import’s Laurent Saillard wine tasting ($20) at Bricks Wine Co. For this post, let’s listen to “Foux du Fafa” by Flight of the Conchords.
Bricks Wine Co. has one of the city’s most pleasant tasting rooms. The sunlight emitted through the windows adds warmth, while the roominess makes it comfortable to tuck into a session. Sequestered in a quiet nook in the back of the shop, guests remain mostly hidden from customers shopping in the store.
Erik began our session by delineating Laurent Saillard, a small winery in the tiny town of Pouille in Loire Valley. The owner, Laurent, and his team produce only 2,000 cases yearly. I took the information to mean I had to act quickly to pick up some of Brick’s stock, as these wines won’t hang around for much longer.
The first bottle we tried was Blank (Sauvignon Blanc, $41.95). Made from one hundred percent Sauvignon Blanc grapes, Erik described this as the antithesis of Sauvignon Blancs, so if you typically hate Sauvignon Blanc, you’ll relish this one.
Oh my goodness – what a pretty fragrance! Erik said this was the most sought-after bottle in the line-up. I loved it. Since I was buying a bottle, I asked Erik what food to pair with Blank. Considering the grassy and gooseberry notes and high acidity, he suggested something bitter, like radicchio leaves and/or goat cheese.
The second tasting was White ($37.95), a delicately sweet wine made from fifty percent Ugni Blanc and fifty percent Sauvignon Blanc. This wine is a rarity, as the wine production resulted from Laurent losing most of his crop. The White vintage is a collaboration with his neighbour and a winery in the south of France.
Erik described this wine as “lush, with body, weight and a ripeness to it.” I asked Mark what he would pair with White. He suggested cooked vegetables that are mild tasting in a creamy sauce. I bought a bottle to share with my vegetarian friends.
The third bottle was Un Ete Partage Grolleau ($37.95). The fragrance was floral, and the texture was silky. Erik described the wine as light, fresh and herbaceous, with a nuttiness similar to sunflower seeds.
The fourth wine was La Paire Gamay Noir ($37.95). I found this a lively, wild wine with a bite to it. Erik mentioned the whole cluster of grapes and stems are kept on while being pressed. I asked what the branches add to the wine-making process. I learned that the stems are still alive and metabolizing throughout fermentation, contributing to a softer feeling of the wine.
The fifth tasting was La Pause Gamay Noir ($37.95), which reminded me of the smell of a plastic Barbie doll. Turned said she smelled whiskey. I guess our lived experiences do influence what we taste in new wines.
The sixth bottle we sampled was Ca Se Discute Pineau d’Aunis ($37.95). I smelled raisins. Turned tasted Dr. Pepper. Her neighbour Coke said he could taste cola. Erik described this wine as peppery with pomegranate, and he could envision eating this with salami on the steps of a cafe in Paris. Turned joked that this wine would pair perfectly with a cigarette.
The seventh tasting was Grenache ($37.95). Erik characterized the wine as supple and aromatic. He recommended slightly chilling this wine and all the other wines we tried before drinking it. He noted the cellars in Loire Valley are cool, so the wine is brought up and served colder than room temperature. The coolness gives the wine more structure and grip and allows the flavours to pop out.
Erik and Mark surprised us with a bonus bottle from their cellar- 2017 La Pause. He described this wine as everything you could want from a Gamay Noir – soy and dried leaves backed up perfectly with cherry Cola.
As with all of Juice Import’s tastings, we received a ten percent discount on the wine we sampled. I left with two bottles, Turned with three, and another guest picked up a case of Laurent Saillard wines. With the wine seminar only costing twenty bucks, the discount on wine, and factoring inflation, this is the deal of the century! Hip, hip, hooray to Juice Imports.
Hitting the Sauce 