Savour Life April 2012

magazine

Spring Fling

Dishes  to  Dust  off    the  Winter  Blues  

Profile  

Long Shadows Winery

So,  You  Want  to  

be  a  Beer  Judge  What  to  do,  how  to  study  

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APRIL ISSUE 3 Our Columnists 4 From the Editor’s Desk 5 FEATURE Gourmet Food Trucks to Hit the Streets 7 SAVOURY BITES New Spring Menu at Hotel Sask, Foie Gras and Pirate Swords, BBQ Classes, Upcoming events, and more. 13 RECIPES Spring Fling: Dishes to Dust off the Winter Blues 17 WINE He Said, She Said Wine Review, The Back Label: Long Shadows Winery 22 BEER From Grain to Glass: So, You Want to be a Beer Judge

Who We Are Publisher, Editor

CJ Katz

Editorial Rob Dobson Mark Heise

Theo Phillips Steve and Tracy Hurlburt

Photography

CJ Katz Rob Dobson Jeff Hamon iStockPhoto

How to Reach Us

Advertising cj.katz@sasktel.net

Mail

3706 Selinger Cr. Regina, SK S4V 2H1

(306) 761-2032

Savour Life Magazine is owned by CJ Katz. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part,

without the prior written consent of the publisher.

Savour Life Magazine is available monthly.

Subscribe! Get the best of Saskatchewan food and drink every month direct to your in-box! Subscriptions are free. Drop me an e-mail at cj.katz@sasktel.net and I’ll sign you up! Savour Life Magazine currently reaches more than 10,400 subscribers. We operate with a dedicated team of writers who work to bring you the best editorial every single month.

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Rob Dobson – The Back Label Rob paid a visit to Long Shadows Winery in Washington’s Columbia Valley and came back very

impressed. Read his thoughts on this winery that’s breaking new ground. You can drop Rob a line anytime at savourlife-wine@hotmail.com.

Mark Heise – From Grain to Glass Mark is just one of a handful of high-ranking beer judges in Canada. He shares what it takes to become a beer judge.

You can reach Mark at mark.heise@alesclub.com.

Theo Phil l ips – Saskatoon Correspondent Theo has been travelling and tasting. She’s dropped into

some new and old spots worth a visit. If you have a favorite spot you want noted, drop Theo a line at theophillips@sasktel.net.

Steve and Tracy Hurlburt - He Said, She Said

Wine Review Our dynamic tasting duo is at it again! Agree? Disagree? Drop them an e-mail at:

yumyum@myaccess.ca.

OUR COLUMNISTS

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It is a monumental task writing a book. It’s amazing how many little details need to be attended to, and how many wheels are set in motion with one decision affecting another. TASTE: Seasonal Dishes from a Prairie Table is a compilation of recipes from nearly six years of episodes on The Wheatland Café and vignettes of information on many of the Saskatchewan products we grow here – lentils, flax, beef, and lamb just to name a few. I submitted my manuscript to Canadian Plains Research Centre in the fall of 2010, and waited in anticipation. Would they accept it for publication? It turns out they were enthusiastic about a book that showcased Saskatchewan not just from a recipe standpoint but also from an educational perspective too. A target of May 2012 was set to launch the cookbook. Alas, that date has now vanished from the horizon and September will be the new target.

So…. September 2012 it is! With this being the first Saskatchewan cookbook of its kind, it will be heavily scrutinized and has to be just right. So, waiting a little bit longer in the big scheme of things isn’t such a bad idea. I’ll be confirming the launch date as soon as we take delivery of the completed and bound books from the printer. In the meantime, we already have agreements for the book to be in Safeway, Co-op grocery stores, independent bookstores as well as biggies like Chapters and Amazon, where it’s already listed. It’s hugely exciting. Stay tuned! Until next month,

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Fall 2012, it is!

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REGINA – Regina’s downtown streets will be a whole lot tastier in the next few weeks after Regina Downtown announced on April 5, 2012 that it will be allowing food trucks to set up on streets to sell their food. This is a two-year pilot project similar to one that was implemented in Calgary last August. Permits will be issued to operate at metered spaces on local streets within the downtown core and on portions of Victoria St and Rose St. Vendors will be permitted to operate between 9 am and 2 pm. Last August, Calgary launched a similar pilot program, which opened the scene to gourmet food trucks such as Charcut’s Alley Burger, which serves late-night gourmet scratch-made fare. Vancouver

recently expanded their program and tightened the reviewing process. There, permits were awarded based on a scorecard, which included the applicant’s use of organic, local, and fair trade ingredients as well as menu creativity and the nutritional profile of menu items. Permits went to those with the highest scores. If you watch ‘Eat St’ on the Food Network, you’ll know the possibilities with this new direction. We’re not talking just greasy burger and dogs. There have been at least two applicants that we know of who plan to start up food trucks with state-of-the-art kitchens and menus featuring gourmet fare.

Gourmet Food Trucks to Hit the Streets

FEATURE

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Bon Burger is one of them and is close to beginning its operation. The concept is owned by Paul Rogers and Trevor Finch and based on exhaustive research into the food truck craze. It’s a concept based solely on gourmet burgers and fries. Everything just about, is made from scratch – from the burger buns, which they

will baked daily from homemade brioche dough, to local Saskatchewan beef they will grind themselves, fresh cut fries, spicy chutneys, pickled onions, and fun desserts. They currently have a menu of about 6 to 10 burgers they will be cooking out of a retrofitted FedEx truck. Look for burgers such as Le Champ, a mushroom burger with lightly sautéed North Saskatchewan hand-picked mushrooms, locally grown pea shoots plus all the fixings; or the Haus, a burger with cognac-infused signature ‘bon’ sauce, Jack cheese, bacon, lettuce, and more toppings. The fries are sold in one pound and one-and-a-half pound batches! Desserts will include such fun items as homemade cheesecake pops and ice cream sandwiches. If everything happens like clockwork (which to be honest, it never does!), bon burger will be operational by the end of April. Watch for them during the day in the downtown core and somewhere along the nightclub strip on Dewdney in the late evenings.

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New Spring Menu at Hotel Sask REGINA – Chef Milton Rubello, who started as Executive Chef at the Hotel Saskatchewan Radisson Plaza a little more than a year ago, has recently introduced a new spring evening menu. We dropped in for a tasting and were quite impressed. Chef Rubello has modernized the menu and one striking point is the generous and colourful array of vegetables. Unlike some prairie restaurants, which tend to be rather meat centric, the new menu has a good balance of protein, starch and wherever possible, local produce creating in some cases, a rather striking presentation. Appetizers range from $7 to $15, mains from $19 to $39, and desserts from $9 to $20. One of the dishes on the evening menu that shouts Saskatchewan is the Seared Pickerel ($30) featuring local pickerel prepared two ways: as lightly seared fillets and as panko-crusted cheeks. Both are placed atop a local organic lentil ragout

and topped with a fresh tasting sauce vierge, a sauce reminiscent of tomato salsa but made with Mediterranean flavours like olive oil, lemon juice, fresh chopped

Savoury B i tes

A miniature version of the Beet and Goat Cheese Terrine

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tomatoes, and basil. It’s refreshing and compliments the heavy ragout and the fried fish beautifully. Beware: this is large portion and very filling. The Beet and Goat Cheese Terrine ($10) (pictured previous page) has become the hotel’s signature dish and appears on many menus throughout the hotel. It contains almost entirely local ingredients: its base a creamy goat cheese, topped with delicate slices of confit beets and garnished with a flax seed tuile. A sprinkle of candied sunflower seeds act as a lovely counterpoint to the earthy goat cheese and beets. It’s a striking dish as a starter. Another highlight is Chef Rubello’s mother’s recipe for Curry Corn Bisque ($9) (pictured below). He’s toned down the spices from his mother’s more robust and hot version to compliment the corn in this delicious soup. It’s still has all the curry nuances with the chef’s own curry, which he grinds from coriander, cumin, Kashmiri

chili, turmeric, cilantro, ginger and garlic. It’s served garnished with an in-house made biscuit cracker which has been topped with a refreshing mint crème fraiche. This golden soup has a lovely balance between the sweet corn and the somewhat pungent curry. Other dishes worth noting are the Wheat-Free Penne Pasta ($18), which I loved. This dish is fresh and addictive with a pesto made with fresh basil and arugula, pitted kalamata olives, grilled zucchini, cherry tomatoes and roasted red peppers. It’s perfect for welcoming spring. Also, try the Pistachio Crusted Rack of Lamb ($34) (pictured above), which is served with a sun-dried tomato polenta cake, a lamb spring roll and a rosemary garlic jus. Prairie Smoke and Spice Add to their Hardware CHILLIWACK, B.C. – Saskatchewan’s own Prairie Smoke and Spice took home another award to add to their ever-growing arsenal. At the 1st Annual Red Barn Burner BBQ Competition on March 25, they placed first in the Pork category for their pork butt and placed 4th overall. Congratulations to Rob, Jacey and the team! You’re doing Saskatchewan proud!

Pistachio-Crusted Rack of Lamb

Curry Corn Bisque

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Foie Gras, Pirate Swords Grace the Menu REGINA – La Bodega kitchen has seen a few changes now that Chef Adam Sperling is back cooking. And while he says that fois gras has been on his menu for the past 12 years, last month it was front and centre as a terrine, marinated overnight with shaved black truffles, port, XO cognac, and bay leaves. Sperling serves it cold and also atop a ridiculously rich poutine with smoked gouda. Despite the exorbitant cost – think $100 per kilo for the foie gras and roughly $400 worth of truffles in the marinade, not to mention the cost for a litre or two of cognac and port, he continues to serve the luxury. “It’s part of tradition,” says Sperling. This week and next, the marinaded foie gras is part of a Chef’s 9-course tasting menu, which runs every Monday evening from 5 to 11 pm. Also, try the crazy Pirate swords ($22). Last month it was 20 oz of beef tenderloin marinated in bourbon and brown sugar; this month it’s Tandoori-style chicken. They are served tableside and I understand from a friend of mine who ordered them on the weekend, the entire room went silent and jaws dropped when the server brought them to the table.

BBQ Classes SASKATOON/REGINA – If you’re interested in ‘real’ barbeque, Rob Reinhardt of Prairie Smoke & Spice fame and a Canadian National BBQ Champion is offering more ‘Pitmaster’ BBQ classes. On April 29, he’ll be running one in Saskatoon from 10 am to 3 pm. Classes in Regina will be held on May 12 and 13. All classes will focus on the preparation of brisket, pulled pork, ribs, and chicken and he will go over how to make the best barbeque. Look for tips on rubs, mops, glazes and sauces, as well as equipment, the different woods… and of course, he’ll be serving plenty of food. Cost is $100 and includes a jar of rub, recipe and instruction booklet, and food. You can visit their website at http://www.prairiebbq.com and click ‘Events’ for more info and to register.

Adam Sperling with last month’s Beef Pirate Skewers

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Rock Creek Tap & Grill New Location SASKATOON – A second location for Rock Creek opened at 102 – 1820 McOrmond Drive in July 2011 with Chef Rusty Penno heading up the kitchen. Like the Regina location, Saskatoon’s Rock Creek offers a loud and social atmosphere with both a lounge and a restaurant side. Our Saskatoon correspondent, Theo Phillips has visited the restaurant a number of times with an eclectic group of palettes. She says everyone has walked away satisfied. She highly recommends the Voodoo Tuna Salad with seared, sesame seed crusted ahi tuna, avocado, scallions, ginger and a sweet soy vinaigrette, as well as the Tuna Sashimi which makes a tasty sharing appetizer. There is no children’s menu

available but rather ‘lighter options’ that are child-friendly. The ‘tap’ offers standard fare including Molson products, Great West brews, and Guinness. The restaurant is decorated with dramatic paintings from artist Jason Robins. Oliv Tasting Room Now Open SASKATOON – The newest location of OLIV Tasting Room opened at 726 Broadway Ave last month. The shop is owned by Awie and Isabeau du Toit, who opened their first location in Moose Jaw (14 High Street East) last year. The shop specializes in extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars. They currently have more than 60 different flavours of oils and vinegars available for purchase. Check them out at www.olivetastingroom.com. They also have a store in Phoenix and will be opening their third Canadian location in Calgary on Kensington Road later this spring. Fresh Ground Coffee House ROSETOWN - With senior hockey playoffs in full swing, Our Saskatoon writer, Theo Phillips, finds herself in rural Saskatchewan seeking out good food. Located on Main Street in Rosetown, the Fresh Ground Coffee House is a well-known hang out for visitors and locals. They serve great coffee and from-scratch lunch specials (soup, sandwich, salad) Tuesday through Saturday. New Brunch Spot SASKATOON – The Hollows opened last November in the Golden Dragon building not far from the Farmer’s Market location.

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In addition to lunch and dinner fare – all focused on local, seasonal ingredients, they also serve brunch. Our Saskatoon correspondent, Theo Phillips ate there recently and recommends the smoked trout benedict served on a croissant and the freshly squeezed orange juice as the beverage of choice. They are open Wednesday to Friday 11:30 am to 2 pm and 5:30 pm to 10 pm. Saturday 11 am to 2 pm and 5:30 pm to 10 pm; Sunday from 11 am to 3 pm. Visit their website at www.thehollows.ca. Think Global Eat Local SASKATOON - CHEP Good Food Inc. and Health Everywhere are presenting the seventh annual Think Global Eat Local on Friday April 13 at 6 pm at the Hilton Garden Inn (1st Avenue at 22nd St). In addition to a delicious meal featuring fresh local ingredients, the evening will include live music and entertainment, door prizes and a silent auction. Proceeds go to support CHEP's community food programming. Tickets are $60 per table and available at (306) 655-4575 or at www.chep.org. Moroccan Night MOOSE JAW – SIAST, the Canadian Culinary Federation (Regina branch) and Casino Regina are hosting a Moroccan Night on April 21 at 5 pm at SIAST in Moose Jaw. The evening will feature such dishes as Zaalouk (warm eggplant and tomato salad with preserved lemon), an orange and date salad, carrot salad, Harira (a tomato broth with chickpeas, lentils, chicken and Moroccan spices) as well as Beef Tagine with Coucous and Bastilla (a classic Moroccan dish made with chicken, eggs,

almonds, onions, and saffron and wrapped in a pastry and dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon). Dessert will be a selection of pastries. The evening will also include belly dancing and music. Tickets are $35 (advance) or $45 (at the door). Contact Rose Katerynych at (306) 691-8243 or (306) 630-4933 for tickets. Spring Tea REGINA – The Regina Chapter of Osteoporosis Canada will be hosting a Spring Tea with Dr. Roberta McKay on Sunday April 22, 2012 from 2 to 4 pm at 2326 College Ave. Tickets are $30 per person and available at the Osteoporosis office at (306) 757-2663.

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Grandmothers 4 Grandmothers REGINA – Grandmothers 4 Grandmothers will be hosting its 6th annual African evening fundraising dinner on Saturday May 12, 2012 at the Queensbury Convention Centre at Evraz Place. Cocktails are at 6 pm, dinner at 7 pm. Guest speaker this year will be Sally Armstrong, human rights activist, journalist and author. Evening includes entertainment and silent auction. Tickets are $60 per person and available at Ten Thousand Villages, Bach and Beyond, and Rochdale Roca House or at g4gregina@sasktel.net. Steak Night REGINA – The Casey Foundation for Autism Support is hosting a Steak Night fundraiser to raise much-needed funds to help parents enroll their children in summer camps designed for autism. The event will take place on Thursday April 19 at the 4 Seasons Restaurant (909 East Arcola Ave) from 6 pm to 9 pm. Served will be an 8 oz sirloin steak, garlic toast and 12 oz coffee, tea or pop. Tickets are $20 per person from Alexis Cuthbert at (306) 525-6482. Spargelfest – Celebrating Spring Asparagus REGINA - April marks the beginning of the asparagus harvest in Germany, which is celebrated with a food festival called Spargelfest. The Regina German Club is hosting a themed Spargelfest asparagus dinner on April 21. All four courses will

showcase asparagus and promise to delight your taste buds. Cocktails at 6 pm and dinner at 7 pm. Tickets are only $20 (advance purchase only.) Seating is limited so get your tickets early! Call 352-5897 or visit the Regina German Club (1727 St John Street). Bits and Bites • SASKATOON – There are some great

food blogs in Saskatoon. A big congratulations to brother and sister team writing www.BSinthekitchen.com. They are coming up on one million hits! Wow!

• REGINA – Chef Jonathan Thauberger has officially started at Crave Kitchen + Wine Bar. Watch for a new menu in the coming weeks as he gets settled and gets acquainted with the kitchen and staff.

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Spring Fling

Dishes to

Dust off the Winter Blues

Red Lentil Soup White Kidney Bean and Wild Rice Salad

Steelhead Trout with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Apple-Almond Tart

RECIPES

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Red Lentil Soup (pictured previous page) Since split red lentils fall apart and become soft as they cook, they are lovely for creating a soup that has a creamy texture. This one is slightly exotic thanks to the cumin. Leave it chunky or purée it for a silky texture. Serves 6 2 tbsp (30 (mL) olive oil or canola oil 1 onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 stalks celery, diced 1 tsp (5 mL) turmeric powder 2 tsp (10 mL) ground cumin 1 cinnamon stick ½ tsp (2 mL) freshly ground black pepper 1 cup (250 mL) rinsed split red lentils 1 cup (250 mL) canned, diced tomatoes 4 cups (1 L) chicken or vegetable broth salt, to taste 2 small sprigs of cilantro, for garnish 1/3 cup (80 mL) plain yogurt, for garnish In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Sauté the onion and garlic for several minutes. Add the celery, season the mixture with salt, and sauté another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the turmeric, cumin, cinnamon stick and black pepper and stir constantly for one minute to toast the spices. Add the lentils, tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil and simmer, partially covered, for 50 minutes to 60 minutes. Serve as is, or purée. Taste and adjust seasonings. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a dollop of yogurt and a sprig of cilantro.

White Kidney Bean and Wild Rice Salad With this flavour packed colourful salad, you won’t even know you’re getting a good serving of heart-healthy fibre. Serves 6 19 oz (340 mL) white kidney beans, drained and rinsed well ¾ cup (185 mL) cooked wild rice 1 tomato, seeded and diced 1 hot pepper, very finely chopped with seeds (to taste) 1/3 cup (80 mL) dice marinated roasted red pepper 1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh basil ¼ cup (60 mL) whole toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped 2 tbsp (30 mL) hemp oil or olive oil 2 tsp (10 mL) malt vinegar 1 tsp (5 mL) honey 1 tsp Dijon mustard salt and pepper, to taste 1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh parsley In a large bowl, combine the kidney beans, cooked wild rice, tomato, hot pepper, roasted red pepper, fresh basil and hazelnuts. Toss gently. In a small bowl, whisk together the hemp oil, malt vinegar, honey, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour over salad. Sprinkle with parsley and mix well. Chill until ready to serve.

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Steelhead Trout with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto (pictured front cover) The sauce with this fish is amazing and was inspired by Spanish cooking, which uses plenty of nuts, garlic, olive oil and vinegar in their sauces. This pesto is also delicious with grilled chicken. Serves 4 ¼ cup (60 mL) sliced raw almonds ¼ cup (60 mL) diced sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil 2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped 1 tsp (5 mL) paprika powder (not smoked) 1/4 cup (60 mL) (approx) olive oil

2 tbsp (30 mL) red wine vinegar 2 sprigs fresh parsley salt, to taste 1 large fillet steelhead trout, skin on salt and pepper, to taste canola oil, for frying In a food processor or blender, pulse together (not purée) the ground almonds, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, paprika, olive oil, red wine vinegar, parsley and salt to a coarse paste. Add more olive oil, if necessary. Sauce should be coarse but not too firm.

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Rinse and dry the fish fillet. Cut crosswise into individual serving sizes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the fish, skin side up and flesh side down. Cook the fish for about 5 minutes before turning over and finishing the cooking, another 5 minutes, or until the fish is just barely cooked through. The fish will continue to cook after it has been removed from the pan. Serve the fish topped with the sun-dried tomato pesto. Apple-Almond Tart This is one of those five-minute desserts to have in your back pocket when you need something fancy but have zero time! It’s so quick to make that the tart will be ready to go in the oven before the oven has even finished heating up. This tart can be made early in the day, if necessary. Makes 1 tart ½ package puff pastry 1 Granny Smith apple, unpeeled and cored 1 tbsp (15 mL) granulated sugar Glaze 3 tbsp honey ½ cup water ½ a vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped into the pan 2 tbsp (30 mL) toasted sliced almonds icing sugar, for sprinkling softly whipped cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. On a floured counter, roll out the pastry into a narrow rectangle (5-inch x 14-inch) (12.5 cm x 35 cm). Transfer to the parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Cut the apple in half, and then lengthwise into 1/8-inch (.2 cm) thick slices. Arrange the slices down the centre of the pastry overlapping each slice. Sprinkle the apples with the sugar. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Meanwhile, make the glaze by simmering the honey, water, vanilla bean and its seeds until reduced to ¼ cup (60 mL). Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Remove the tart from the oven. Let rest for 5 minutes. Pour over the glaze and sprinkle over the toasted almonds. To serve, sprinkle with icing sugar and serve with dollop of softly whipped cream.

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Two of our favourite red wine types are Chianti and Zinfandel. When all else fails on a wine list or we need a red wine to take to an Italian-themed dinner we usually grab a Chianti or one of Sangiovese’s many Italian variations. The same applies to Zinfandel and BBQs or a camping/fishing trip. These wines consistently work and usually (?) satisfy. We chose these two wines to try because of good past experiences with their producers’ wines. Did we make the right choice? Let us know! Drop us a line at yumyum@myaccess.ca.

Ridge 2009 Three Valley Red Blend (70% Zinfandel, 10% Petite Sirah, 15 % Carignan, 3% Grenache, 2% Mataro) Sonoma County, California 14.1% $27.35 per 750 ml bottle (SLGA) (NB: bottle shot is of the 2010 vintage.) He said: “Really red, (really) with decent legs. A nose of fresh red and black fruits (especially strawberries) with dark black chocolate notes. This near-Zinfandel (it takes 75% to be an official Zin) has plenty of zippy, lip-smacking fruit along with decent acidity and soft dry tannins on a medium length finish. Unlike some less serious Zinfandels the fruit isn’t too jammy or syrupy but it

He Said, She Said Wine Review By Steve and Tracy Hurlburt

Yum Yum Scale Mmmm Amazing stuff, legendary, cannot be

missed! Yum Yum! Really good. Go buy some before we get it

all. Yum! Good. Let’s have another glass. OK but… It’s alright but don’t we have a Yum wine

in the fridge? Blah! Blah, humbug, underwhelming Yuck! Assault and battery of your taste buds

and olfactory senses.

WINE

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doesn’t have the concentration of Ridge’s more famous single vineyard and Advanced Tasting Program wines (which can be amazing). This wine has been very consciously made to cater to the needs of restaurants and consumers who value consistency of experience over all other factors.” Rating: Yum! She said: “Medium purple/red in colour. On the nose there is liquorice, cloves, chocolate, strawberries and sun dried tomatoes. On the palate the initial attack seems a bit thin but the cheery acids are followed a fleshier mid-palate (somewhat candied) and a medium length finish. The soft tannins are surprising to me as most Ridge wines I have tried in the past usually had firmer tannins. This is clearly a commercially focused wine. I would try this wine with tomato flavoured/based foods where its structure and flavours would shine.” Rating: Yum! Nipozzano 2007 Chianti Riserva, Marchesi de Frescobaldi Chianti Rufina DOCG, Tuscany, Italy 13.5% $23.78 per 750 ml bottle (SLGA) She said: “Purple-black in colour, this is very dark for a Chianti. The bouquet of this wine has an interesting ‘funk’ to it along with red fruit, hazelnuts and some spice. The nose seemed shy at first but I found it become quite elegant as the wine opened up. Funky elegance? On the palate this Chianti has a traditional slightly bitter attack, good acidity and a moderate amount of tannin. The bitterness carries through to the medium length finish. In

my opinion this wine would make an excellent match with mushroom and many game dishes. Not your straw-bottomed run of the mill red this was an interesting but somewhat unusual style of Chianti.” Rating: Yum! He said: “Dark garnet red in colour. The nose is hidden at first but some vigorous swirls (and a wine stain on the place mat) brought out violets, cherries and spice. In the mouth the classical Chianti flavours of red/black fruit, a nutty bitterness and very good acidity combined with a dusty set of tannins to produce a medium length finish and a smile on my face. This is a wine that has enough of the elements needed to age for another five to seven years but at the same time it is a wine that I wouldn’t hesitate to pop open whenever the need or desire arose. This is a very good Chianti that represents an evolution of the traditional food styled wines of the past. It has been one of my ‘Go To’ wines in the past and it remains that after trying this vintage.” Rating: Yum Yum!

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Every once in a while someone comes along who, almost single-handedly, raises the profile of a wine region. The late Robert Mondavi did it for the Napa Valley. Anthony von Mandl of Mission Hill Winery and his winemaker, John Simes, have done it for the Okanagan Valley. And now, Alan Shoup seems to be doing it for Washington’s Columbia Valley. Shoup was the CEO of Chateau Ste. Michelle, one of Washington’s biggest and most successful wine companies for almost 20 years. But rather than retire to a rocker on his back porch when he left the company in 2000, he decided to develop a project that was inspired by Robert Mondavi’s Opus One winery. Back in the late 1970s Mondavi persuaded the Baron Philippe de Rothschild, owner of Bordeaux First Growth Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, to partner in a Napa-based winery that would apply French winemaking to California grapes. The project was a huge success and made the world aware of

the heights that Napa grapes might achieve when the right care and expertise was applied. Shoup started his Long Shadows project in 2002. But rather than partner with a single famous international winery, it was Shoup’s vision to invite several famous winemakers from a variety of established wine regions to apply their winemaking thumbprint to Washington grapes. Currently, Shoup has six wines that draw on expert winemakers from various regions around the world. Since these winemakers are required to fly to Washington, he has a resident winemaker, Gilles Nicault, who crafts a seventh wine for Long Shadows. The current lineup of Long Shadows wines consists of: Poet’s Leap – a Riesling, made by Armin Diel of Schlossgut Diel in the Nahe River Valley of Germany.

THE BACK LABEL

Long Shadows Winery Text and Photos By Rob Dobson, CWE

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Feather – a Cabernet Sauvignon made by Randy Dunn of Dunn Vineyards in the Napa Valley. Pedestal - a Merlot made by Michel Rolland, an international consultant from Bordeaux. Pirouette – a red blend made by Agustin Huneeus and Philippe Melka, winemaking consultants from the Napa Valley. Saggi - a Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon blend made by Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari of the Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino regions in Italy.

Sequel – a Syrah made by John Duval, formerly the head winemaker of Penfolds Grange, Australia’s most famous wine. Chester- Kidder - a red blend made by Gilles Nicault, Long Shadows resident winemaker. Last fall I had the privilege of visiting the Long Shadows winemaking facility with a group from Regina’s Willow Wine Club. It is a beautiful facility with state-of- the-art equipment. We were there for their fall release of new wines and were able to taste the entire range of Long Shadows wines. The wines were not only excellent, but offered a fascinating opportunity to

Interior of the winery

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see how different winemakers elaborated Washington grapes. Gilles Nicault, the resident winemaker, took our group on a tour of the facility and provided us with some insight into how the various winemakers approached making their Long Shadows wine. And even though the release party placed demands on Gilles’ time, he gave us one of the most interesting winery tours I’ve experienced. And he did with a passion that was sincere and completely infectious. Our group was so impressed with the wines and the hospitality at Long Shadows, that we bought a fairly large amount of wine before we left. Possibly as a result of our newfound mutual friendship, Gilles Nicault has agreed to visit Regina on May 30 and 31. He will be hosting dinners and tastings of Long Shadows wines at the Willow on Wascana restaurant. While these will be primarily intended for Willow Wine Club members, if you are not a member nor interested in joining, there may be some space for non-members who would like to meet Gilles and try some Long Shadows wines. If you are interested, contact the Willow’s sommelier David Burke at 585-3663 or dnburke@hotmail.com. Tell him that you are a Savour Life reader and I’m pretty sure that you’ll be allowed to attend these events with Gilles Nicault. The Willow on Wascana currently has several Long Shadows wines on their wine list and may even have some available for off-sale if you unable to attend any of the events on May 30 and 31 and would like to try the wines. Also, if you are chatting with David, be sure to ask him about the killer deal he has

scored on 2009 Chateau Clinet, an outstanding Bordeaux red that is sure to become legendary.

Above: Rob Dobson (lower right on bended knee) and the tour group Below: Winemaker Gilles Nicault talks to the group

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For anyone remotely interested in beer, the position of “Beer Judge” is likely considered a desirable one. The idea of drinking lots of free beer and deciding which one is best certainly sounds like it falls into the sarcastic, “tough job, but someone has to do it,” category. And that’s pretty close to the truth! While some may view the term “beer judge,” with a bit of skepticism (“how hard can it really be?”), it is in fact one of the harder things I have learned to do. Most beer judging is done against a detailed set of criteria and each beer is judged according to the category in which it has been entered. There are a few different ways of categorizing beer for purposes of judging, but the most common is the 2008 Beer Judge

Certification Program (BJCP) Guidelines, which consist of 80 beer categories, as well as nine mead and nine cider. There can be a category for say American Pale Ales or German Pilsners. A score sheet is filled out for every beer judged, with complete descriptions of aroma, appearance, flavour, mouthfeel and overall impression; each beer is typically scored out of 50. It takes approximately 10 minutes to judge a beer. There is virtually no talking while judging, just lots of smelling, deep contemplation, and furious writing while searching for and describing every subtle nuance and pinpointing any off flavours. You taste about two ounces of beer per entry, and you MUST swallow it. Unlike wine, one of the main components to beer

From Grain to Glass

So You Want to be a Beer

Judge

Text by Mark Heise Photos by Jeff Hamon

BEER

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is the aftertaste, so there is no spitting allowed, though I have done it once (that particular beer was THAT bad!). Most judging sessions are limited to 12 beers, but I have judged close to 20 a few times (equivalent to two pints of beer), lasting upwards of four hours. This may all sound a little clinical, maybe even a little boorish. After all, it is just beer. Aren’t you just supposed to enjoy it? I suppose this may be true to an extent, but there are many of us that are FASCINATED and OBSESSED by the aroma and flavour combinations that are possible in beer. Judging is a great way to explore, learn, appreciate and enjoy many of them.

I have been judging for six years and I am still blown away by certain beers. I learn something new at every competition. While a competition room may be as dull as a library at times, you are hanging around with beer people, most who are friendly, outgoing and interesting. And once the judging is out of the way, you can all sit down and drink a beer just for enjoyment. But how does one become a beer judge? There are a few things you can do informally. It’s critical to drink lots of different beers, as many as you can find, don’t just stick to your favourite brands or styles. Think about what you are tasting; take notes. You’ll eventually begin to group similar beers together and develop a keen palate. After a while, you may want to start reading the BJCP Guidelines when you sit down with a new beer. Figure out which category it belongs to, and compare your tasting notes to the BJCP description. For example, how does this Hoegaarden Witbier compare to the BJCP Witbier definition? The formal step in becoming a beer judge is to get certified. The BJCP has an elaborate certification process, and it is not easy. There is a new introductory online exam (available April 2012), which covers classic brewing styles and brewing techniques. You need to study for this! If you pass, you can then take the tasting exam where you judge six beers (the next tasting exam in Regina is tentatively scheduled for Feb 2013). Assuming you pass both exams, and depending on your score, you will either become a Recognized or Certified judge. There are even higher ranks; I am one of nine National judges in Canada, and there are also Master judges (only one in Canada). In total, there are

Mark Heise judges pilsner at the recent NHC Canadian Qualifier/ALES Open Homebrew competition.

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163 judges in Canada, 17 of which are from Saskatchewan. You must study to become a beer judge. The Regina ALES Club has been running a BJCP study course for years. Classes consist of in-depth analysis of classic brewing styles and techniques, and identifying ‘off’ flavours, as well as ‘trial’ judging and homework assignments. I would compare it to a 200 or 300 University level course in terms of difficulty. You will learn more about beer than you ever thought possible, and you will also sample a lot of really great beer. Anyone can take the class, even if you aren’t interested in taking the exams and becoming a judge. The next class begins in Sept 2012, e-mail me if you would like more info. Once you have passed the exams, you are ready to judge. Regina is the proud host of the NHC Canadian Qualifier/ALES Open homebrew competition every April. It is one of the longest running competitions in Canada, and is the largest. We have had judges come from as far as California come and judge. There are also nearby annual competitions in Edmonton, Calgary and Fargo, ND. Most now include Brewers Dinners, guest speakers, special cask/keg events, and other social activities. They truly are events, and not to be missed, you won’t find better beer anywhere. If you would like to learn more about the BJCP guidelines and judge certification, please check out www.bjcp.org.

Top: Judge Evan Hanchak checks the aroma of a ‘California Common’ (aka Steam Beer). Bottom: Beer is compared against an official colour strip defined by BJCP.