Fine dining goes outdoors
On June 22 the Hart House hosts its second annual alfresco Long Table Dinner on the lawns of its three-acre Burnaby estate at Deer Lake.
This year’s dinner, prepared by chef Mike Genest, will feature the acclaimed Osoyoos-based LaStella winery labels. Rasoul Salehi, La Stella director of sales, will be on hand to introduce five wines including LaStellina Rosato, Vivace Pinot Grigio, Fortissimo (a Merlot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc), Allegretto “Pie Franco,” a single vineyard Merlot, and a stunning Moscato D’Osoyoos.
The reception is at 6 p.m. followed by dinner at 7 p.m. Tickets are $139 per person including taxes and gratuities and you can reserve your seat at harthouserestaurant.com.
• European publication The Drinks Business is reporting Great North Distributors, a subsidiary of the giant U.S. drinks distributor Southern Glazer’s, has closed a deal with marijuana producer Aphria to distribute its products across Canada postlegalization, for recreational use, expected later this year.
The distributor will recruit a cannabis-focused sales team to sell Aphria’s product portfolio.
Dozens of wineries and breweries have launched THCinfused drinks in the U.S. following the legalization of cannabis, and Canadian drinks producers are turning their attention to the lucrative market. Canada’s recreational cannabis market is predicted to be worth up to $6.2 billion.
B.C. WINE OF THE WEEK
Meyer Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Reimer Vineyard 2016, Okanagan Valley
$40 | 92/100
UPC: 808755008155
This is hand-picked Pinot Noir off a moderately steep northwesterly aspect of silt loam overlaying gravel loam. Simple winemaking entails a cold soak, indigenous fermentation and gentle hand plunging of the must. It spends 11 months in 27 per cent new French oak. The attack is rich and juicy with ebullient fruit spilling from the glass. A little less red and a little more black, the Reimer is hedonistic with a spicy savoury forest floor core to balance the finish. This can handle smoked fowl, or richer duck confit. Winery, private wine shops.
WINE FOR THE CELLAR
Domaine Vacheron 2015, Sancerre, Loire, France $42.99 | 91/100
UPC: 3458965723910
The Vacherons are counted among Sancerre’s elite because of their tireless approach to terroir and biodynamic viticulture. Old vines date back generations and the farming is painstakingly precise; think Burgundy. The estate white is a mix of chalk and flinty hillside vineyards around the town of Sancerre now 30 to 50 years old. The nose and attack is ripe and pure with a touch of lively white pepper and grapefruit zest with flinty chalky notes on the nose. Bright citrus drench pears with a shake of sea salt for complexity. Oysters anyone? Will hold through 2020.