A funny thing happened on the way to Vintners Brunch.
The Hired Belly found himself sequestered in the back with three others, far away from the crowd enjoying the party.
They were drinking and dining, and we were tasting and spitting. That was fine by me. Vintner’s Brunch (the near-final highlight of the Vancouver International Wine Festival) has evolved into one of the more interesting food and wine pairing competitions around.
I’ve been lucky to be on the judging panel for a few years now, and it’s rewarding to see the ever increasing sophistication of the plates presented.
And presented they are, arriving at the borderline indigestible rate of one every eight minutes, for almost two hours.
We don’t know which chef created the dish, only its principal ingredients and name of the wine with which it’s served. We sip, spit, taste and score, with most points allocated for the food and wine match itself. And sip, spit, taste, and score again.
At the end of the day the dishes fall into three groups.
The slam dunks: where the marriage or contrast of the overall dish with the wine is truly apparent and sometimes ethereal (the tastes on the plate take the wine to the next level).
The good matches: These are plates that are often delicious and wines that work well, though are not exceptional pairings, perhaps with an ingredient that throws things off a bit.
And last, and somewhat least, tastes and wines that for whatever reason just don’t work (although these are increasingly rare).
This year’s winners were (First) Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House, executive chef Wayne Sych; (Second) Bella Gelateria, maestro James Coleridge; (Third) Vancouver Convention Centre, executive chef Blair Rasmussen and chef Marc Massicotte.
My hunch is that Joe Fortes executive chef Wayne Synch has plenty of experience working with value-driven drops, such as Nautilus Estate Twin Islands Sauvignon Blanc 2013 ($17, 89 points). It was the perfect, clean and crisp match for his subtly, jalapeno-heated and citrus-toned scallop ceviche that’s not far removed from the prawn ceviche on the regular menu.
Gelato master James Coleridge scored with a superb porty trio of Port Gelato, Port cassis mousse, and Stilton cheesecake with raspberry cassis sauce, matched with the affordable non-vintage, cassis and plum-packed Fonseca Bin 27 Reserve Port (BCLS $24.99, 90 points).
Marc Massicotte’s (wine) poached egg meurette, braised lamb leg and hedgehog mushroom saute, with VCC honey, smoked Sakura pork belly crostini nicely showed off the value priced, easy-drinking, smoky-spicy Jaja de Jau, Chatea de Jau Syrah 2012 ($14-$16, 89 points).
I liked that none of these wines were particularly fancy (or pricey), yet the chefs made each one of them look great. And that, in the end, is what it’s all about.
An unheralded reality of the Vancouver International Wine Festival is the huge impact it has had on our dining scene. As the annual extravaganza has moved to embrace food, as well as wine, so too have our chefs and the dining public at large.
Belly’s Best of the Fest
Recommending top tastes from the wine festival can be a challenge, as some wines tend to disappear almost as fast as they arrive. However, you shouldn’t have a problem finding: Romain Duvernay Vacqueyras 2011.
It is a serious southern Rhone blend of Grenache (65 per cent) with Syrah (20 per cent) and Mouvedre (15 per cent)that yields loads of smokey black fruit with earthy undertones and plush, smooth tannins, and great length. You get the picture. Think something red and roasted or barbecued (BCLS $28.99, 91 points).
Tim Pawsey writes about wine for numerous publications and online as the Hired Belly at hiredbelly.com. Contact: [email protected].
