WINE touring takes many forms.
Depending on your level of interest, resistance to palate fatigue, and maybe how many kids you have in tow, your mileage, as they say, may vary.
During my recent swing through Burgundy, I was intrigued to be introduced to L'Imaginarium. It's a not so little "destination" wine store and education centre just outside Beaune, run by global winery giant Boisset.
If you like to drink even just the occasional bottle, chances are along the way you've tasted something from the French group that includes among its varied stable such names as J. Moreau, French Rabbit, de Loach and even Neige apple icewine.
We were there to taste crémant, the sparkling wine which, even if they don't talk about it much, Burgundians do very well. But as we pulled into the parking lot, which might rival that of any Vancouver area Costco, I realized the aptly named "Imaginarium" was far removed from your typical wine shop. And even further from what you'll ever find here in B.C., at least for now.
Walking in, the first thing I noticed was a throng of school-aged children, absorbed in a multi-media display that documents the cycle of the vine. Considering how inextricably intertwined wine is with the economy and overall culture around these parts, not a bad idea, I thought.
After all, why wouldn't you want kids growing up to fully understand the significance, workings and, yes, even the caveats of the industry that touches just about everything here?
There's more, of course, from an introduction to the world of wine-growing, through to all aspects of the harvest and beyond. It's educational but the mood is fun and lighthearted, with lots of hands-on opportunities from a sensory "squeeze and sniff" aroma display to a giant bubble you can climb inside to "imagine" what makes sparkling wine so special.
Beyond the fanciful displays there's also a more serious side, with a state of the art tasting room (complete with changeable mood lighting). Although, as far as I know, given France's strict drinking laws, youth are not allowed to sample from the dispenser that offers tastes of everything from Domaine de la Vougeraie Grand Cru Clos de Vougeot to Boisset 1er Cru Clos de la Roche and Bouchard Echezaux Grand Cru. Needless to say, you can order what you desire and have it shipped to you.
The original inspiration for the facility came from an idea to promote Louis Bouillot sparkling wines, but the range of products offered in the store encompasses all of the companies' worldwide brands. My Bouillot vintage sparkling wine sampling yielded lots to like, especially in the Grands Terroirs range (not in B.C. as of now), as well as Crémant de Bourgogne Rosé Perle d'Or 2008 (solid mousse, strawberry notes, good pinot character; 89 pts.). You can buy non-vintage Bouillot Perle d'Aurore Rosé at BCLS ($26.99) and non-vintage Bouillot Crémant Reserve at Everything Wine ($27.99).
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Belly's Budget Best Errazuriz Max Reserva Syrah 2010
Classic great value from one of Chile's flagship wineries: medium bodied red with aromas of crushed red and black fruits followed by a well balanced palate with a touch of oak toast, approachable tannins with juicy acidity. BCLS limited time special $16.99 (89 pts.) Tim Pawsey covers food and wine for numerous publications and online as the Hired Belly at hiredbelly.com. Contact: Twitter: @hiredbelly or email [email protected].
