A longtime great pal, a wicked barber and all-around incredible musician- Vancouver’s Rich Hope did a little Green Couch Session recently!

Hey there, Mr. Mayor!

I know you’re incredibly busy, so I’ll try to keep this fairly brief.

I am not writing this post from the standpoint of someone who habitually votes for you and the Vision Vancouver party (though I do,) nor am I writing this as someone who happily consumes a few gallons of various Happy Planet Juices each year (the Abundant-C is my favourite. What’s yours?)

I’m writing this as a Vancouver enthusiast and as a local wine-industry professional who works with hotels, restaurants, wine stores and does many events and seminars with the general public. From my East Van Wine Academy educational events at The Waldorf Hotel to my various capacities with the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, to my Westender column and beyond, I take much pride in being able to contribute to the city’s culture in my own little way.

I’d taken note of the Tweet you’d sent out the other day and had one of those “a-ha” moments.

Now, I totally agree with you and Councillor Deal regarding our ridiculous provincial liquor laws, with the Rio Theatre‘s fresh liquor-primary license allowing live events but not movie screenings (seriously, what’s up with that?) – it’s incredibly encouraging to see the City flexing a little muscle to support small business and common sense. I commend you for also initiating the #UpdateLiquorLaws hashtag. Good one!

So here’s what I’m thinking:

I don’t have to tell you about the incredible hypocrisy and confounding logic behind many of our current provincial liquor laws. And I realize that we’re not going to reinvent the wheel in one fell swoop; but if there’s an opportunity to call on the Province to re-open those dusty old books- may I remind you of a few other current regulations that hurt small business, stifle Vancouver’s quality of life and prevent us from being on par with the majority of other great cities of the world:

• Licensees (restaurants and bars) get zero wholesale discount when purchasing alcohol to re-sell in their establishments. This is one of the many challenges of running a sustainable business that employs a significant percentage of the workforce and contributes greatly to the city’s culture.

• Catering companies cannot obtain Special Occasion Licenses for their clients’ events, nor can they acquire or the alcohol for them. According to Tourism Vancouver, the city misses out on many opportunities and revenue due to this.

• Special Occasion Licenses cannot be obtained for any commercial purpose. This theoretically halts any proper wine education in Vancouver. Whether via the Wine & Spirit Education Trust or International Sommelier Guild, educational sit-down tastings (if people pay for them) are not lawful in BC. How could Vancouver retain it’s position as a respected, global dining destination if we can’t properly educate those looking to contribute to the city’s wine culture?

• Private Wine Stores, which cannot sell their product to restaurants (though they’ve purchased it from the BCLDB) are permitted to sell cigarettes and lottery tickets to their customers, but it would be illegal for them to sell milk, bread or newspapers. In what realm is this logical?

Sir, I absolutely empathise with the Rio’s plight. The laws are absurd. I am encouraged to see City Council step up to the Province and make some noise about this. My four points above are just the first four things that popped into my head that hurt small business and embarrass our city on a regular basis.

I haven’t even gotten into the two-week turnaround time for licensees to receive ordered product from the BCLDB warehouse in Richmond (and that it’s illegal for licensees or agents to go there,) the 123% import tax that makes wine and alcohol more expensive here than almost every other jurisdiction in North America, that BYO in restaurants is illegal, and many other things that makes Vancouver lag behind.

All of these out-of date liquor laws hurt business and hurt our city. We are not keeping up with global colleagues because of this. Small business struggles. Big business struggles.

The problems and issues are not limited to the Rio Theatre. I hate to say it but they are a drop in the bucket and indicative of a larger problem. There are countless other businesses that suffer just as much as them, if not more.

We have tried so hard, time after time, to deal with the Province on this, only to be shunned, turned away and bullied.

On your party’s website there is a quote from you that reads, “We need your support to keep Vancouver moving forward.“

Sir, myself and a host of others affected by these Prohibition-era laws are eager to work with you toward a better future for Vancouver. You have had our continued support.

May we have yours?

I’d love to hear from you.

Sincerely,

n + 1 tackles the history of Pitchfork, “The only publication, online or print, that can have a decisive effect on a musician or band’s career.”

By constantly updating and adjusting its archive—whether by deleting early reviews or by writing up a reissued album for a second time—Pitchfork has become the only music publication to attempt an account of what it felt like to be a music fan in the last fifteen years. You cannot write the history of contemporary rock without acknowledging Pitchfork’s contribution.

Read the whole thing right here…

I first had my eyes opened to Lambrusco by a producer called Lini 910, while in San Francisco a couple years back. Most people reading this now likely have a negative or neutral impression of Lambrusco – maybe even the idea of something tasting like sparkling Welch’s grape juice with a little alcohol in it. Yet real and serious Lambrusco can be revelatory – dry with grippy tannins, yet delicious, incredibly food friendly, and fun to drink.

A little Lambrusco from this quality category by a small family producer called Rinaldini has now trickled into our province thanks to Matt and Mike at Sedimentary Wines. The Vecchio Moro is a little more fruit driven and slightly sweeter and likely to be a bigger crowd pleaser. The Picol Ross is made in traditional method style – drier, more savoury, herbaceous and complex. Both have a beautiful fresh berry quality and an interesting rubbery nose. They will both be amazing on the dinner table with some dark meats or charcuterie. I really recommend you find a bottle while you still can. Word is, Kits Wine Cellar has them for around $30.

Check out a blog post on the Sedimentary Wines site for more info on Rinaldini.

It was in Margaret River after visiting a good handful of wineries (and starting to get exhausted) that we were picked up by this gentleman, Mr. Nigel Gallop, who proceeded to drive us to Fraser Gallop Estate, his stunning (almost Napa-esque) vineyard and winery surrounding his tasteful, stately manor on a small, man-made lake.

We didn’t know much about his wines (only recently Appelation Wine Marketing has been bringing them into Vancouver,) but knew that Clive Otto, his well-respected winemaker, had spent 16 years previously building Vasse Felix into the force-to-be-reckoned-with it is today. Clive’s assistant winemaker Kate Morgan, certainly no slouch, got her chops via a who’s-who of Margaret River wineries from Coldstream Hills to Stella Bella.

As storm clouds rolled in, we sat around the winery as Nigel went through his philosophy (terroir-driven wines, intensive attention to detail, expressive fruit) and we swirled, sipped and (yup!) spat their wines.

The 2011 Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc had amazing minerality with perfumed clementine oranges, the 2010 Estate Chardonnay had integration, finesse and nutty notes reminiscent of Burgundy, while  the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon proved sturdy, stylish and complex, a good example why Cab is king in Western Australia.

Beyond all of the tasting notes I jotted down, and there were plenty, there was a common thread of distinct purity of fruit. The wines all carried this pristine clarity, zooming right into the heart of each grape’s individual nature.

Think of wearing glasses, or sunglasses, and wearing them often throughout the day. The odd time you’ll get a fingerprint or a mark on them, microscopic splashes from eating and drinking occasionally, your average wear. Now- you can see fine, and if anyone asked you’d be pretty confident your glasses were rather clean. But then you take them off and hold them up to the light. Whoa! They are kind of dirty. So you give them a quick rinse, and then a quick polish. Now- when you first put those glasses back on, THAT!

THAT is what sipping these wines were like. The colour, the flavour, the soul- so vivid, bright and intense. After tasting probably a hundred wines that day, many of them amazing, the wines of Fraser Gallop were a revelation.

Do follow them up in Vancouver, they’re in private wine stores. The Cab-Merlot’s around 30 bucks and the straight Cabernet Sauvignon is well worth a 50.

In fact, do yourself a favour and hit up House Wine’s Pioneers & Superstars event on January 27th, a showcase of Australia’s most illustrious fare, with Fraser Gallop Cabernet Merlot and a host of other well-curated jaw-dropping, myth-busting bottles. They’ve assembled some pretty cool stuff and tickets are going quick. If it’s been a while since you’ve visited Australian wines, this is certainly the time and place.

Behance Network’s Peter Stults imagines familiar movies in an alternate universe.

Cool stuff.

Totally floatin’ my boat these days…

From Absinthe Bleu in 2008:

…I’m now on a mission. To learn as much as possible about Giuseppe Quintarelli as I can. And let me tell you, it’s not an easy task. If you Google him, you only get so much before the information becomes redundant. Why Wine Spectator, particularly in it’s most recent edition which focuses on Italian wines, doesn’t spend a little time on Quintarelli, I guess we’ll never know. But considering how amazing his wines are supposed to be, I would hope Wine Spectator, of all magazines, would have spent some time finding and interviewing this guy.

So, just for the reader’s information, I reproduce the following tidbit:

“It is the Chateau d’Yquem of Italy, absent the grandeur. It is IWM’s fastest selling wine, yet has no marketing. It is the coveted gem of the Boot, but does not bear the prestigious name Sassicaia or Gaja. It is a legendary winery, without an estate. Its bottles are identified by hand scripted labels that provide a glimpse into the heart and soul of the world’s truest artisanal winemaker. It is Quintarelli!

Known as “the Master of the Veneto,” Giuseppe Quintarelli makes some of the world’s most sought-after wines. From aperitifs to digestifs, his limited production Amarones, Reciotos, and Valpolicellas are the benchmark for excellence (along with Dal Forno, Veneto’s other legendary producer). Their greatness stems from the inherent quality of the terroir and natural talent of this master, whose concept of vintage approval and strict grape selection rival the great Chateau of Sauternes. Giuseppe puts his wines on the market when he deems them ready, often keeping them in the cellar for decades until the right moment arrives.”

Do Bianchi had the chance to peek behind the curtain last year:

While appointments and interviews may have posed challenges for the non-Italophone among us, I have spoken to and interviewed Bepi by telephone on many occasions and I have arranged visits for many of my friends and colleagues. That’s not to say that a visit to Quintarelli is something that should be contemplated lightheartedly. It’s one of the greatest wineries in the world and it’s one of the last great wineries — and the greatest winery — of the Valpolicella where traditional Valpolicella wines are still produced. The wines are prohibitively expensive (although less so in Italy than the U.S. where the purveyors of Quintarelli have ensured that the wines are accessible only to the entitled among us). Wine professionals and wine collectors: If you love the wines of Quintarelli, don’t be shy to request an appointment.

Almost fittingly, it was also Do Bianchi who broke the news of Quintarelli’s passing over here:

As he passes from this world to a better one, I know that his legacy will live on in his wines and a generation whose sensibilities were shaped by them… We are lucky to have had him — and the wines — here among us…

Read his whole post here.

I’ve been tossing it around for months, but I think I’m finally going to go ahead and buy Gissen’s Metro Wine Map of France…

And may I add, what a treat to see it on the big screen while it’s still theatres!

Totally recommend you treat yourselves.

The timing is coincidental, but I can’t imagine how massive this news could be once finally hitting these shores to properly extend the gravity of such a dire situation.

The story that made headlines around the world this week was about a mass-suicide protest at Foxconn, the Chinese manufacturer of technology products: