It’s time to back away from the keyboard for a while

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Well, here we are, back into the regular grind. The carefree days of summer are a fading memory.

I am back in this space after taking a three-month hiatus to enjoy the season. I thought I’d write about a couple of highlights from the past three months. But first some news.

After 13 years of writing this wine and spirits column, I’ve decided to back away from the keyboard. It’s been a great ride, but the column has always been a sideline to my “real job,” meaning I spent a lot of time on weekends researching and writing. It’s time to kick back a bit. The extended summer break has shown me how much fun it can be to have fewer weekend responsibilities.

During my time writing this column there has been plenty of evolution in the wine world. Wine styles in general are trending in a positive direction, I would say, with a focus on freshness and elegance. I do enjoy a glass with less oak and fruit extraction. Dialing down the intensity really lets the fruit, and the place, shine through.

One of the most worrying changes, though, is the increasing role climate change is playing in the industry. Well, all parts of life, really. But this is a wine column, so I am focusing on that. From fires, hail and extreme heat to early flowering followed by killing frosts, winemakers seem to face bigger challenges every year.

Here in Canada, my heart goes out to the British Columbia wineries that have seemingly been punished year after year. This vintage, it has been Summerland to take the hit with fire and heavy smoke. I visited the wine region a few years back and was so impressed by the sense of community connecting the wineries, cideries and distilleries in the region. They are really driven to do the their best. You can read about my experience here.

It has been a relief to see recent media and social media reports showing that many of the businesses I visited have survived the Bald Range Fire without too much damage.

While this is my final Herald column, my name might pop up on a few stories in different spots over the next couple of years.

I’d like to thank my editor, Michele Jarvie, for being so supportive and easy to work with. And I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the importers, distributors, wineries, distilleries, breweries and retailers that have supplied the products that I have showcased.

Now to a few impressive wines.

One of the highlights of the summer for me was a special tasting of the wines of Catena with Marina Castillo, the Argentine winery’s Canada export manager. The tasting was meant to show that Catena’s products are made to last.

We tasted two different vintages of several Catena wines, one from the current release and the other a much older version from the winery’s cellar. It was an impressive experience. The top tier Catena malbecs and chardonnays from vintages such as 2000 and 2005 were sublime. As were the new releases.

But the wine that really caught my attention was the 2001 chardonnay. An entry level bottle made for mass consumption that cost less than $20 when it was released, it was in lovely shape. While Castillo noted that it had been stored in perfect conditions at the winery, it was amazingly vibrant, with pear, cinnamon, baking spice, flint, lime and apple flavours.

We also tried the 2024 chardonnay, which offered fresh notes of tarragon, lemon pith, brown sugar, green apple, vanilla, cream and spice notes, with persistent acidity and a nicely balanced finish. It is drinking very well right now.

Price: The 2024 sells for around $25. Sadly, the 2001 is not available. Look for the 2024 at Cap Liquor, the Crowfoot location of Co-op Wines Spirits Beer, Crowfoot Wines and Spirits Signature store, Eastport Liquor, Willow Park Wines & Spirits and Wine and Beyond at Deerfoot Meadows.

Drink: In the next 10 years, or more if you choose. Enjoy it with roast chicken, trout in a cream sauce or lemon pasta. Cork; 13.3 per cent alc./vol.

Operating a winery at the foot of an active volcano seems like a dangerous proposition.

But the risk is worth it for the families growing grapes on the slopes of Mount Etna, on the northeastern coast of Sicily, because the fertile volcanic soil and higher altitude brings captivating traits to their wines.

The porous nature of the soils on Etna means grape vines must dig deep to reach water, exposing the roots to a wide variety of minerals believed to shape the wine’s flavours.

The family behind F. Tornatore has been farming on the volcano since 1865. With some of the largest vineyard holdings in the area, Francesco Tornatore elevated the family’s wines in the 2000s when he built a modern facility.

Like all Etna Rosso wines in the region, the grape Nerello Mascalese, native to Sicily, must comprise at least 80 per cent of the wine. Tornotore’s version also includes Nerello Cappuccio, another local grape and a common blending partner. The wine is fermented in concrete tanks before being aged in large barrels to minimize oak flavours.

Wines made from Nerello Mascalese have been compared to the pinot noirs from Burgundy. With the first sniff, it’s easy to see where the comparison comes from. The bouquet is filled with black cherry, wild raspberry and strawberry aromas, with some herbal notes as well.

On the palate, though, expect grippier tannins than pinot noir. Medium-bodied, with a darker ruby colour, the Etna Rosso shows great structure, fresh flavours and a lovely tension. It is a fabulous wine at an excellent price.

Price: About $36. Check for it at BSW, The Wine Shop and Zyn the Wine Market.

Drink: In the next five years. Enjoy it with mushroom pasta, duck in a cherry sauce or an aged cheddar. Cork; 14 per cent alc./vol.

Contact Darren Oleksyn at dm.oleksyn@gmail.com or follow him on Instagram or X. Looking for a specific product? Because inventories are always in flux, it’s a good idea to call a store to confirm they have it. A search on Liquorconnect.com can give you an idea of stores that have carried the products.