Sommeliers’ Picks
We asked three Whistler sommeliers to pick their favourite red for you to enjoy. Happy sipping!
Podere San Cristoforo
Petit Verdot 2018
Paul Brian | Assistant Wine Director
Bearfoot Bistro, 604-932-3433, bearfootbistro.com
I'm drawn to wines that have a good story. I spent an afternoon with winemaker Lorenzo Zonin at his winery in Gavorrano in Maremma, Tuscany, this past June, and I was captivated by his philosophy, stories, the alluring and dynamic wines that he produces, and how he makes them. Lorenzo hand harvests his fruit at night, donning headlamps with friends and family. He does so because he believes the clusters of grapes are pulsating with the highest energy level at night, calling out to be consumed.
My standout wine from the Bearfoot Bistro cellar this season is the Podere San Cristoforo Petit Verdot 2018. This beautifully crafted wine is 100 per cent Petit Verdot, grown in gravelly soil amongst olive and 100-year-old cork oak trees and aged in French oak barrels for 10 months. Only 7,200 bottles were produced, and this harvest was bottled under a late-June waning moon. This certified organic, biodynamic wine is without filtration and with natural finings, deep ruby red with notes of small berries, followed by aromatic herbs and sweet spices. It is fresh, vibrant, and supported by a structure of fine and silky tannins.
My favourite for pairing is a Tuscan wild boar (Cinghiale) ragu with fresh pappardelle pasta, a rich and hearty ragu ladled over perfectly cooked, broad, hand-cut noodles. We recommend it at Bearfoot Bistro with our spice-rubbed venison loin served with a blackberry reduction, crosnes (Chinese artichoke) and shaved foie gras.
Fattoria Le Pupille Riserva 2020
Kathryn Woods | Wine Director & Manager
Wild Blue Restaurant + Bar, 604-962-2233, wildbluerestaurant.com
At Wild Blue Restaurant + Bar, our menu is an intricate tapestry of meticulously crafted marinades, sauces, and profound flavours, predominantly featuring seafood yet versatile enough to pair seamlessly with a wide range of red wines from around the globe.
Fattoria Le Pupille was founded by Elisabetta Geppetti, who has a serious passion for the region of Morellino di Scansano in Italy. She also helped found the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) wine quality classification.
I love a story of hard work, vision and dedication to the land, and the story of this winery is all three of those wrapped into one. Morellino is an ancient name for Sangiovese grape, and after spending some time in Tuscany, it's hard not to fall in love with this versatile grape. This wine, from Morellino di Scansano DOCG in southern Tuscany, shows incredible tension, delicacy and length. Notes of red currant, blackberry and chokecherry are enhanced with an herbal undertone and fresh tobacco; this wine is medium-bodied yet has a long, lingering effect on the palate.
We strive to source wines with a real sense of place that can transport you to the region. This wine is their flagship and helped pave the way for this small but mighty appellation on the Maremma coast of Tuscany. This blend of 85 per cent Sangiovese and 10 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon is a perfect match for dishes like our Sablefish, with the intense flavours from the roasted fish bones in the sauce that accompanies it, or our Snake River Farms Berkshire pork chop.
Commando G
La Bruja de Rozas 2020
Monika Dabrowska | Sommelier
Bar Oso, 604-962-4540, baroso.ca
awaited reopening of Bar Oso, I had the opportunity to try this wine and immediately fell in love with it. This wine is a fresh Grenache that exudes complex and compelling flavours of black and red fruit, red flower petals, cracked black pepper, and earthiness. Medium-bodied with beautifully balanced tannins, it features a fine acidity thread, a pronounced mineral backbone, and a spicy and floral finish. Tasting this wine is an experience between the finest Burgundy and a Northern Rhone Syrah.
“The Witch of Roses” La Bruja de Rozas from Comando G. Pure Garnacha comes from granitic sands near Madrid, Spain. The producers and winemakers, Fernando García and Dani Landi, are friends from their college days. They were drawn to the mountains by rumours of small, nearly inaccessible vineyard plots located high in the Sierra de Gredos in the southern province of Ávila. Over time, they began purchasing or leasing the best sites they could find, creating their own project, Comando G. They are also part of the “New Spain,” a movement reviving and recultivating ancient vines of forgotten or undervalued native Spanish grape varieties.
I love this wine and its story and enjoy pairing it with our Spanish tapas. It’s perfect for all seasons and is a great value wine. Assisting with Bar Oso’s wine program, I am discovering Spain's hidden gems and finding new favourites.