BC Business
Owen Knowlton, West | BCBusinessWhen pairing wines, Owen Knowlton always keeps an open mind.
The intricacies of a good Chablis, locally crafted spirits and wine – on tap! Ask an Oenophile The Expert: Owen Knowlton, wine director at West Restaurant on south Granville in Vancouver The Dish: Cape Scott halibut wrapped with Oyama Shinken Speck, $36
The Expert: Owen Knowlton, wine director at West Restaurant on south Granville in VancouverThe Dish: Cape Scott halibut wrapped with Oyama Shinken Speck, $36The Pairing: Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis, 2009, Burgundy, $64
I want to ensure the fresh, clean and delicate flavours of our Cape Scott halibut dish are allowed to shine through, while highlighting the herbaceous, earthy notes introduced by the morel and spring onion ragout. So I’ve opted for an Old World wine – Jean-Marc Brocard’s Chablis – rather than a fruit forward New World wine.
Chablis is a cool climate district at the 48th parallel in Burgundy that produces dry, elegant Chardonnays with refreshing acidity and distinct aromas often described as gunflint, whichgives the wine its structure, and a backbone that holds up to many dishes. It’s nice on its own, but better with food.
Although this Chablis is driven by minerality, not oak, under that wet stone nose are lovely hints of Pink Lady apples and apricot. They are a wonderful complement to the sorrel vinaigrette in this dish and are still delicate enough not to overpower the mild and sweet flavours of the flaky halibut.
When pairing, my goal is to balance and harmonize the food and wine, ultimately making both taste better together rather than on their own. And I always keep an open mind. Sometimes your pairing will sing, sometimes it won’t. Keep trying.
– as told to Alexandra Barrow
Mark Urban is passionate about making spirits – so much so that he left his career as an engineer to open Urban Distilleries in Kelowna in January 2011. Within six months, the distillery’s signature Spirit Bear line of handcrafted vodkas and gins was being distributed throughout B.C. and to Alberta. Now, the micro-distillery is producing whisky and rum, not to mention plenty of tasty cocktail recipes. We like the smooth taste of the Spirit Bear Nasturtium Martini best. Muddle two nasturtium blossoms and blend with 2 oz of Spirit Bear vodka, a splash of simple syrup and a splash of fresh lemon juice. Shake on ice, strain and pour. $45.99 per 750 ml bottle of vodka, urbandistilleries.ca – A.B.
“It’s very rare to find an entirely new category in any industry these days, so the fact that we would be one of the first to offer a service not yet being done in Canada was unique, scary and exciting,” remarks Steve Thorp. He and business partner Mike Macquisten are the pioneering duo behind the seven-month-old Vancouver Urban Winery. The 7,700-square-foot Gastown establishment is turning heads with its FreshTAP, an original wine-on-tap system. A partnership with U.S.-based Free Flow Wines LLC is helping the pair (who also manufacture, import and distribute wine for multiple brands) lead the way in the Canadian market. Among those already featuring FreshTAP wines, which include the Okanagan’s Blasted Church and Nichol vineyards, are Granville Island’s Edible Canada and the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. vancouverurbanwinery.com – A.B.