Vintners Brunch is for many still their VanWineFest highlight. It’s easy to see why. The setting is dazzling, especially on a day like this past Sunday, when the North Shore Mountains and harbour seem almost on the edge of the room. It’s also a great party, one of few events that comes with live music. And while I haven’t been to all 31, I do recall one reason, in part, why it became so popular. Way back when, in the festival’s early days, dancing at a tasting was definitely edgy! In fact dancing at any licensed event was frowned on, if not forbidden by liquor control. Not to mention, on a Sunday, at that. Happily, we’ve a come a long way.
A truly stunning setting
The event is also a tour de force which takes a huge effort to stage. But the mood is always relaxed. And every year the scope of dishes impresses and the culinary bar gets higher.
As a judge, my focus is on the plate and glass. Our judging panel is sequestered in a (windowless!) room just beside the event. At the table are: Joanne Sasvari, prolific writer and editor; Chef Julian Bond, VP at PICA; and certified sommelier Josh Clark. (Josh is also involved behind the scenes as a festival Wine Logistics Coordinator.) We’re a strong team, but with lots of give and take. That’s crucial when the timeline is tight. A team of volunteers runs like clockwork, as they brings us a dish every 8 minutes or so. We can’t start judging until the all powerful food inspector signs off on the food stations. Often that goes right down to the wire, the 11.30 start time.
We designed the scoring system to reward those chefs who come up with the best wine and food match. While there’s still the occasional head scratcher, nowadays they’re few and far between. The calibre of plates is always impressive. The wine pairings smart. And the level of competition intense. We’ve also noticed a much broader selection of wines, from the old days’ more run of the mill offerings.
With 15 dishes to score, the judging requires about two hours. It’s a timeline that has to run like clockwork to make the announcement on time—before the dancing starts! The stakes are high, as first place wins a trip to anywhere that Delta Airlines flies. The event’s major sponsor is the Vancouver Sun.
Congratulations to this year’s winners!
Bauhaus pork hock with Martini Zinfandel
Sometimes the winner pops out for its perfect match. In this case it was Bauhaus Chef David Mueller’s superb pork hock with Louis Martini Monte Rosso Gnarly Vine Zinfandel. The ‘bridge’ ingredient that worked so well was impossibly delicious black garlic purée. As is so often the case, the KISS principal wins out. This was a wickedly good match that also kept in check the high alcohol (16.2% ABV) of this intense Zin. Also a little braised celery helped bring out its minerality. A perfect minimalist but artfully conceived dish, in keeping with Bauhaus’s style.
Ocean Mama… again!
In second place was last year’s first place winner. Ocean Mama Seafood executive chef Poyan Danesh has extensive Culinary Olympics experience. And it shows. His artfully conceived organic black tiger shrimp with dashi and bacon risotto was well matched with Verum Bodegas Malvasia 2016. Topped topped with bacon foam, dish and wine worked extraordinarily well, enhanced by an added element of umami. This dish also picked up The People’s Choice Award—so well deserved!
… And D’Oro Gelato
D’Oro Gelato Bianco e Rose with Zuccardi Sparkling Rosé
For third place we recognized the only dessert entry. It came from another regular Vintners Brunch winner, D’Oro Gelato & Caffè. Chef Georgia Zanone’s ‘Bianco e Rosa meringue and gelato offering was a clever match with Familia Zuccardi’s Natural Sparkling NV Rosé. It was also very pretty on the plate.
Old Vines at Quails’ Gate, Wild BC shrimp with Quais’ Gate Chardonnay
For an honourable mention: Old Vines Restaurant at Quails’ Gate Chef Roger Sleiman combined raw wild stripe shrimp with parsnip purée. His Meyer lemon garnish brought out the flavours of the winery’s 2016 Chardonnay. Another excellent pairing that succeeded in its relative simplicity.
Notch 8 with Lake Breeze
Had there been a prize for the prettiest presentation, no doubt it would have gone to Fairmont Hotel Vancouver’s Notch 8. Chef de Cuisine Will Lew’s multi layered octopus and chorizo with torched smoked oysters aioli, pear, shiso and trout caviar, yolk emulsion on green tea and nori tart was dazzling to behold. It was also an acceptable match for Lake Breeze Roussanne 2017.
Onwards to next year—and France!
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