Sommelier Selects • A Biodynamic Weekend


February 8, 2008

Jamie Drummond of Jamie Kennedy Kitchens
A Biodynamic Weekend

Jamie Kennedy Kitchens
9 Church Street
Toronto, Ontario M5E 1M2
Tel: 416.362.1957
Email: jamied@jamiekennedy.ca
Website: www.jamiekennedy.ca
BIO
Jamie Drummond arrived in Canada some 10 years ago after having worked as Sommelier for 6 years at one of Scotland's most acclaimed restaurants, Edinburgh's Atrium.

After doing a few odd jobs (including working as a Barista at the much-loved Ellipsis), he found himself working as Sommelier for the Toronto's Granite Club.

After a 6-year tenure, Jamie talked of "never being a Sommelier again" and returning to his love of music and his hopes of a career in music journalism and his occasional (notorious) sojourns into the world of DJing (under his Non Doctor moniker).

But in 2004 Jamie Kennedy came a-knocking and the two have been working together ever since. Jamie now runs the successful wine program for each location in the expanding Jamie Kennedy "empire" and tells us that he has never been happier.

Here are three Jamie selections:

2005 Levin Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc
(Vin de Pays du Jardin de la France ) Loire Valley France
3oz ~ $6.30 • 6oz ~ $12.50 • 500ml ~ $33.00 • Bottle ~ $50.00

Seen as being able to satisfy the needs of both Sancerre and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc drinkers, the Levin Sauvignon Blanc is aromatically reminiscent of the New World to these here nostrils. There is a certain level of ripeness in the fruit that belies its Loire roots. But when one reaches the palate there is an explosion of minerals alongside crisp, crisp, crisp acidity that refreshes with each sip.

I guess I'm a sucker for other Scots in the wine industry, but I'll have to admit that I was simply blown away by Scottish-born London Hotelier David Levin's Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley . In order to get a second (third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth) opinion I tasted with my staff last Tuesday. There was a unanimous decision that it was one of the best Sauvignons that they had ever tasted… and I noticed that everyone of their tasting glasses were emptied.
Levin bought a vineyard in the Loire in around 1985 ostensibly to produce wines for sale in his luxury hotels and restaurants. After a number of years without his own winery (producing the wines at a local co-op winery) Levin made what were seen by many as some rather drastic moves to increase the quality of his bottlings… After a trip to Australia to find a suitable Winemaker, Levin met with Frenchman Thierry Merlet, who was working at Petaluma at the time. Merlet and Levin found that they had much in common and Merlet agreed to come on board with Levin Vineyards, bringing with him many of the bleeding-edge viticultural and vinification practices he had observed throughout the New World. Levin decided to have his entire winery designed and built in Australia and have it shipped over to France (replete with seven Australian builders and a cook!). "Everything was Australian, except the cement slab."

With the new winery assembled Levin/Merlet went on to produce the 2003 vintage which was most favourably reviewed by the international press. Seen as being able to satisfy the needs of both Sancerre and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc drinkers, the Levin Sauvignon Blanc is aromatically reminiscent of the New World to these here nostrils. There is a certain level of ripeness in the fruit that belies its Loire roots. But when one reaches the palate there is an explosion of minerals alongside crisp, crisp, crisp acidity that refreshes with each sip.
You may have noticed the rather awkward VDP du Jardin de la France designation,,, this is due to Levin's insistence upon the varietal labelling of his wine… and of course this means that under French wine law the wine must be labelled as a simple VDP. Trust me, this is anything but a simple Vin de Pay.

2006 Telmo Rodriguez "Gaba do Xil" Valdeorras Spain
3oz ~ $4.00 • 6oz ~ $8.00 • 500ml ~ $21.10 • Bottle ~ $32.00

Months ago I referred to Telmo Rodriguez as being "simply one of the best Winemakers in Spain." At that point in time I was writing of his truly excellent wines from Toro, Rioja and Ribera del Duero. I was quite frankly astounded at the quality of his myriad bottlings; clean and modern takes on the classic/native varietals of those regions. This white is so very different from those reds I have often publicly drooled over (literally), but at the same time it exhibits characteristics that reveal a very similar lineage and pedigree if not élevage.

The Gaba do Xil comes from Valdeorras in North Western Spain… Galacia… or "Green Spain" as it is often referred to. Nestled between the two fascinating red-focused regions of Ribeira Sacra and Bierzo, Valdeorras is becoming increasingly well known in wine/foodie circles for firm and yet subtle, lively, spicy aromatic whites based around the Godello varietal. This wine is a delight to sip alongside extremely delicately flavoured freshwater fish… right now at the Wine Bar Chef Tobey Nemeth has brought in some utterly divine Ontario lakefish: Splake, Pickerel, Whitefish and Yellow Perch. I tasted some of the simply prepared and über fresh Yellow Perch alongside a little taste of this wine and almost had a little dizzy spell, such was the symbiotic nature of the pairing. Yes, even after all these years food and wine can still do that to me…

2003 Marc Kreydenweiss "Ansata" Syrah/Merlot/Grenache Rhône Valley France
3oz ~ $5.60 • 6oz ~ $11.30 • 500ml ~ $29.70 • Bottle ~ $45.00

This wine exhibits a certain rusticity on the nose that may put off those not familiar with wines showing elements of garrigue. Behind this lie aromas of baking spices, tobacco and stewed black fruits: plums/blackcurrants. On the palate the wines shows as surprisingly supine with a devilishly attractive mineral profile.