Today we were at Granville Island’s Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts for a special wine tasting featuring Pays d’Oc IGP wines.
As per Google “Pays d’Oc is the IGP for red, white and rosé wines that are made in a large area on the southern coast of France. The catchment area for the IGP corresponds roughly to the Languedoc-Roussillon wine region – one of the largest winegrowing areas in France.”
It is mandatory to include the Pays d’Oc designation on the label, if the wine is part of this collection. It signifies good quality wine, making it a safe buy. The stats prove it with 22 bottles of their wines sold around the world every second. Today we would be trying the top ones sold; as some of the most sought out wines from the South of France.
We would begin with a history lesson on the growing of French grapes and the making of them into wine. Many of these smaller wineries work as co-ops, farming smaller plots of land that are not commercially viable. They sells their grapes, and as a collective the co-op makes and bottles them into wine.
This wine speaks to a cultural exchange between Spain and France. With the Mediterranean lifestyle and spices growing on the same land, they are seen adding their influence to the grapes. This alongside their proximity to the sea, sunny climate, winds from the Pyrenees Mountains, and Breezes from Mediterranean account for optimum wine production.
Our introduction then moved into the ripening process, with talks about the direction of sustainability practices. All centred around the fact that great wine starts with healthy fruit.
The Pays d’Oc boasts 58 grape varieties and the promise that you will find something that suits you. 40% are red with 17 grape varieties, 31% is white with 25 varieties, and 29% is rose at 17 varieties.
Our tasting began with the Puech-Haut, Argali 2023, Grenache – Cinsault. This is a pale pink, almost water white rose with little skin contact. This benchmark Languedoc rosé has pretty notes of white peach, red berries, and zesty citrus on the nose. The palate is fresh with a concentrated core of tangy summer fruit. It finishes lively, crunchy, and thirst-quenching.
I found a fresh floral quality to the wine with pink blossoms on the nose and the pepperiness of green strawberry. This would be a nice pairing for seafood.
The Camel & Joseph, Villa Blanche 2023 Chardonnay is a rich and elegant Chardonnay from Southern France. It reveals vibrant aromas of apple, pear, melon, and a hint of butter. An initial creaminess and fruit flavours flow through the palate with balanced acidity.
I found it grassy on the nose with the flavours of stone and tropical fruit like pineapple. It has a light and fresh neutrality, creamy with acid in the mouth. This would go well with a nice summer salad.
Abbotts & Delaunay, Les Fleurs Sauvages 2022 Viognier has the typical varietal aromas of fruity white peach and apricot, combined with orange blossom. This gives way to an off dry wine with fresh acidity displaying distinctive varietal characteristics, which is round and rich on the palate.
I found this more perfumed with aromatic purple flowers and gentle pansy. A clean white with high acid and rich tannis. This is the wine that would inspire our cooking demo and meal to come. A savoury white that would be nice with cream sauce pastas.
The only red of this tasting was the Vignerons Proprietés Associés, Saveurs du Temps 2023 Pinot Noir. Crimson in colour with a very present nose and round tannins. Morello cherry and small red fruits in aroma.
I found it grape heavy and smokey with burgeoning dark cherry. This is the one you pair with roasted chicken or a leaner cut of beef.
Now in high spirits, we were then ushered into the kitchen for the second half of the evening. We would be preparing two appetizers, both curated to pair with the aforementioned Viognier.
To be honest, this was more like assembly, most of the heavy cooking had already been performed for our benefit.
First, a Scallop Ceviche with yuzu vinaigrette, pink peppercorns, and cilantro. We sliced the scallop, before dressing it then plating it cosmetically back into its shell. We would eat this immediately after finishing the project.
We then, just as quickly, moved on to the Guanciale & Caramelized Onion on Toasted Brioche appetizer. Spreading caramelized onion over the toast, then topping it with everything else. This to we were invited to eat right away.
Having finished our snack we were ushered to the foyer for a self help wine bar, sampling more of the most popular Pays d’Oc IGP wines. The choices based on sales within Canada.
As we sipped, mixed, and mingled small bites came around and we were invited to partake in a handsome charcuterie board. I found this a creative and more memorable way to get better acquainted with these French wines.
Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts
1505 W 2nd Ave #101, Vancouver, BC V6H 3Y4
(604) 734-4488
picachef.com
