I have tried and am familiar with this local BC winery, having attended one of their intimate tastings a couple years back. However, that was just to explore the wine and it didn’t really cover how it pairs with food. So to be able to attend this winemaker’s dinner with the owners of Little Engine Wine tonight was a treat. This made doubly so given Mott 32’s impressive menu, and their unexpected pairings of Asian fusion and traditional flavours.
As guests tricked in we were able to connect with Little Engine’s Owner Steven French. He was available for questions and would eventually guided us through a 9 course feast paired with their world class wines.
As we sipped on our first glass we heard about the history of Little Engine: how they started, and the challenges they went through to get to where they are now and today.
Things have been especially challenging the last two years. However, they finished harvest yesterday and have already declared it as one of their best. 119 tons of grapes which is equivalent to 18,000 cases. Whereas they have 6,000-8,000 cases normally.
We learned what it was like on the crush pad, doing punch downs and how intimately the husband and wife owner-team were involved. From the label and logo, to when they were incorporated, everything and the every day they tend to.
Their winery name is the most interesting of their stories. Why Little Engine Winery? – Because they could. When someone told Steven he couldn’t, he proved them wrong with the successes of Little Engine since 2011. That is when the couple fell in love with the Okanagan, and endeavoured on this venture to further their existing love of wine and collecting.
Their portfolio includes four different levels of wine: Elevation level, Silver, Gold, and Platnium. The majority of their bottles reach platinum status, as they wanted only the best grapes. However, not all grapes will hit those peak, so the other tiers allows for those grapes to be still put to good use. Steven recommends the Silver level as a good introduction to the brand. There is not a lot of oak influence with these, which tends to appeal to younger drinkers. Whereas Platinum is more exclusive of the four levels with only 700 cases made, which makes up less than 7% of their crop yield.
During the reception we mingled with Little Engine ‘Elevation’ Rosé 2023 in hand. This is 100% Pinot noir de-stemmed and soaked for 36-48hours before being stabilized in stainless steel for a clean and crisp flavour. This is a playful and youthful wine, with notes of green strawberry and a good amount of freshness to open the appetite up with.
This was served with a passed hors d’oeuvres of Shredded Peking Duck Spring Rolls with Yellow Garlic Chives. Each roll cut in half, for easy eating on a skewer. Despite their Peking duck being Mott 32’s claim to fame, this would be the only taste of it we would get this evening. Salt and savoury, tender pulled duck meat hiding under layers of crispy, flaky shell.
When time, we were invited to take a seat and enjoy the meal to family style. The first course was a round of dim sum served as appetizers along with our first and only white wine of the night.
Little Engine ‘Platinum’ Chardonnay 2020, which they pride themselves as being one of the most incredible Chardonnays. Estate grown with high acid that cuts through sweetness. The grapes themselves were yielded from a cooler spring with lots of precipitation. Here, they took into consideration the canopy allowing for airflow and to avoid mold.
The Whole Crispy Abalone with Salt & Pepper seasoning was a stunning start. Perfectly crispy on the exterior and wonderfully chewy at its centre. The wine did well to lend some levity and brightness to the battered and deep fry shellfish.
The table was split on this elevated take of Siu Mai. Not just pork, this dumpling was Iberico Pork with a Soft Quail Egg, Prawn, and Black Truffle. There was almost too much going on in such a small bite. The egg took the most attention with its neutral flavour and runny yolk centre, it also felt too soft as a texture for the rest of the dumpling. Whereas I wanted more salty meat and fragrant truffle to best contrast with the acid and sugars of the wine in a complimentary fashion.
And our last appetizer was Mott 32’s take on Chinese style BBQ Pork using Pluma Iberico BBQ Pork and Yellow Mountain Honey. Incredibly tender and fatty, almost candied. The Chardonnay added freshness to each bite and was the best pairing for the three appetizers.
Our second course came with two dishes and two wines so that we could pair one to the other as we pleased.
Both Pinot Noir, two different clones at two different levels. The Little Engine ‘Gold’ Pinot Noir 2020 was harvested from what little grapes were on the vine. The winery deploys many strategies for de-leafing, allowing more complexity in to the wine as a result. 17 months aging with 90% in big Barrels for a refined and elegant red.
There was no harvest in 2024 due to poor weather and they didn’t want to bring in grapes from the US to fill the gap. This financially devastated them, but they did it for quality and integrity sake. This was a new world red with dark cherry notes and more oak influence. The additional acid and fruit lent itself well to the natural flavour of the lamb below.
Lamb Chop, Black Bean, Chilli, and Bell Peppers. With all the black bean the dish was umami and in heavy competing against the lamb. I really relied on the wine to help cut into much of both and to wash the palate in between bites.
The Little Engine ‘Vineyard Select’ Pinot Noir 2022 is more terroir driven, with far less oak influence. It was heavier of the two sons options to go toe to toe with the garlicky vegetable course.
The Wok-Fried Gai Lan was a surprising favourite of the group, myself included. No one expected so much flavour from leafy greens and a crispy stalk seasoned with Dried Shrimp, Minced Pork, and Shrimp Paste.
Our third course was another two wines and two plates to choose your own pairing with. The Little Engine Union 2019 was mostly Merlot at 72%, Cabernet Franc 21%, and Malbec at 7%. Served in their 3litre Jeroboam bottle also known as double magnum. This was raisiny with higher acid leaving the mouth clean, tart, and salty. I found this a great pairing the fried rice course.
Mixed Seafood Fried Rice with Golden Conpoy and Black Garlic. It had a lovely umami richness that allowed the dish to stand on its own, and the wine able to breathe some acid into bite.
Little Engine ‘Platinum’ Union 2021 was full of tannis and covered the entire palate. This was declared our winemaker’s favourite. It had a similar blend to above at 72% merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. It was just the more sweet and fruity of the two wines of this course. Its sugars pairs well with the sweetness found in the sauce of the short rib below? and you are left with a great after taste.
The Crispy Triple-Cooked Black Angus Short Rib had the table ooh-and-ahh-ing, sliced up and served on the bone, it which it was carved from. The meat was incredibly tender, juicy with slightly fatty morsels to wrap your tongue around. I liked it best with the rice for a base and to make the bites more rounded.
And for dessert we had Little Engine Fortified Pinot Gris as sweet end of raisin and fruit cake. If warm it would make an ideal festive winter drink.
Its pairing was Mott’s famous dessert dumplings. Almond and Chocolate Oolong Tea “Xiao Long Bao, served in a bamboo steamer with plumes of smoke for theatrics. The bitterness of the tea tempered the wine, making it less sweet. Instead of hot soup, the filling was cold ice cream. This was as fun to eat as it was to watch it being presented to us.
And as an extra treat and a night cap we got to try a new Mott 32 coffee cocktail. “The Dragon Coffee” comes with a show that explains the it completely. It is mixed table side and designed as an homage to after dinner coffees and how they were many years ago. This was whence they were actually spirit forward and not a sugary sweet drink. Although it does start off with a sugared rim being caramelized over an open flame. This allows you to not get a big mouthful of sugar every time you sip from it.
St. Remy’s signature brandy is then poured into separate glasses. This is a brand new blend of 7 different brandy. This glass of cognac is then heated over a flame and caramelized much like the sugar earlier. A bit of the spirit is also set on fire and allowed to burn blue. Then this is where the show starts as the burning liquor gets sifted one glass into another.
After a few passes a good amount of cinnamon gets shaken over things. The fire helps to release a lot of the aromatic compounds in the spice. You know it is done based on the smell. The flame is then snuffed out and what remains is poured into the sugar rimmed glass earlier. To it coffee and brown sugar syrup is added for a short and tight pressed drink.
And just when you think this can’t possible get any more decadent, it is finished off with a house made Amaro infused whipped cream. And for garnish a rock sugar lollipop that doubles as a stir stick. Truly, this is the best coffee anything I have every tried and absolutely worth coming down to Mott 32 just for.
Mott 32 Vancouver
161 W Georgia St, Vancouver, BC V6E 0C6
(604) 861-0032
mott32.com
