On Monday, January 17 I attended an evening celebrating the premium wines of BC’s Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars at the Four Seasons Hotel. The event was grazing style which allowed guests to wander the room sampling wines paired with cuisine from twelve of British Columbia’s top restaurants.
My favourite dish was the Cured Duck Confit Steam Bun by Chef Sean Cousins at The Vancouver Club –this dish was served on a clear plastic business card (clever and memorable presentation) paired with the Blue Mountain Gamay Noir 2009.
Other favourite dishes were the Organic Oceans Salmon by Chef Robert Clark of C Restaurant –paired with Blue Mountain 2009 Pinot Blanc; Spot Prawn Canneloni with leek fondue by Chef Chris Whittaker of O’Doul’s Restaurant – paired with the Blue Mountain Reserve Pinot Gris 2008; and Belizian Prawns Provencale by Chef Jean-Francis Quaglia of Provence – paired with Blue Mountain Chardonnay 2009.
The other restaurants that participated in this stellar evening included: Cin Cin, DB Bistro Moderne, Hart House Restaurant, Lift Bar & Grill, Raincity Grill, The Shore Club, The Pointe Restaurant at Wickaninnish Inn and Yew Restaurant+ Bar.
Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars is a family-owned winery in BC’s Okanagan Valley and is distinctive among Canadian wineries in that all its wines are produced exclusively from grapes grown on the estate’s vineyards. Ian Mavety purchased the land which is now Blue Mountain Vineyard in 1971.
By: Richard Wolak