On Tuesday, May 19th five of Vancouver’s top mixologists, some with dog in tow, arrived in convoy at the very scenic Vista D’oro Farms & Winery for a Greenhouse Cocktail Throwdown. The golden ingredient for each cocktail was the winery’s flagship D’oro, a unique fortified wine made from the farm’s own green walnuts. Judged on their creativity, presentation and use of the D’oro were: Dani Tatarin of DB Bistro with a D’oro Cobbler, Trevor Kailles of the Granville Room with Peaches & D’oro, Lauren Mote of The Refinery with a Golden D’oro, Giovanni Giardino of Campagnolo with a Giardino di Noce (Walnut Garden) and last but certainly not least Jay Jones of Voya (soon to be Pourhouse) with the Golden Cocktail Competition winner, Gold Fashioned. The recipe for this award winning cocktail will be available at the Vista D’oro Open House, Saturday, May 30th from 1 – 3pm.
Jay Jones crafting the ‘Gold Fashioned’
The D’oro is an artisanally crafted, fortified port-style wine made with BC’s finest small lot vinifera. It is a blend of Marechal Foch, Merlot & Cabernet Franc married with the pressing off of Vista D’oro Green Walnuts macerated in Okanagan Gamay Noir Brandy. This is a traditional Northern France recipe that dates back to 1796 and reflects the partnership of Vista D’oro Farms & Winery and Jerome Dudicourt – whose grandfather, Jean-Baptiste is where the recipe originates from. True to the wines historical dedication, every Bastille Day Vista D’oro gathers close friends and family for a day to celebrate the harvest of another batch of green walnuts.
On Saturday, May 30th, join Vista D’oro from 12pm to 3pm on the farm in celebration of the wineries first Spring Release, picnic-style. This is an opportunity to sample Vista D’oro’s 2008 vintages including Rosa, Gewurztraminer & Pinot Noir, alongside a select few farmgate shop offerings that have been crafted into nibblies by several of our local chefs. The $10 ticket pricing for the picnic transfers into 10% off any Farmgate Shop & Tasting Room purchase for the day. Bring your sun hat and picnic blanket to take in the Farm’s picturesque view to which is their namesake; golden view.
Vista D’oro Farms showcases progressive products and ideas, combining local and global ingredients determined by the season. Proprietors Patrick and Lee Murphy are dedicated to the promotion of farm-fresh products, seasonally sourced from their own and other farms. Nestled in the valley, just beyond the urban sprawl in the comfort of the country, Vista D’oro, the farm with the golden view, is the perfect place to seek out local treats. Vista D’oro is located at 20856 4th Avenue in Langley, BC. The Farmgate Shop & Winery Tasting Room are open Thursday to Saturday. For more information please call 604.514.3539 or visit www.vistadoro.com.
