From now until November 14th, four of Vancouver’s best wine bars will feature a wide assortment of Languedoc wines by-the-glass: Brix, Siena, The Wine Bar, and Seasons In The Park. While the well-known regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy produce some stellar wines, the value in France is to be found in regions that aren’t necessarily on the radar of all wine lovers. Languedoc vineyards produce a wide variety of top quality wines, and they reach our market at prices far below these other regions meaning consumers can sip without empty their bank accounts.
In Languedoc wines are most always blends made from a number of grape varieties. The reds are full body with components such as Syrah, Grenahce, Carignan and Mouvedre; whites are made wit Picpoul and Grenache Blanc, roses are also made from the above listed varieties and you can find sparkling Cremant de Limoux and some sweet wines in Muscat and Maury that are made of Grenache and fortified.
As a bonus if you visit any one of the 4 wine bars during the promo and you’ll find a ballot to win your own wine bar crawl for two. Or Tweet @LanguedocWines or Facebook #LanguedocVan for other ways to win gift certificates & more.
We headed out to check out the wine bars during a Languedoc Bar Crawl. We were luckily driven to all four locations meaning we could imbibe along the way.
First stop – TWB The Wine Bar at Provence Marinaside – 1177 Marinaside Crescent
The recently opened wine bar provides diners and sippers with the opportunity to sample many wines by the glass. For the Languedoc showcase they are pouring the bubble mentioned above, a wine that was actually France’s first sparkling wine (take that Champagne). The wine, Sieur d’Arques Première Bulle from Limoux, is the perfect companion to freshly shucked oysters.
Another Languedoc beauty is the Chateau Peche-Celeyran La Clape 2011 which we paired with a dish of fresh mussels.
Second stop – Brix Restaurant/Wine Bar 1138 Homer Street
Brix is one of those spots that seems to have been open forever and is often overlooked. I’ve had some seriously great wine dinners here and it is more than worth putting back on your radar if it did indeed slip off. Here the Domaine Delsol Picpoul de Pinet 2010 can be enjoyed; it is a minerally wine with grapefruit and citrus nots and a crisp finish. Red fans can sample the highly sought after Gerard Bertrand Terroir Minervois AOC 2010.
Third stop – Seasons in the Park – Queen Elizabeth Park Cambie and 33rd Street
Perched atop the hillside overlooking the city this spot is serving the Saint Saturnin Le Clocher AOC Languedoc Red 2010 and Paul Mas GSM Coteaux de Languedoc AOC 2011, either whichwould work well with the Tuscan Flatbread or Pizza Margherita for an after work bite. They were great companions to my ribs and others tried a tuna salad.
Fourth stop – Siena – 1485 West 12th (at Granville)
This little gem is the perfect spot for a pre-theatre nosh or after the show for something decadent such as the hazelnut chocolate torte which conveniently pairs excellently with the Domaine de Babio Minervois AOC Red 2009. You could also go for a bit of bubble with the Antech Cuvée Expression Crémant de Limoux AOC.
