A Wine-Dinner Evening at Pied-à-Terre: June 05/2012

“You must go to this restaurant Parkside immediately”, declared our long time friends Vaughan and Marie.  That was about 6 or 7 years ago.  Since then, I have been making pilgrimages regularly to Andrey Durbach and Chris Stewart restaurants long before I became a wine importer. 

My initiation started at Parkside in the quaint West End.  I remember limping out of the restaurant with sheer joy and celebration on my first pilgrimage.  I could have licked those plates with my tongue, if there were no other guests nearby.  Actually, I might have. Thus, began my long love affair with the Andrey Durbach and Chris Stewart restaurants.  Least in my heart and tummy, I would like to think Parkside moved to the Cambie neighbourhood with the new name Pied-à-Terre. Thank heavens!

So, it gives me a pleasure to tell everyone that Pied-à-Terre and Racine Wine Imports are presenting a wine dinner June 05/2012.  Here are the details about the menu, wine and additional information.

When I met with Andrey, Chris and Michel at Pied-à-Terre to toss around ideas, it was fun to see them create dinner menu with the wines that we all tasted together.  We had a blast and we are all excited about the menu and wines.  Come and join us in the blast and excitement!

Thierry Puzelat & Pierre-Olivier Bonhomme – ‘Le Tel Quel’

With a label that depicts a dachehund with tail wagging and name that no English speaking person can pronounce, this wine has all sorts of names. Here are some of the names when the customers phone or email me after tasting the wine:

• “You know, the wine with a wiener dog”
• “The one with a funny label”
• “The T-Q” (my favourite so far. Sounds like a spy character.)
• “The one with no vintage”
• “The one with Blue Label”
• “The one with all the varietals except the kitchen sink”
• “The delicious, spicy wine that is made by that Puzelat guy”
• “Never mind, I am sending you the picture of bottle on my iPhone right now”

All those nicknames are welcome, of course.  And I think that is what Thierry Puzelat had in mind when he came-up with the wine.  In France, it is bottled under the name of ‘Le Pitit Tannique’.  Every year, Thierry Puzelat takes a barrel or two to the legendary wine shop Auge in Paris and bottles by hand for the customers, who line-up to buy them.

Thierry Puzelat is a gifted and serious vigneron, but he is always on the look out for fun.  Thierry Puzelat with his wine business partner Pierre-Olivier Bonhomme (hence the name of their winery ‘Puzelat-Bonhomme’) decided to have fun by sourcing organically grown grapes from the friends that Thierry and Pierre-Olivier have known for years.  By the way, Pierre-Olivier Bonhomme is just as gifted vigneron, who has been working in the Puzelat family’s domain LeClos du Tue-Boeuf for years.  The wine is a blend of (are you sitting down?) Grolleau, Gamay and Pineau d’Aunis.

‘Le Tel Quel’ is Vin de France because those funny Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée in Loire (whose members mostly consist of huge industrial wine producers) thinks that the traditionally grown Grolleau and Pineau d’Aunis should not be allowed in the AOC Touraine.   Until the 2010 vintage, under the Vin de France, the vintage was not allowed on the label.  I am not certain that Thierry Puzelat and Pierre-Olivier Bonhomme would ever label it with the vintage.  The latest shipment is the 2010 vintage.  The wine is produced in tiny amounts and it sells out every year based on the strength of the vigneron.  Be very picky about your vigneron, not the vintages.

All fun aside, the wine is one of the most compelling and DELICIOUS wines.  The wine even tastes better chilled.  Thierry and Pierre-Olivier serve the wine straight from the cellar temperature when I visit them.  The wine has that spicy taste with berry exuberance anchored by a touch of minerals.  With alcohol barely hitting 12.5%, the wine is very fresh. At our home, we have it with a wide range of dishes, such as roasted chicken, steaks, pasta, and even grilled salmon.  In an unexpected sort of way, Thierry Puzelat’s ‘Le Tel Quel’ has become our house wine.  And I am beginning to understand why those Parisians line-up to buy the wine at the wine shop Auge.