WAY COOL CHURCH AND SERVICE

         by Rose Siemens ~ Whatcom Wine & Spirits Newsletter July/August 2007

When Kelly Moss brought her Blasted Church wines to Bravo Restaurant in Chilliwack, the stage was set for some crazy communion!

From inside this soothing, sexy room it was nearly impossible to tell that it was cold and stormy outside.  Guests to our SOLD OUT event were welcomed and had a chance to mingle while snacking on Mini Bison Burgers and sipping Dam Flood wine.  Our story, however, begins before all of this, in the late 1920's in the town of Okanagan Falls.

You see, times were tough back then, and the wee settlement of Okanagan Falls was in need of a church building but couldn't afford to build one.  So the brilliant mind of one Harley Hatfield conceived of a strange notion...why not trek down to Oliver and dismantle an abandoned church there, and bring it back here?  And in order to accomplish this, why not take out the stained glass, board up the windows, and then explode four sticks of dynamite inside the church to loosen the nails?

Crazy?  Not really, because it worked.  The church was dismantled and carted up to Okanagan Falls where it was reassembled on its new foundation.  Blasted Church Vineyards is named in honour of this historical event and Harley Hatfield even got a wine named after him!

Things didn't go so well for old Harley a few years later when he engineered the building of the nearby dam which broke and flooded the valley around Okanagan Falls.  Dam Flood.  That's the name of another wine, and it's where we left off.

Now back to Kelly Moss who creates these irreverently delicious wines, and the boys at Bravo who designed the feast to go with them.  Kelly joined the team at Blasted Church in the summer of 2005 and has provided spirit and stability to the winery.  Her focus on building the quality of the fruit that goes into the wine and her fruit-driven, vibrant winemaking style has only served to enhance what was already offered by the winery. 

Damian du Plessis and Louie De Jaeger opened their new restaurant in downtown Chilliwack three years ago, and their goal was to bring the 'Crazy Sexy Cool' of the Big City into the heart of the Fraser Valley.  Their highly evolved comfort food is made with fresh, local ingredients sourced from organic growers and their wine list has won multiple awards at the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival.

Some tasting notes on The Dam Flood 2005 this is a beautiful blend of 48% Lemberger, 28% Merlot, and 28% Cabernet Franc whose perfume is reminiscent of raspberry, cherry, pepper, and smoky spice.  It is medium bodied with bright red berry fruit in the mouth and nuances of plum and spice with hints of cedar and tobacco.

After that delectable little nosh we got down to the more serious business of more food and more wine!  Kelly and Damian were a tag-team extraordinaire, with Kelly first expounding upon the wines and then Damian filling us in on the mouthwatering fare in front of us.  Next to greet our palates were a Scallop Ceviche with Tobiko Pearls paired with the Blasted Church Pinot Gris.  Some tasting notes on the Pinot Gris 2006:  the grapes for this wine were harvested from three different vineyards, each bringing its unique characteristics to the finished wine.  on the nose expect intense pear, and apple with layers of peach and apricot.  Stone fruit flavours carry through to the palate along with citrus, vanilla, and flint.

Next we tasted Spicy Szechuan Prawns and Hiyashiwakame with the Blasted Church Gewurztraminer.  That was a gigantic hit as the wine was not as sweet and floral as some Okanagan examples can be, and was designed to be enjoyed with food.  Tasting notes on the Gewurztraminer 2006:  the perfectly ripe grapes that went into making this wine define it as an explosive feast for the senses.  Aromas of rose petals and lychee fruit with hints of spice translate into the glass where additional tropical fruit and ginger root flavours linger in the finish.

Whatcom Wine & Spirits was fortunate enough to still be sitting on a little cache of the Revered Series 'Reserve' Chardonnay from 2004, and this was served alongside a filet of Queen Charlotte Halibut on Vanilla-Scented Parsnip with a Citrus Cream.  The edible nasturtium garnish was harvested from Bravo's own rooftop herb garden.  Tasting notes on the Chardonnay Revered Series 2004:  hand selected from only the very best blocks of fruit, Blasted Church's Revered Series wines are only created when perfect fruit has been harvested.  Beginning with a bouquet of pear, vanilla, and toasted oak that is followed by subtle melon, pineapple, and tropical notes, the palate offers intense and vibrant fruit flavours bracketed in hints of flint and lime.

The final dinner course was a Rack of Venison with Sundried Cherry Demi-Glace served with the Blasted Church Merlot.  I can't even gather words for this one so let me lead into the tasting notes with a single letter...Mmmmm.  The Merlot 2005:  this wine is made from 100% estate grown grapes and was aged for 14 months in new and one year old American oak barrels.  It is deep crimson with aromas of plum and cherry which progress to layers of cedar and black pepper.  On the palate expect ripe, intense fruit aromas and layers of vanilla combined with spicy oak and hints of smoke.

And suddenly it was time for dessert.  I would like to say that a hush fell over the room but of course it didn't... we were having too much fun!  However, when the Blood Orange Creme Brulee and Hazelnut Apricot Biscotti came out with a glass of Blastphemy Late Harvest dessert wine it was indeed a hallowed moment.  What a fitting benediction for a fabulous banquet!  Tasting notes for the Blastphemy 2004:  after the hot, perfect summer of 2004, several rows of grapes were left hanging to allow the clusters to ripen further and be used in making a late harvest wine.  The final blend is 62% Optima, 31% Ehrenfelser, and 7% Riesling, made more complex by the onset of Botrytis spores which dehydrated the grapes and concentrated the sugars, acids, and flavours.  Hazelnut, fig, dried apricot, lime, and orange blossom greet the nose while the rich sweet nectar coats the palate with flavours of apricots and honey that linger into the smooth, brilliant finish.

I think my work here is done.