Nov 9

Written by: John Gerum
11/9/2009 2:57 PM 

Michael is very confident that BC can compete with the best wines in the world, "BC is a cool climate wine region, so the best wines will be such made from such varietals as Riesling, Pinot Gris and other Germanic varietals". That is why, except for one small bottling of a red wine, Joie is exclusively dedicated to white wines. This is a good thing because Joie is definitely on the small "A" list of world class BC wines.
 
The inspiration for the wines that Michael and his wife Heidi Noble craft is in the French wine regions of Alsace and Burgundy and the Loire valley. They are only on their 5th vintage and now on their 6th crush, and as a very small producer of hand crafted wines they are highly sought by consumers who seem to fall in love on first sip. They only own three acres of vineyards but are contracted to 42 acres of vines from about 17 different family growers. It is important to Michael to thank the growers for their outstanding grapes on each bottle label. The 2008 Riesling is already sold out and all their other 2008 vintages will soon follow.
 
Joie wines pair very well with Asian cuisine so you will find their wines in some of the most exclusive restaurants in Richmond and Vancouver. They are also available in very limited quantities in high end private wine shops.
 
I sat down to taste and make notes of a few of the JoieFarm wines that I tasted with Michael. The Noble Blend 2008 is a blend of seven different German varietals including Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Ehrenfelser and Kerner. The nose is an interesting mix of peach, pear and a touch of pink grapefruit. The palate shows layers of complexity with tones of spicy cloves, orange and orchard fruit. This is an extremely balanced wine with a long extended finish. The wine is off dry, so it is an ideal wine to match to dim sum and spicy Asian foods.

The Un-oaked Chardonnay 2008 is a wine modeled on the Macon region of Burgundy. An oyster wine all the way with aromas of apple, pear and a tropical, clover honeyed nose. The mineral notes and clean acidity of this Chardonnay are also evident on this perfectly balanced wine.

Lastly the 2008 Rose is a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay. It is a versatile food wine with strawberry and redcurrant fragrances and the taste of cherry and red fruits. Off dry this Rose has a touch of soft tannins to structure the wine and give it character.

As Michael packed up his wines I reflected on the wines I had just tasted. I thought of the great strides this province has made in wine quality in the last twenty years are largely due to winemakers such as Michael. They are a small group of passionate winemakers that are making wine history as we speak.