Monday, March 23, 2020

Meyer wine is tribute for artist Gordon Smith










Photo: Vintner and art lover JAK Meyer

Meyer Family Vineyards has the tradition of making a “tribute” Chardonnay each vintage, with $5,000 going to a cause associated with the honoree.


Over the years, the choices have certainly been eclectic. They have ranged from Kenny McLean, a legendary rodeo rider from Okanagan Falls, to hockey greats Steve Yzerman, Pat Quinn and Kelly Hrudey, to Olympians figure skater Joannie Rochette and Donovan Tildesley.

That suggests that winery owners JAK and Janice Meyer have a strong interest in sports; they have an equally strong interest in the arts. The first two Tribute Chardonnay wines in 2006 and 2007 honoured the Emily Carr School of Art and Design; and artist Bill Reid.

The Tribute Chardonnay in 2018 returns to honouring an artist: West Vancouver’s Gordon Appelbe Smith, who died in January at age 100. The winery’s donation goes to the Gordon & Marion Smith Foundation for Young Artists.

Smith was born in Britain; his father was an amateur painter. Smith came to Canada in 1933 with his mother and brother. They settled in Winnipeg where he took classes at the Winnipeg School of Art.

In the Second World War, he served overseas, working initially as an intelligence officer producing topographic drawings. Wounded during the invasion of Sicily, he returned to Vancouver in 1944, worked in the advertising department of the Vancouver Sun and had his first showing at the Vancouver Art Gallery.


The winery’s notes on his career are as follows:

“Gordon Smith was a celebrated Canadian artist whose work can be seen in important collections such as the National Gallery of Canada, the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

“This dedication to the arts led Gordon to mentor young artists including some of today’s most influential names in contemporary Canadian art. … For the better part of his long life, he was to find time to mentor young artists and give painting lessons to children in his neighbourhood.

“Many often remark that Gordon’s wife Marion had two careers – as a celebrated social worker and as Gordon’s boss. Her opinion and great eye for art influenced Gordon; he always asked her opinion on his latest work. Her career in Social Services for the City of Vancouver was marked by her strong belief that supporting the arts created healthy communities. …

“Together, their tireless work and dedication over the past 50 years has strongly influenced the progression of Canadian art and helped shape the lives of thousands of young artists.”

Some of Smith’s work, among with works by other leading Canadian painters, can been seen at the Gordon Smith Galley in North Vancouver. The gallery also has programs fostering art by youth.

On the same week that I was reviewing the Meyer wines, Shafer Vineyards of California sent out one of its periodic Line on Wine columns. The latest one offers 10 facts all about Chardonnay which, according to Shafer, is the most widely planted white wine grape in the world.

Legend has it that Charlemagne had Chardonnay planted in Burgundy because his wife was “fed up with the red wine stains in his beard.”

There is also an explanation for the so-called buttery flavours in some Chardonnay wines. It comes from “diacetyl, an organic compound, [and] a by-product of malolactic fermentation.” That fermentation converts the malic acid in the wine to lactic acid – hence the buttery flavour.

Here are notes on the Meyer wines.


Meyer McLean Creek Road Vineyard Chardonnay 2018 ($33.00 for 680 cases). The wine begins with buttery citrus aromas. On the palate, bright fruit flavours mingle with a subtle note of oak. 91.

Meyer Tribute Series Chardonnay Old Main Road Vineyard 2018 ($35 for 640 cases). There are abundant buttery notes that mingle with the aromas and flavours of citrus and apple. The texture is full. The finish is persistent. This is a very elegant wine, and fitting for a tribute wine. 92.

Meyer McLean Creek Road Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018 ($40 for 1,000 cases). This wine was fermented with indigenous yeast and, after maceration, spent 11 months in French oak (25% new). It begins with aromas of cherry and plum which are echoed on the palate. The wine is still youthful and firm and should be cellared for several years to unlock the potential here. 91.

Meyer Old Block Pinot Noir 2018 ($50 for 363 cases). Dark in hue, this full-bodied Pinot Noir has aromas and flavours of cherry, plum and spice. The finish is persistent. 92.

Meyer Blanc de Blanc Methode Traditionelle Extra Brut 2014 ($40 for 350 cases). The base wine for this Chardonnay sparkling wine was aged for two years before being bottled for its secondary fermentation. It spent 28 months on the lees and was then disgorged without dosage. The result is an elegant wine with a fine mousse and a creamy impression on the palate. The wine, with toasty and lemony notes, is fresh and fruity on the palate. 90.

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