LEXPERT MAGAZINE
|
SEPTEMBER 2017 69
TRAVEL
Vacation Found
on Vancouver Island
shape, to cradle the leaves and bunches and protect
the berries from the wind and sun. Grown so close to
the ground, these vines make for back-breaking work
when harvest time comes around.
It's the soil that gives Santorini wines their unique
flavour profile. e island was formed by one of
the most devastating volcanic eruptions in history,
around 1,600 BC — an eruption that created a gigan-
tic tsunami that wiped out the Minoan civilization
on Crete, 110 kilometres to the south, and may have
given rise to the myth of the lost city of Atlantis.
Canadian Master Sommelier John Szabo, in his
recently published book Volcanic Wines: Salt, Grit
and Power, describes the effects of that volcanic ac-
tivity this way: "e cataclysmic blast created one of
the world's largest and most striking water-filled cal-
deras," or cauldron-shaped depressions caused by the
collapse of land following a volcanic eruption. e
Santorini caldera is 400 metres deep, which means
only the biggest of ships can drop anchor there.
e eruption 3,700 years ago also blanketed what
remained of the island with volcanic ash. is created
30 to 40 metres of volcanic soil, full of sand, solidified
lava rock and, most importantly, pumice stone that
absorbs water during the rainy season in the winter
months, stores it and releases it in the hot summer
months. So there is no need to irrigate the vines even
though the island receives a mere 400 millimetres of
rain a year: about half of what Toronto gets.
Paris Sigalas of Domaine Sigalas is, for my palate,
the best producer of Assyrtiko on Santorini, and the
third largest vineyard owner aer the co-operative
Santos Wines and Estate Argyros. (Another winery
worth looking up is Gaia Wines.)
Sigalas's vineyard, next to his house, is over 200
years old. When he wants to propagate a new vine,
all he does is bury a cane from an existing vine and
in the spring, when it sprouts buds, he cuts the um-
bilical cord to the mother plant. Unlike most of Eu-
rope and North America, Santorini producers don't
have to gra a new vine on to disease-resistant North
American root stock to avoid the depredations of
the dreaded phylloxera louse that feeds on the roots
of ungraed vines. (e phylloxera louse laid waste
the vineyards of Europe for 50 years beginning in the
1860s, before the antidote of North American root
stock was discovered, but phylloxera cannot survive
in Santorini's sandy soil.)
So, if you want to protect the island of Santorini
and leave its citizens in peace, pester your provincial
liquor board to bring in Sigalas Assyrtiko — or the
Assyrtikos of Estate Argyros, or Gaia Wines — so
you can pour a glass and travel there in your mind's
eye, or through your palate.
IF YOUR IDEA OF A CANADIAN west-coast adventure ends in Vancouver,
it's time to think bigger. Vancouver Island and the many smaller islands and in-
lets that dot its coasts hold untapped vacation potential. So, tack on a few extra
days to your next board meeting, and explore.
>
Victoria: It may be named aer a respectable queen, but behind Victoria's
stiff-upper-lip reputation lies a city (pictured above) with an edge. You'll find
it in the incredible food, innovative cra brewing and continued commitment
to the arts. Bring your sneakers for a jaunt along the 47-kilometre-long Juan de
Fuca Marine Trail, opt for a cooking class at e London Chef, or simply take
your time admiring more than 160 pieces of art by famed wildlife artist Rob-
ert Bateman at the gallery bearing his name. www.tourismvictoria.com
>
Quadra Island: Just across the Discovery Passage from Vancouver Island
you'll find a land where hippies once roamed free. ey're older now, but their
free spirit and love of the outdoors hasn't waned, and the result is an island that
feels a lifetime away from the cities you've le behind. Hop a ferry over and
spend a night (or seven) in your own Gowlland Harbour Resort guest house,
with stunning ocean views, a sun deck and barbecue. Fill your days with excur-
sions organized by local outfitter Wildcoast Adventures, where you'll be placed
in a kayak and introduced to seals, urchins and whales a mere paddle away
from shore. www.gowllandharbour.com; www.kayakbritishcolumbia.com
>
Port McNeill: Head north from Campbell River toward Port Hardy and
you'll be rewarded with a long, winding drive. en venture out to the inlets
through Sea Wolf Adventures, along with a whale or grizzly bear watching
expedition. You'll have the chance to learn about the area's aboriginal history
from guides who belong to one of the many nations of the Kwakwaka'wakw
indigenous people. Cultural tours include a visit to nearby Alert Bay — once
home to a residential school — and offer a chance to see the fascinating
U'mista Cultural Centre, where traditional masks and artefacts have found
a permanent community home. www.seawolfadventures.ca; www.umista.ca
| DETOURS |
Heather Greenwood Davis is a lawyer and National Geographic Traveler
contributing editor. Reach her at heather@globetrottingmama.com.
Tony Aspler is the author of 17 books on wine,
including his latest, Canadian Wineries.
PHOTO:
SHUTTERSTOCK
