Sips Artisan Bistro

Address: 425 Simcoe St.

Tel: 250-590-3519

Hours: Closed Monday. Open Tuesday - Sunday 11:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Major credit cards and Interac accepted. Wheelchair accessible.

Rating 4

I love the idea of showcasing B.C. products, and the owners of Spinnakers have opened a spot in James Bay that combines this notion with something I have been longing for -- an expansive yet affordable wine list.

Sips Artisan Bistro is more than just a room to sample wine from the Island and beyond with local edibles, though. Award-winning sommelier Brian Storen wants to shake up your reality a bit and get you thinking about what you are eating, what you choose to drink with it and where it comes from.

Friends Dave and Glenys accompanied me for visit on a recent evening. Though the room is pared down, with cement floors and simple furnishings, I prefer to think of it as a canvas for what is to come.

We began with an excellent Aligoté from Niagara's Chateau des Charmes. Winemaster Paul Bosc was the first in North America to import this Burgundy native, and the result is nothing short of spectacular, with bold, crisp fruit and a gentle mineral finish. Drinkable on its own, it develops additional character when paired with the right food.

Dave, who was convinced he didn't like wine or fish before he crossed the threshold, changed his mind after a sip with a bite of smoked albacore from our shared salad of lightly dressed local greens, Comox Camembert and toasted pecans.

We shared a $15 cheese plate featuring selections from Little Qualicum Cheese Works: Raclette, Brie, creamy and nutty Rathtrevor, and three in the style of Monterey Jack, flavoured with pepper flakes, red wine and caraway seeds.

Generous in terms of selection, the cheeses were served at the right temperature and accompanied by Spinnakers sourdough baguette and dollops of preserves crafted from Island fruit, but Glenys and I thought crackers and some grapes, celery or olives wouldn't have gone amiss.

The idea behind Sips is that you can try a glass of something and drop next door to the shop to grab a bottle to take home. Though we got the last bottle of the Aligoté, our next selection is still available for less than $20 for a 375-ml bottle. Cobble Hill's Venturi-Schulze vineyard's 2006 Brut Naturel is a smashing sparkler made from a blend of Kerner, Pinot Auxerrois and Pinot Gris grapes and is sulphite-free. Dry, with explosive fruit and persistent bubbles, this amazing wine is also sealed with a crown cap instead of the usual cork and cage, and impressed all of us.

Though the wine selection is extensive, in comparison the selection of food initially seems limited, but as Glenys noted, this is better than the alternative of overwhelming multi-page menus. In fact, there is plenty of choice, especially when you consider everything is prepared behind the bar.

Lunchtime offers soups and sandwiches in addition to the various choices available in the evening. If you're in a group, you can share a bottle and platter as we did, featuring your choice of cheese, charcuterie or smoked fish. If you drop in you can try a glass of whatever is open and build your own plate starting at $5 for a single selection.

It's also worth noting that you can bring the kids here, too.

Main courses included a salad fashioned from Saanich Organics' spinach, Blossom's Blue cheese from Saltspring Island's Moonstruck, Wilbury Farm hazelnuts and lightly pickled onions tossed with a light wine vinaigrette.

We also enjoyed a rustic pizza topped with Oyama's sopressata, homemade ricotta and Natural Pastures mozzarella. And we tried slow-braised pork belly stuffed with slices of organic squash, mashed potatoes and sourdough stuffing with raisins, chanterelles, pecans and Comox camembert, drizzled with apple infused pork jus. We were so full that though tempted by dessert, the most we could manage with coffee were a few exquisite truffles.

Spinnakers lays claim to building the first brew pub in Canada, and they have another first here. Don't go if you need to listen to blaring music or watch television because you won't find any.

Sips is a truly unique spot; as Glenys said, she's never had an experience like it. We will all be back.

RATINGS

Rating 1 Below bad

Rating 2 Below average

Rating 3 Average

Rating 4 Above average

Rating 5 Excellent