Best Buys in BC – January 2014

Happy New Year BC! All of the BC critics wish you much health, prosperity and good wine in 2014.

Whether or not you / your wallet / your waistline have recovered from the holidays, January needn’t mean depriving yourself of wine, truly one of life’s great pleasures. “Everything in moderation” is a useful adage, especially as we transition from a month of festive excess to a new year. Not that there isn’t a lot to raise a glass to in January. We’ll be toasting Robbie Burns Day (January 25), Australia Day (January 26), and ringing in the Chinese New Year (January 31). Below, the BC team share what’s on our minds and in our glasses this month. Cheers! – Treve Ring

Anthony Gismondi
Looking for Mr. Good Bargain

It’s January and it’s depressingly cold in most of Canada including vast parts of British Columbia. And with holiday bills lurking and yearly taxes not too far off, many wine drinkers are in search of bargains. Of course not any old sweet red, or oaky white will do, we want good bargains as in wines that taste like they came from somewhere and were made by someone who cares. Since we pay the most for wine in Canada and seldom see the lowest price for any wine it only makes the task bewildering for most consumers. This month I’ve chosen some weather appropriate wines that over deliver for their price. Again price is relative. You don’t necessarily want the cheapest but you always want the best value.

CABERNET SAUVIGNON – It’s easy to reach for cabernet when the weather is cold. Its big structure and tannin is built for food and can warm you from the inside out. My pick is Pascual Toso Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Las Barrancas Vineyards 2011 from Maipú in Mendoza, Argentina $21. You don’t often get round, smooth textures on the palate of a young cabernet so grab them while you can.

PINOT NOIR – There is a juiciness about Marlborough pinot noir that makes it so appealing in the glass. A fine value is the The Ned Pinot Noir 2012, Marlborough, New Zealand $21. Sink your tongue into soft, juicy, fruit cherry berry pinot that is made for salmon.

RIESLING – Washington State has some of the largest riesling plantings outside of Germany and that helps with price and quality. If you are confining your food to takeout in January and Indian, Thai, Japanese and or Chinese is on the menu think Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling 2011, Columbia Valley, Washington, United States $17. Its full-blown style can stand up to spicy ribs or Indian curries. Good value.

SYRAH/SHIRAZ -Australia’s national day will fast be upon us so I was thinking shiraz would be in order. Organic would be even better and under $20 would seal the deal. My pick is Yalumba Organic Shiraz 2012, South Australia, Australia $17. Fresh, juicy and full-bodied but with light tannins it can work with whole roasted chicken.

ZINFANDEL – Heartwarming and friendly zinfandel often can be thought of as a favourite chair or perhaps an old pair of shoes you just can’t throw out. Great with burgers or grilled meats we like the organic grown Bonterra Vineyards Zinfandel 2010 from Mendocino County $20 where, sensibly, marijuana for personal use has long been an accepted practice.

DJ Kearney

January might as well be a month devoted to virtuous restraint – usually involving spending and eating less. We try to atone for our holiday excesses by either re-stocking the piggy bank through strategic scrimping, or by restraining our inner piggy. Here’s my strategy: a few more minutes of planking a day, a few more kilometers on the treadmill (watching the Aussie Open for inspiration) and saving precious pennies on these great bottles.

I really like this cheerful blend from the Cape – its name makes me think that summer is not too far off (but of course it is); its sunny, plummy flavours are perfect for budget winter braises; and it is not one of the sugary breed of red wines that my colleague John Szabo exposed recently. Like John, I pay close attention to residual sugar numbers in wines (reds especially), and The Beachhouse Red 2011 has a conservative 5.5 grams per litre of residual sugar, balanced by 5.3 grams of acid per litre. And at $12.99 at the BCLDB, you can pop a few coins in the piggy bank.

On my list of character-improving 2014 resolutions is to drink much, much more dry wine from Portugal – red, white and bubbly. Porca de Murça Douro Red 2012 is a fruit-packed red that sports a lot of wine for 12 bucks. Ruby-jewel red with floral, earthy nose, 3 big port grapes unleash their cassis and boysenberry juiciness on the palate. There’s a lick of dusty minerality amongst the bright fruit flavours and middling-astringent tannins that give this Douro red a nicely rustic finish. Straightforward, honest, value priced wine for easy sipping with linguica and potato stew. When you are back in the black (piggy-bank-wise), there is a handsome reserve from this estate for ten bucks more.

Australia G’Day is almost upon us. I spent many happy weeks last fall soaking up the food, wine and culture of OZ, and here’s my advice: do not underestimate this country. Even if there have been a few missteps with the critter wine hooha, there is (and always has been) brilliant wine made all over the vast country. The very best command bigger prices, but here is my favourite down undah bargain wine of the year. Made by gifted Ben Riggs (ex- Wirra Wirra) Thomas Goss Shiraz 2011 over-delivers massively and is wonderfully reflective of its maritime home of McLaren Vale.

Rhys Pender, MW

With the wallet feeling a little empty after the holidays, it is a great time to seriously look at those wines that over deliver for the price. Particularly after splurging for a couple of weeks, wines that give lots of satisfaction and amaze you with their value are just what is needed.

With the winter chill still upon us, I find myself reaching for some flavoursome red wines. The Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet always over-delivers for the price. For even less money, if you are looking for something very savoury and very European, try the Grão Vasco 2009 Dão. It is a great pairing with anything gamy. A refreshing white is still also needed to wash down your appetizer and the Leyda 2013 Garuma Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc has great depth and power to refresh along with plenty of mineral complexity.

Treve Ring

January arrives and I’m in full-on hibernation mode. I travel a bit less, cook a bit more, wear sweatpants and rainboots disproportionately more often than in any other month, and am looking for comforting, rustic pours in my glass.

So I don’t know what to pair with the sweats, but to match the rest of my month, I am looking to the wallet warming values in California, Australia and my BC backyard. Peter Lehmann Portrait Shiraz is great value year round, but I particularly appreciate the dense cassis fruit and dark chocolate spiced fruit in this rainy season. Pass the slow braised short ribs and roasted yams.

My days on the coast start off with an abundance of wet, Pacific morning fog, so Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay 2012 from Livermore Valley is on my mind. The cooling fog preserves the freshness in this fruit-forward Cali chard, and the medium-full body suits hardier winter dishes. Cock-a-leekie soup in the pot, and this in my glass.

Closer to home, and a familiar name, Gehringer Brothers Private Reserve Pinot Gris 2012 has the concentration and spice to stand up to colourful flavours, and the citrus peel acidity to refresh the palate. I like this with vegetarian green curry over nutty amaranth.

And this year I’ll ring in Chinese New Year with a special, limited edition bottling of Haywire Pinot Noir 2012. 688 bottles of this wine have been labeled with the symbol of the horse and good fortune in celebration of the Lunar New Year and to welcome the Year of the Horse. While I have yet to try this early release of the 2012 vintage, the 2011 vintage is currently tasting fresh and fine, with dusty black raspberry, juicy cherry and cool toned plum over top of stony spice. I would pair with it miso marinated sablefish, wild mushrooms and soy glazed Asian greens. Gung hay fat choy!

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