I had a last minute tasting at the house last Friday after a request from a co-worker. Unbeknownst to him I had already started working on a tasting flight for Thanksgiving wines. I had 9 people come on short notice for a varied flight of 8 tasty wines; several which are on sale until the end of the month at the BC Liquor stores.
1. VILLA CONCHI - Brut Cava - NV - Spain - $15.99 - BC Liquor.
Cava is Spanish Champagne and is very food friendly and can pair with several Thanksgiving dishes. If you see Brut in the name it means it will be dry it can range from dry to off-dry. This one is dry with crisp acidity and a creamy mousse. It had nice aromas of biscotti, fresh bread, with some citrus and ripe pear. Soft yet full flavour in the mouth and really good value bubbly.
2. PEWSEY VALE - Eden Valley Riesling 2015 - Eden Valley, Australia - $17.99 - BC Liquor
Riesling is a grape that loves food and it's natural high acidity and lower alcohol makes sure it won't over power your dish. This one was a dry Riesling but the sweeter ones will pair well too with a nice caramelized coating. This typical Eden Valley Riesling showed nice notes of citrus, lime, herbs, minerality, and a hint of the petrol/rubber hose note that some can develop. Which is usually sought after, and especially present in aged German versions.
3. TINHORN CREEK - Gewurztraminer 2015 - BC - $15.99 - BC Liquor
This Gewurztraminer (gə-ˈvu̇rt-ˌstra-mə-nər) took a few people by surprise and turned out to be the top voted wine of the night. If you have never tried a Gewerzt it is worth seeking out, but can get over floral turning some people off. It originally hails from Germany but has also found a home in Alsace France. This wine has notes of some orange with tropical fruits like lychee and banana. There is also a nice floral note and a hint of sweet spice. It was off dry but well balanced, and also had the typical rich oily note that usually accompanies this grape; a great example of a BC Gewurztraminer.
4. BENCH 1775 - Viognier 2015 - BC - $23.55 - Swirl Wine Store
Viognier (vee-own-yay) is another aromatic french grape doing well in BC. This one from Bench 1775 one double gold at the National Wine Awards of Canada. Typical Viognier has orchard fruits with nice perfumey floral notes. The best ones tend to come from the northern Rhone in France. This wine had orchard fruits, tangerine and a floral note on the nose, with a nice floral lingering finish.
5. WENTE - Morning Fog Chardonnay 2014 - California - $18.99 - BC Liquor
Buttery oaked Chardonnay can pair well with your Thanksgiving feast, especially with those buttery mashed potatoes. This California Chardonnay is restrained in style; helped by the cooling morning fogs that roll in from San Francisco Bay keeping the grapes cool. It is aged half in oak and half stainless steel. This wine has aromas of vanilla, toasted coconut,banana, with a smooth buttery note and tropical fruits on the palate.
Brouilly is one of the 10 Cru (best) villages for making Beaujolais which is always made 100% Gamay Noir. Most Beaujolais wines won't see any oak, but most of the 10 Cru's will see some oak and have the potential to age. This wine is light to medium body with juicy bramble-berry, plum, and clove on the nose. With some cherry, dark chocolate, and spice on the palate. The wine has some nice subtle complexities to it and finishes smooth in the mouth.
7. BOURGOGNE - JC Boisset les Ursulines - 2014 - Burgundy, France - $23.19 - BC Liquor
This is an entry level Burgundy made with 100% Pinot Noir comes from the Côte de Nuits region and a well respected Producer. It only saw 10% new oak that was very lightly toasted to not impart too many flavours and allow the wine to speak for itself. This wine has refined red fruits, blackcurrant, and a hint of pepper. Young, fresh and simple.
8. FONTANAFREDDA BRICCOTONDO - Piemonte Barbera - Piemonte, Italy - $15.49 - BC Liquor
Barbera is a high acid, low tannin, Italian grape from the Piemonte region. It is light to medium bodied and can take to oak pretty well. The main region for Barbera is Barbera d'Asti and is rarely found outside of Italy. There are a few popping up in North America with a delicious one from Sandhill in Kelowna. This wine showed aromas of dusty sour-cherry and plum, with a nice spicy black pepper note. Smooth and delicious on the palate with red fruits, spice, and a lingering savoriness. Definitely a food friendly wine that will only show better with the right dish.
Let me know what you think if you try any of these wines. Other wines that can also pair well with Thanksgiving meals are: Chenin Blanc, Pinot Gris, Zinfandel and Lambrusco.
Happy Sipping!
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