Discover delicious pairings at brunch

Four local restaurants will host a reception-style brunch during the 2018 Dine Out Vancouver Festival along with five B.C. wineries that will pour two VQA wines each.

Guests are encouraged to experiment and explore the flavour combinations by mixing and matching the wines and the dishes. Tickets are $62 (taxes, gratuity, and service charges included) and events will be held at Hart House (Jan. 20, 11:30 a.m.); Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier (Jan. 21, 11:30 a.m.); Listel Hotel (catered by Forage restaurant, Jan. 27, 11:30 a.m.); and Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar (Jan. 28, 11:30 a.m.).

You can secure your seats at dineoutvancouver.com.

B.C. wine and grape growers have a new tool at their disposal to help manage the effect of forest fire smoke on grapes.

Researchers from University of B.C.’s Okanagan campus have devised an analytical test to precisely and accurately measure the amount of compounds absorbed by grapes that can affect wine flavour.

“We’ve developed a test that detects the exact amount of volatile phenols present in the grape. There’s no need to ferment them first and we get results within a matter of hours. We can also apply our technique after the grapes have been fermented and aged to measure phenol levels in the wine itself,” says Wesley Zandberg, assistant professor of chemistry.

B.C. WINE OF THE WEEK

The Hatch Hatchfinity 2014, Okanagan Valley $44.99 | 90/100

UPC: 626990196582

This year’s Bird’s Eye View is the Hatchfinity. It stands for everything they hold dear at The Hatch. The blend is a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Merlot. The style is supple and juicy with lively red fruit, a hint of chocolate and plenty of savoury Okanagan expression plus a little bit of heat in the finish. You can drink this now, but it will improve through 2020 in bottle.

WINE FOR THE CELLAR

Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Montmains Premier Cru 2016, Chablis, Burgundy, France

$47.99 | 91/100

UPC: 003436802100513

This Montmains is all elegance and terroir, beginning with the telltale seashore, chalk and wet stone nose. The wine is 50/50 fermented in steel and oak tanks, but it remains crisp and fresh with a strong leesy/mineral undercurrent supporting peach, red apple and pear. Firmly wound, it should age easily through 2020. Best with oysters or fresh cracked crab.