ZUCCHINI MEETS ITS MATCH
Pairing wine with low-carb noodles
Do British Columbia wines measure up to the rest of the world? Certainly more and more are beginning to show signs that they can compete head to head, if not in price, at least in the glass.
It’s been a long slow climb but so what? It’s a long, steep hill and its crowded with competition; competition we need to challenge on the way to the summit.
There are some who would like to further tax or otherwise impede the sale of import wines into British Columbia, as if somehow that that would give local wines the inside edge at retail and restaurants. I’m not one of them.
The only way British Columbia wines are going to get the recognition they crave is to compete head to head with rest of the world. Worldwide competition is what has made our wines stronger, and it’s the only measure worth using on the journey to the top.
This week, we have put together several pairings you can enjoy at home that will provide some insight into the current state of B.C. wine. I invite you to compare the pairings and decide for yourself how far along the quality trail we have come.
For a heightened experience, consider tasting the pairings blind. You will need one person to wrap the bottles inside a paper or cloth bag. Another person can shuffle the pairings and tag each bag with a tasting number before everyone tastes the wines blind. Be prepared to be intrigued, surprised and otherwise amazed.
SPARKLING WINE
Sparkling wine is a great place to start. We are not yet fully operational at the champagne level, but we are getting closer to France, and the rest of the world. In this case, we suggest a trio of wines to taste. Locally, the Blue Mountain Blanc de Blancs ($39.90), aged six-and-ahalf years on its lees and another 12 months in bottle, stands out for its style and value.
If you would like to explore similar sparklers in price and quality try the Jansz Premium Cuvée Chardonnay-Pinot Noir N/V ($27.99) from Tasmania, Australia, and the Champagne Le Mesnil N/V ($50.99) from France. Bring on the appetizers.
CHARDONNAY
Chardonnay remains as popular as ever, but with a worldwide shift to a cool, cleaner, fresher style. This is a category we could easily enter at the world level with some minor tweaking. At the moment, we have several candidates: the latest Mission Hill Perpetua Chardonnay 2016 ($50), CedarCreek Platinum Block 5 Single Vineyard Chardonnay ($35), Quails’ Gate Chardonnay Rosemary’s Block 2016 ($45) and CheckMate Artisanal Winery Queen’s Advantage Chardonnay 2015 ($90).
The Bouchard Pere Puligny Montrachet 2015 ($86) from Burgundy, France, would be an excellent wine to slip into this group to look at style-wise. The Flowers Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2016 ($65) is definitely cool California, while the ringer from Chile’s Limari Valley, is the Concha y Toro Marqués de Casa Concha Chardonnay 2016 ($24). Grilled halibut with a homemade fruit salsa should be served after this tasting.
SYRAH
Le Vieux Pin Syrah Cuvée Classique 2014 ($44.99) is a south Okanagan star and the perfect Rhone style Syrah to taste against the always intense, chiselled M. Chapoutier CrozesHermitage Les Meysonniers 2016 ($28.99). We are relatively far down the Syrah road thanks to the terroir of the Okanagan Valley, although selling it is as hard as it is anywhere in the world. Good luck tasting these two blind because your best guess will be just that.
PINOT NOIR
The Pinot Noir world is a mystery of style and soils, so comparisons should be kept simple. In this case, we suggest the Meyer Pinot Noir 2017 ($26) from Okanagan Falls versus La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2015 ($36) from Sonoma Coast, Calif.
RIESLING
Riesling wraps up our pairings, a grape with unlimited potential in the coolest parts of B.C. and, along with Syrah, perhaps our best lead at the moment. I can’t think of a better match than the Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett 2014 ($30) from Mosel, Germany, versus two locals, Tantalus Old Vines Riesling 2015 ($30) or Quails’ Gate Riesling B.M.V. 2017 ($30).
Any of these parings will illustrate competition makes us better or you could relax and drink them for what they are, quality wines from around the world. The choice is yours.