Holiday season kicks off at B.C. wineries
Summerland’s Bottleneck Drive celebrates its eighth-annual Light Up The Vines event to kick off the holiday season.
The two evenings allow visitors to taste local products while getting a jump on some holiday shopping. Doors are open from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
With 20 wineries, three cideries, one brewery and a new distillery, there is much to discover along Bottleneck Drive.
With holiday lights sparkling, visitors will enjoy tastings, seasonal refreshments, snacks, music and special offers on some of the region’s best wines, ciders, beer and spirits, just in time for holiday entertaining and giftgiving.
Visitors have a chance to win a prize package valued at more than $500 by collecting five stamps with a Light Up The Vines passport. Individual members may have tasting fees in effect. For a full list of association members, visit bottleneckdrive. com.
Les Amis du Fromage Holiday Tourtiere is ready for sale.
Tourtiere can be traced back to the 1600s when Quebecois settlers attended midnight mass on Christmas Eve and celebrated afterwards with reveillon, a latenight festive feast fit for a king.
Four centuries later, the pie remains a staple dish at reveillon and Quebecois households. Recipes vary, but the ingredients are the same: a buttery pastry shell is filled with spiced meats and vegetables, baked until the crust is golden and flaky.
The Les Amis formula is a 50-year-old family recipe featuring hand-cut local pork, not ground, simmered with potatoes, onions and spices for several hours.
It’s a Les Amis holiday season treat made only once or twice, so you best get on it. It’s available in two sizes: small ($12.50) and large ($38). To order before its gone, try the Kitsilano store at 1752 West Second Ave., call 604-732-4218, or try the east Van store at 843 East Hastings, call 604-253-4218.
B.C. WINE OF THE WEEK
The View Riesling 2017, Okanagan Valley $17.95 I 89/100
UPC: 626990226796
This is an interesting take on B.C. Riesling. It’s super dry with over-the-top acidity that will either have you running for the hills or opening a second bottle. I think the latter. It is a crisp, fresh, electric white with bright, lemon-lime notes and that zesty, mineral finish. A bit more fruit balance will make this a superstar label. A vegetarian and vegan delight, the winery suggests pairing it with Miss Vickie’s Salt & Vinegar chips, which gives you a clue to how edgy this dry white is. Winery direct, select private shops and grocery stores.
WINE FOR THE CELLAR
Pirramimma Low Trellis Ironstone Shiraz 2015, McLaren Vale, South Australia
$59.99 I 91/100
UPC: 9315785600002
The Oz style is all about fruit and softness. In this case, it’s rich red plums and sassy mulberry fruit with a dusting of vanilla. On the palate, the wine is expansive but vibrant with more dark plums, blackberries, and flecks of milk chocolate. The finish is substantial, with soft spice and a very light pepper tone compared with Rhone or British Columbia. Featuring a hedonistic style of shiraz with balance, this will age for a decade. A roast leg of lamb would be the ticket here.