SPLURGE ON BETTER WINE FOR THE SEASON'S FARE
As we have suggested for years, there are no right or wrong choices to serve at Christmas dinner. Still, this year is not like any other for most British Columbians who will be respecting health guidelines and keeping their holiday dinner plans to a small group of friends and relatives already within their bubble.
Fewer people at the dinner table could translate into fewer wine requirements for the big day. It could allow you to either save money or splurge on slightly better wines depending upon your current living needs and disposable income, should you be lucky enough to have any at this point.
There are no real pairing rules for Christmas dinner, making the first prerequisite to choose a wine or wine style that you enjoy. Round soft, generous red wines are always a big hit, as are white wines with a fruity demeanour. The only other parameter to consider is the main course. Will it be the traditional stuffed turkey or perhaps a salmon, ham, or vegetarian dish? No worries, we have some easy solutions you can look for in BCLDB stores or private wine shops with time running out.
If ham is on the menu, our thoughts turn to Grenache and Semillon. For a red you might consider Yalumba Samuel's Collection Barossa Grenache Shiraz Mataro 2016, Barossa Valley, South Australia ($22.99) — soft and round, its plummy dark fruits, cedar, and cinnamon will easily take on the ham. If white is more your style, the Bartier Bros. Sémillon 2019, Oliver, Okanagan Valley, B.C. ($16.99) with its juicy Asian pear, green apple, and white peach flavours with the scent of sagebrush is a steal.
Roast turkey with the classic bread and sage stuffing or some combination is made for Chardonnay, particularly those with a softer, buttery style with hints of green and red apple streaked with dried herbs with little, if any, oak influence. Our two picks are Louis Jadot Bourgogne Chardonnay Couvent des Jacobins 2018, Burgundy, France ($30.99) or locally look for the Gold Hill Chardonnay 2019, Okanagan Valley, B.C. ($19.99).
Vegetarian choices have come a long way in the last decade, and Christmas dinner is the perfect time for vegetable side dishes and trimmings that can be made free of meat. Wine choices are limitless here as long as the wine has a certain freshness level to elevate the dish. Dry Riesling is well suited to the dinner table — we love the Tantalus Riesling 2019, East Kelowna, Okanagan Valley, B.C. ($24.49). Think grapefruit, limes, Meyer lemons, citrus zest, nectarines and more. Rhone Valley whites are equally tasty and a bargain. A fine choice would be the Louis Bernard Côtes du Rhône Blanc, Rhone Valley, France, ($14). Its floral scents, tropical fruits and citrus/ stony, mineral flavours will light up most dishes.
If salmon is on the menu, the slam dunk match is Pinot Noir. We like the leaner northern style of the Cedarcreek Pinot Noir 2018, Okanagan Valley, B.C. ($26.99) — black plums, wild cassis mix with dark earth, smoked cedar and cracked pepper to bring just the right tone to take on any salmon preparation. Another step up is the Foxtrot 2018 Pinot Noir The Waltz ($50.99), a high-quality local offering from the Naramata Bench — local salmon and local Pinot Noir is hard to beat.
You can also check out our Christmas dinner picks in this weekend's Salut edition for even more ideas on what you can serve on the big day.
Happy Holidays and stay safe.