Sample wines from Naramata Bench
The Naramata Bench Spring Tasting is coming to Vancouver on Friday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Vancouver Community College, 250 W Pender St., in downtown Vancouver. It will be the first opportunity to try the new releases from over 20 wineries within the Naramata Bench wine region. Small bites and charcuterie will be served as an accompaniment to the wine. Tickets are $50 each.
According to the latest Lending Tree survey of 2,000 U.S. consumers, our American friends are cutting back on booze. Among the key findings, 37 per cent of American drinkers plan to reduce or eliminate their alcohol intake this year.
This figure is even higher for Gen Z'ers: Of the 47 per cent who said they drink alcohol, over half (53 per cent) plan to cut back or quit this year. Across all drinkers who want to dial back, they're most likely to do it for their physical health (64 per cent), finances (41 per cent) and mental health (37 per cent). Some blame alcohol for their overspending. And 45 per cent of drinkers say they've regretted overspending on alcohol and partying, and 17 per cent acknowledge that buying booze has led to debt. Across generations, millennials are spending the most on alcohol, at an average of $110 monthly. When asked about their reasons for drinking, 66 per cent said relaxation, 51 per cent cited socialization and 43 per cent said taste.
WINE OF THE WEEK
CheckMate Artisanal Winery Queen Taken Chardonnay Dekleva Vineyard 2021, Golden Mile Bench, Okanagan Valley $125 I 96/100
UPC: 776545802903 Queen Taken is a historically significant Canadian Chardonnay, beginning with its 46-yearold vines located on the first Okanagan sub-Gi: the Golden Mile Bench. The Checkmate viticultural team has painstakingly restored the vineyard over the last decade, which has reshaped the earlier versions of this wine, taking it down a leaner, more complex road, reducing the alcohol and upping the freshness. Queen Taken is like no other
Checkmate label and will be the beacon for the coming releases under winemaker Spencer Kelly. It will be tighter, fresher and more Burgundian, if you like. In the glass are notes of pear, ginger and wet stones. The minerality leads on the mid-palate with an assist from a savoury, vibrant undercurrent. First class. Winery direct.
VALUE WINE OF THE WEEK
Ormarine Picpoul de Pinet Les Pins De Camille 2021, Picpoul de Pinet, Coteaux du Languedoc, Languedoc, France $16.99 I 88/100
UPC: 3186127768690
The Omarine Picpoul de Pinet has been a regular feature on Monopoly shelves for years, and for a good reason: it over-delivers. Oddly, it has no other challengers, although other private sector selections exist. This slim southern French variety is an enticing, food-friendly grape that makes everyday wine especially suited to summer, decks, patios, bite-sized food or a bowl of steamed clams. Fresh and citrus-scented with a mix of honey and quince, its juicy grapefruit and ginger palate is difficult to ignore. It is in 110 B.C. liquor stores. Stock up for summer.