Anthony Gismondi: Go global with Christmas dinner wine picks (and get out there now!)
Credit to Author: agismondi| Date: Fri, 20 Dec 2019 16:00:22 +0000
I know what you may be thinking: Why do I have to be in charge of buying the wines for Christmas dinner?
Look at this way: Shopping for wine is a far easier task than preparing the meal. So relax — we’re here to help with some up-to-the-minute picks that are likely to still be available in wine shops.
But this is it. You need to shop today; there can be no more procrastination. All of our suggestions should be widely available, and each is designed to stand up to the array of food and palates it will face during the big meal.
This year we challenge you to be more global and accepting of all wines by pairing local wine with import wine. I’m all for cheering for the home team when they deserve it, but the bargains are in the international aisles. It behooves you to experiment with both, if only to keep all wine prices in check.
Chardonnay remains the No. 1 selling white varietal wine, and it’s an excellent match with turkey and ham, so it has to be on your list.
Our import choice is Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon 2016 Mâcon-Milly-Lamartine, Burgundy, France ($51.99). You can pair it alongside the Checkmate Fool’s Mate 2015 Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia ($79.99). These are two great bottles that will be fun to taste in a head-to-head dinner table setting.
For a pair of less expensive options, look to the Rodney Strong 2017 Chardonnay, Sonoma County, Calif. ($22.99) or the Quails’ Gate 2017 Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia ($22.99).
Sauvignon Blanc fans can turn to the classic Robert Mondavi 2016 Fume Blanc ($24.49) bright and fresh with a touch of California warmth. Locally, the Clos du Soleil 2017 Fume Blanc, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia ($18.49) over-delivers for the price and the pair might inspire a non-political conversation at the dinner table. If you need volume, the most underrated Sauvignon in the market is the Errazuiz Estate 2017 Sauvignon Blanc, Aconcagua Valley, Chile ($13.49).
Riesling is a super choice for dinners full of flavours; the problem is choosing only two. From next door in Washington state, the Kung Fu Girl 2013 Riesling ($14.99) is always a solid choice and super fresh expression of the famous German grape. Our hometown pick is Wild Goose 2017 Riesling, Okanagan Falls, British Columbia ($17.99), a delicious mix of lemon and green apples with a dusting of sweetness.
Pinot Noir is the hot red these days, but finding affordable bottles is the trick. The standard is Burgundy, but pickings are slim under $50. Our choice is the Bouchard Pere 2014 Cote de Beaune Villages ($34.99) — it’s perfect for your turkey or ham. From B.C.’s Okanagan, we like the Tantalus 2017 Pinot Noir, East Kelowna ($29.99). Both are in government stores and would be a fascinating pairing on your holiday table.
Consider hugging a Merlot this Christmas as the much-maligned varietal appears to be shedding its less than stellar image. Locally, we love the Mission Hill Reserve Merlot, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia ($24.99) as soft, round and silky with a savoury B.C. edge. Pure tannins fruit and soft tannins can go a long way at the Christmas dinner table. On the more elegant side, we also suggest the Hillside 2014 Merlot, British Columbia ($18.99). No imports compete at this price level, so stick to the Okanagan for Merlot.
The Syrah/Shiraz field is significant. Our recommendations are both food-friendly and rich, but not monsters. Locally, go with Bartier Bros 2017 Syrah, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia ($29.99) and from Down Under, we like the Yalumba Organic Shiraz, South Australia ($16.29).
That should get you started for dinner, but truth be told any of these selections would work at any gathering you are planning over the holidays and beyond.
And finally, Merry Christmas: It’s a privilege to share this wine page with you every week.
Penfolds Bin 311 Chardonnay 2017, South Australia
$49.99 I 92/100
UPC: 012354071919
We haven’t seen this wine in a decade, but it’s part of a very progressive Chardonnay program that has changed the face of Penfold’s white wine program. The Penfolds mantra is: Follow the best fruit every year, and in 2017 it came from three regions: Adelaide Hills, Tasmania and Tumbarumba. The nose is bright with subtle citrus aromas, clean lees and attractive bread dough. It spends only eight months in French oak, and only 25 per cent is new. The palate is all the aforegoing and more, with impressive minerality and acid throughout. Layered and persistent, this is a terrific bottle of Chardonnay and a great model for B.C.
Copain Tous Ensemble Chardonnay 2017, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, Calif.
$37.99 I 89/100
UPC: 851392007876
Tous Ensemble, or “all together,” is a mix of fruit that gets a rare foot-treading in macro bins before this wine goes direct to press in whole clusters. The wine is coastal with crisp aromatics, and some floral and mineral notes. The intensity of California’s sun kicks in, adding hints of Meyer lemon, mandarin and tangerine streaked with pear, apple and very lively acid. The finish is long and persistent with a nutty, buttery undertone. Stylish and ready to drink.
Nk’Mip Cellars Mer’r’iym White Meritage Sauvignon Blanc – Sémillon 2017, Osoyoos, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
$27.99 I 91/100
UPC: 00063657037881
Mer’r’iym White is one of the best Canadian white wines we tasted this year. It was equally acknowledged at the National Wine Awards of Canada. The blend is 62/33 Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon and it’s as bright and fresh as they come. The attack has a beautiful, floral, herbal quality with bright acidity and crispness balanced by a long, creamy, luxurious texture. The Semillon is barrel-fermented in new oak, but merely tempers the electric Sauvignon fruit that gives this wine its life. You can age this, but frankly I’m tempted to drink it now while it is fresh and delicious.
Santa Julia Reserva Malbec 2017, Valle de Uco, Tunuyán, Central Region, Mendoza, Argentina
$16.99 I 89/100
UPC: 07791728000566
A great holiday wine packed with super-pure fruit with a peppery, savoury undercurrent, plus firm tannins that line the walls of the wine through the finish. Red fruit, a Zuccardi signature, pops from the glass, reminiscent of plums, black raspberries with a dusting of spice. Reliable, affordable and ready to drink with grilled beef, but you can hold this another five years and expect it to improve further. Crazy value, so back up the truck.
Road 13 Seventy-Four K 2017, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
$23.99 I 87/100
UPC: 626990331858
It’s been a few years since we tasted Seventy-Four K, named for the length of all Road 13’s vineyard if laid out end to end. The 2017 is a grand melange of Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Teroldego, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Viognier, Grenache and Mourvèdre. Plush and ripe purple and blue-fruited, with lush plums, lavender, sweet blueberry, vanilla and nutmeg fill the round, cushioned palate. Tannins are plump, and the finish is bitter chocolate. Drink now, as intended.
Take a stroll through snow-covered Central Park before heading back to your Manhattan apartment for a glass and a snack. New York designers Lisa Nieschlag and Lars Wentrup have you covered on the snack front with these posh mini-pies from New York Christmas Baking. Change the filling with the seasons: Try using blueberries or raspberries instead of the cranberries, for example.
12 oz (350 g) plain flour
4 1/4 oz (120 g) raw sugar
3 tbsp (45 mL) ground pecans
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1mL) ground cinnamon
5 1/2 oz (150 g) cold butter, diced
1 3/4 oz (50 g) white chocolate, finely grated
1 egg
Filling
14 oz (400 g) cranberries
3 3/4 oz (110 g) raw sugar
2 mandarins, juice and zest
1 tbsp (15 mL) cornflour
Also:
Butter for the tin
Flour for dusting
1 egg yolk for glazing
Combine the flour, sugar, pecans, salt and cinnamon in a bowl. Add butter and chocolate and rub in quickly until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Whisk the egg, add to the dough and knead until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and leave to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
For the filling, combine the cranberries and sugar in a saucepan. Zest the mandarins and add it to the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 3 minutes. Juice the mandarins and combine the juice with the cornflour, then add it to the cranberries with a pinch of salt. Simmer for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C) and lightly butter a muffin tray. Roll out the dough about 3/16 inch (4 mm) thick on a lightly floured surface. Use a cookie cutter to cut out 12 2-inch (5 cm) circles. Line muffin holes with dough and spoon in the cranberry filling. Cut another 12 circles, about 2½ inches (6 cm), out of the remaining dough. Cut a small heart shape out of the centre of each circle, then place on top of the pies. Whisk the egg yolk until smooth with 1 tbsp (15 mL) water and brush over the pies. Bake for 12–14 minutes, until golden brown.
Makes 12 servings.
Pairing tart cranberries with a sweet-ish Riesling should balance both sides of the dish.
Spearhead Botrytis Affected Late Harvest Riesling 2018, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia ($25)
It’s creamy, if not unctuous, but never cloying. Perfect for dessert. Serve well chilled.
Van Westen Vineyards Viscous 2018, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia ($25)
Sugared lemon drops with baked apples and poached pears that should be the perfect foil to the cranberry tart.
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