Wine Guy: Top 3 alt-B.C. bottles for the holidays

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The holiday countdown is on and there are wine decisions to be made!

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Whether serving turkey or tikka masala, roast ham or baked beans — what wine should get set with the holiday table?

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Full disclosure, in this context, it’s impossible to single out three best local bottles. The potential meals are too diverse, not to mention taste is too subjective.

But if you’re (perhaps) looking for an unconventional option, well then any of this week’s three picks could easily feature on the holiday menu.

Roche Wines 2022 Vig Schönburger, Naramata Bench (from $23, available through the winery and select private wine stores)

Roche Wines’ Vig series showcases artistic expression — both through hands-on, small farming “vigneron” embracing terroir, and through collaboration with local artists. It’s an engaging concept, and behind the cool techie-blueprint vibe wine label lies a cheery white made from organically-farmed, hand-picked Schönburger. Schönburger is an old-school, cool-climate grape that was brought to B.C. back in the day thanks to its hardy disposition. These days, it may have fallen off the cool grape map, but it proves its worth in this fantastically aromatic, fruity (citrus and stone fruit) and fresh white ready for turkey, roast chicken or Mac n’ cheese.

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Bottom line: A-, Deliciously unique

A Sunday in August 2022 Island Vibes, Saanich Peninsula (from $34.99, available through the winery and select private wine stores)

While this juicy red launched last summer, its bright and bracing personality really resonate during the height of winter. Made from an inspired blend of co-fermented Ortega, Marechal Foch, Pinot Noir and Léon Millot grapes organically-grown on the Vancouver Island’s Saanich Peninsula, it’s not an easy wine to categorize. Ultimately, perhaps the best description is that this is a red wine that just wants to have fun. It oozes berry aromas and flavours in a lighter-bodied, low tannin and higher acidity package that screams to be served with pretty much all food: from cheese plates and canapés, and burgers to pizza.

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Bottom line: B+, Versatile holiday red

Blue Mountain 2014 Reserve Brut, Okanagan Falls (from $49.90, available through the winery and select private wine stores)

To be fair, this is not an obscure wine. Then again, sparkling wine is still not considered a “typical” option for pouring with the main meal. But along comes Blue Mountain’s 2014 Reserve Brut to ably make the case to be the one stand-alone bottle served with the holiday meal. This Chardonnay and Pinot Noir blend (in 55/45 proportion), traditional method bubbly has aged on lees for a full seven years. Chew on that a moment, but then enjoy the great citrus and toast aromatics, and the punchy yet rich mid-palate showing some candied lemon development. The extra years have added elegance, so bring on the cream-based pasta, seafood towers, or just a bag of chips in a pinch.

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Bottom line: A, Top-notch sparkler

The Swirl: Stocking stuffer: Van WineFest Tickets

The truncated holiday timeline also means there’s not much time to finish buying all the needed presents. If this is you and there’s a wine lover still on your list, take note that advance tickets to the 2024 Vancouver International Wine Festival are now on sale. Taking place Feb. 24 to March 3, next year’s festival again features a wide array of events, and tickets to a number of tastings and special occasions can be procured through www.vanwinefest.ca/.

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