BC Wines and Holiday Parties: Perfect Pairings for Every Celebration
The Holidays are upon us and that means lots of food, parties and gift giving until New Years Eve. Whether you are searching for the perfect pairing at a family gathering, bringing a bottle to a catch up with friends, or looking for a new party idea to host, BC wines are a great addition to any event this December.
I’ll be showing a few of my favourite British Columbia wineries on Global News’ Saturday Sips this weekend, but there are so many amazing options to enjoy. To make your holiday wine shopping easier, I’ve compiled some of my top BC wines and how to incorporate them into your holiday party.
Lightning Rock Winery 2021 ‘Elysia Vineyard’ Blanc de Noir, Summerland Bench, Okanagan Valley
We make world class sparkling wines in BC and Lightning Rock Winery entries are a favourite! I especially love bringing Méthod Traditional (Champagne Method) wines to holiday parties as a welcome bubble as well as something that goes with pre-dinner snacks and appetizers. The old sommelier’s adage that you can pour Champagne with every course of a meal is so true. In this case, I’d pour it with every part of an evening with friends!
For tasting notes, think lemon and grapefruit, Granny Smith apple, tart wild strawberries, chamomile, honey, and toasted almonds. Especially great for filo wrapped baked brie with rhubarb chutney (a Forsyth family favourite).
Also check out Lightning Rock Winery 2023 ‘Harrington House Vineyard’ Chenin Blanc Pet-Nat
Little Farm Winery 2020 ‘Mulberry Tree Vineyard’ Chardonnay, Similkameen Valley
Rhys Pender makes a neutral oak fermented Chardonnay that punches way above its weight class and all of his wines from the Similkameen Valley are worth exploring every vintage. All of his wines are low intervention and organic by nature, showing off the incredible terroir of the Similkameen.
Here we get a wine that has layers of complexity, a wonderful texture, notes of blanched almond, lemon rind, nectarine and a slight sea spray that makes it a fantastic pairing for seafood and poultry dishes.
Also check out Tightrope Winery 2022 Chardonnay
Terravista Vineyards 2023 ‘Figaro’ Chardonnay/Viognier/Marsanne, Okanagan Valley
What can I say about Terravista Vineyards– I love this team of people and their adventurous approach to wine. On top of a growing red wine portion of their portfolio, they are also one of very few wineries in Canada working with Iberian grapes like Albariño and Verdejo.
With this year’s Figaro we get a unique blend of Burgundy’s famed Chardonnay and the Rhône Valley’s Viognier and Marsanne. The result is a beautifully textured wine with flavours of apricot, orange blossom and grapefruit pith giving way to a bit of sea spray and creamy lemon meringue texture. If you need something that will work with a cheese board just as well as it would a rich casserole, this is a fantastic option!
Also try Black Hills Estate Winery 2022 Roussanne
1 Mill Road Vineyards 2022 ‘Home Block’ Pinot Noir, Naramata Bench
Katie Truscott and Ben Bryant have been making some of the best Pinot Noir in BC and 1 Mill Road Vineyards Home Block has been a staple at L’Abattoir since the 2018 vintage. I love the idea of bringing Pinot Noir to Turkey dinners – it’s a grape of elegance and a Swiss Army Knife for pairing with holiday fare.
Look for notes of red cherry, tart strawberry, sage brush, earthy spices and lifted aromas framed by fine grained, elegant tannins. It also makes an incredible pairing for soy and miso marinated fish, mushroom and chestnut risotto and herb crusted pork.
Also try SpearHead Winery 2022 ‘Cuvée’ Pinot Noir
Roche Wines 2020 ‘Nuances’ Bordeaux Blend, Okanagan Valley
Dylan and Penelope’s wines are another staple at L’Abattoir and work beautifully with a lot of our food. They also have one of the coolest stories that I get to tell at my tables – Dylan, a native of North Vancouver who decided to travel the world to learn how to make wine and met Penelope while they were both working a harvest in New Zealand. Penelope’s family who had been making wine for over 200 years at the family château in Bordeaux, France. Together they decided to set up in the Okanagan and have been making incredible wine ever since.
Nuances is a blend of traditional Bordeaux blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon that offers a full-bodied wine option for your guests. Packed with flavours of black plum, blackberry, black cherry, and cassis, with delicate layers of baking spice, cocoa, this wine can be enjoyed on its own or as a pairing for any beef dish.
Also try LaStella Winery 2020 Espressivo
HOW ABOUT PARTY GAMES
But a great wine experience doesn’t have to just be about wine and food pairings. Ask your guests to bring additional wine glasses and try a BC Wine blind tasting as a party game amongst friends!
The Checklist:
- 1 wine opener
- 3 glasses per person
- Saltines – they are a great way to reset your palate between wines
- Pairing Snacks – bonus points to anyone giving the best pairing
- 1 red solo cup per participant – for spitting if they choose to or happen to be a designated driver
- Optional – 3 decanters – so you can keep your wines secret while pouring
Game Instructions:
Round 1: White Wines
- Pour wines without your guests seeing.
- Try to have everyone guess the grape (more bonus points if you talk through the tasting notes and take a stab at the producer!).
Round 2: Red Wines
- Have everyone rinse their glasses with a bit of water.
- Repeat the process with the red wines.
The format is up to you; teams or solo, written or talking through, head-to-head or group – cater it to your friends and what you think will be the most fun.
Pro Tip:
If you open your red wines while everyone is going through their white flight, they’ll have a chance to breathe and open up.
Lighter Fare Level Example:
Flight One: Mission Hill Chardonnay, Stag’s Hollow Sauvignon Blanc, Le Vieux Pin ‘Ava
Flight Two: Tantalus Pinot Noir, Black Hills Estate Syrah, Nk’Mip Cellars ‘Qwam Qwmt’ Cabernet Sauvignon
Expert Level Example – Same Grape but Try to Guess the Producer:
Flight One: Quails’ Gate ‘Stewart Family Reserve’ Chardonnay, 1 Mill Road Chardonnay, Tantalus ‘Bear’ Chardonnay
Flight Two: Tantalus Reserve Pinot Noir, 1 Mill Road Pinot Noir, Meyer Family Vineyards ‘McLean Creek Road Vineyard’ Pinot Noir
There you have it! No matter what your group, pairing or event, I hope this gives you a few ideas for some great BC wines to enjoy and gift this holiday season.
Looking for more ways to celebrate the holiday season with BC wines? Explore BC winery events happening in British Columbia Wine Country this season, or find a BC VQA Wine for your next wine-themed party.
Happy Holidays!
Andrew Forsyth
Andrew started his wine journey when he was enrolled in the Wine and Spirit Education Trust courses while working as a Dining Room Manager at the Alberni Street Keg Steakhouse and Bar. Since passing his Certified exam with the Court of Master Sommeliers in May 2019, he has been working on the floor as a Sommelier at Gastown’s L’Abattoir. He has taken a keen interest in competition after winning the opportunity to represent Canada at the Wines of South Africa Sommelier Cup in Cape Town last September. Since then, he has competed in the Best Sommelier BC 2020 and is excited to be pairing wines for you today as part of the BC VQA Somm Smackdown.
