Here are three refreshing wines to enjoy over the B.C. Day long weekend: A dry Spanish sherry, a B.C. white from the Okanagan, and a tasty red from South Australia. All are available here in Richmond.
Real sherry comes from the town of Jerez, Spain. The name “sherry” is an anglicization of the town Jerez. Many Canadians think of sherry as a sweet after dinner drink suitable for old aunts to sip on. Although the Spanish make delicious sweet sherries, most Spaniards drink dry sherry. And the driest of them all is fino.
Tio Pepe Fino ($21.99) is the most popular fino, produced since 1844 by Gonzalez Byass, the largest sherry producer in Jerez. Vinified from Palamino grapes, fino evolves under the solera system in which newer vintages are blended with older ones to make a consistent style. It is then aged in partially filled oak barrels where a flor yeast develops and contributes to its distinctly saline nutty flavour.
For me, fino is a complex wine that takes a while to get used because of its unique personality. There’s saltiness, olives, toasted almonds, lemon zest and earthiness with crisp acidity that makes it delicious with food.
Enjoy chilled. Great with sardines and lemon, clams baked with chorizo, olives, cheese or any tapas you prefer. Make sure you turn up the flamenco music and enjoy. Olé!
Next a white wine from the second label of Burrowing Owl, the Calliope 2016 Sauvignon Blanc ($16).The word Calliope (ka-LIE-oh-pee)is of Greek origin meaning “beautiful voice” and is also the Greek muse of eloquence and poetry. Calliope is also the name of a hummingbird found in southern B.C. which is Canada’s smallest bird.
The Sauvignon Blanc is made from Keremeos and Osoyoos fruit picked by hand. It has a fresh aroma of lemon zest, grapefruit and fresh mown hay, with a flavour of gooseberry, green beans and citrus. There’s great balance between the fruit, acid and minerals. I’ve often felt that B.C. wines and New Zealand wines have a lot in common and this B.C. SB is very similar to ones that have made New Zealand famous.
Enjoy with mussels in a curry broth, feta cheese and chickpea salad or Vietnamese salad rolls.
Switching to reds, consider opening the 2014 Bleasdale Mulberry Tree Cabernet Sauvignon ($17.49) from South Australia. Produced in the Langhorne Creek region near Adelaide, it has everything you want from a Cab: it’s affordable, drinkable, with smooth tannins and the complexity you expect of a good wine. The bouquet and flavours include black currants and ripe berries, hints of dark chocolate and spicy oak.
James Halliday, the top wine critic in Oz gave it 92 points in his Australian Wine Companion guide and christened it a “special value wine.” Who can argue with Mr. Halliday!
Drinking well now but could age for at least five more years. Serve with lamb on the barbie or Beef Wellington.
Eric Hanson is a Richmond wine educator.
