Anthony Gismondi: B.C. stands proud at Wine Align National Wine Awards

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The Wine Align National Wine Awards have wrapped up, and results are slowly trickling out online. Unfortunately, what you won’t see are specific B.C. results in a category I call Best Value.

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Yet, by selecting the highest scores and the lowest priced wines and looking only at B.C. producers, I have come up with a useful list of inexpensive quality wines, judged blind, by 26 tasters from across Canada. The parameters are wines that scored a minimum of 88 points and sell for $19 or less.

Given how many questions I get about B.C. wine prices that go something like, could you write about a wine we can afford? Here is a list you should keep close. Now a couple of warnings. The pricing will vary. I am publishing the price entered by the winery when they fill out their entry form. My guess is it’s the winery website price, and it doesn’t contain the tax. Prices will further vary at retail, but that still puts every wine on this list in the same boat. Also, these are new releases, so if there are not yet available near you, they will be soon. It is particularly true for red wines. Full National Wine Awards results are available at winealign.com and gismondionwine.com .

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Leading the list is the Hester Creek 2019 Old Vine Late Harvest Pinot Blanc, Golden Mile Bench, Okanagan Valley ($16.99), scoring an impressive 93 points. Late harvest wines have fallen out of flavours, but we suggest you give them a try at dessert. I do not know the Good Natured 2020 Petit Verdot Merlot, British Columbia ($16.09). It makes sense the most planted red grape with a dash of Petit Verdot should offer up some value. Bordertown 2019 Pinot Gris, Okanagan Valley ($19) impressed the judges at 91 points for its snappy flavours, and Arrowleaf 2020 Riesling, Okanagan Valley ($18), a perennial contender, struck gold.

Other top-scoring aromatic whites that showed well include: Fitzpatrick 2020 Lookout Riesling, Okanagan Valley ($18.50), Chaberton 2019 Gewürztraminer, Okanagan Valley ($17.25), Bartier Bros. 2019 Muscat, Okanagan Valley ($17.99), O’Rourke’s Peak Cellars 2020 Gewürztraminer, Okanagan Valley ($18), Monte Creek 2020 Hands Up White, British Columbia ($17.99), Intrigue Wines 2020 Social White, Okanagan Valley ($14.90) and Thornhaven 2020 Horizon, Okanagan Valley ($13.98). They are all delicious whites for the price and should interest vegetarians seeking wines to pair with their favourite spicy vegetable dishes.

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Among the reds to look for: Good Natured 2020 Balanced Red, British Columbia ($16.09) caught the judge’s eye, as did two Peller Estates Okanagan 2020 Family Reserve labels: the Winemaker’s Red, British Columbia, and the Cabernet Merlot, British Columbia. Both Peller picks are listed at a nifty $13.80 per bottle. Hockey fans will be happy to know the Wayne Gretzky Okanagan 2020 Rosé, Okanagan Valley ($18.39), which topped all inexpensive pinks at 89 points.

The list goes on, but I will end with a few picks I particularly admire, beginning with the Fitzpatrick 2020 The Mischief Pinot Blanc, Okanagan Valley ($18.50), Arrowleaf 2019 Field Collection White, Okanagan Valley ($17), Quails’ Gate 2019 Dry Riesling, Okanagan Valley ($17.99), Mayhem 2019 Pinot Gris, Okanagan Valley ($19), O’Rourke’s Peak Cellars 2019 Pinot Gris, Okanagan Valley ($18), and last but not least Northern Lights N/V Seduction Rhubarb Strawberry, British Columbia ($17.38).

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Let’s be clear, there are many more value B.C. reds, but today’s list was kept to prices under $19. It should keep you going for a while but keep in mind that B.C. wineries are beginning to sell out of their current stocks. Add in wildfire issues with some wines and a decidedly shot crop in 2021, and there is no reason to think prices will increase, and supplies will dwindle.

Good luck, and stay tuned for our overall look at the National Wine Awards results in the coming weeks.

Weekend wine picks

Fitzpatrick Runabout White 2020, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada 

$16.50 I 88/100

UPC: 626990252917

Runabout hits all the right bells blending Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Riesling, and Ehrenfelser and fermenting the all-Greata Ranch fruit stainless steel. The style is light and refreshing at a mere 10.5 per cent alcohol by volume, perfect for an aromatic off-dry white category. Look for bright, crunchy orchard fruit flavours with a light spicy finish. So well made and balanced, it will be a friend to many South Asian dishes.

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Blue Grouse Estate Ortega 2020, Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada 

$19 I 90/100

UPC: 626990423591

Ortega is a cross of Siegerrebe and Muller-Thürgau. At Blue Grouse, the vines are own-rooted and pushing 30 years old, with some additional plantings now seven years old making up the estate white, farmed organically on silt loam, gravel and sands. It is partially dry-farmed and fermented at three stages of ripeness to layer in some complexity. The attack is fresh with crisp lemon pith, mandarin, white peach, light licorice and yellow fruits. Elegantly styled and finished with a mineral marine salty touch — pure class and food-friendly, all at 12 degrees alcohol. I wish they all were made like this.

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Peak Cellars Gewürztraminer 2020, Lake Country, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada 

$21 I 88/100

UPC: 681714160022

From two estate blocks on the Carr’s Landing Vineyard, this fruity, light Gewürztraminer is made in a mix of stainless steel, neutral oak with some skin contact to excellent results. It is floral and spicy, with crisp pink grapefruit, apricot, lime zest, all with a bit of residual sugar barley noticeable at six g/L — fresh, friendly fun and a perfect wine to take on most appetizers and large thirsty crowds. Winery pairing thoughts include: honeyed or caramelized game bird dishes, poke bowls and curries — try Butter Chicken or Fish Rogan Josh. This wine also does well with charcuterie boards and smoked foods.

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Quails’ Gate Rosé 2020, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada 

$19.99 I 89/100

UPC: 778856115240

2020 is a Gamay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier blend that gets approximately four hours of skin contact. The colour is pale and pink, the nose a citrus-scented mix of strawberries with beautiful floral undertones. Clean, dry, refreshing, this has a squeeze of Okanagan desert scrub to keep it interesting to the last sip. Good value in a less-is-more pink. Ready to drink.

Mayhem Anarchy Reserve Merlot 2019, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada 

$19.13 I 88/100

UPC: 626990389491

Anarchy comes off the Anarchist Mountain Vineyard, mixing mostly Merlot with a small portion of Cabernet Franc. The nose is a fragrant floral affair with cool licorice notes. Expect fresh, savoury, dark plum fruit mixed with black and blue fruits and soft, youthful tannins on the palate. Best now with grilled beef. Post ferment, each variety was aged separately in 50 per cent new French oak for 18 months, then blended and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Good value.

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Recipe match: Baked chicken wings

If you love chicken wings, you’re in luck. Created by Doug Stephen of DL Chicken , a Vancouver-based go-to for all things chicken that recently expanded to include a spot at UBC, this dish offers the perfect mix of savoury, salty and a hint of spice. Serve these baked wings with your favourite dipping sauce — or devour them on their own.

Baked chicken wings

1 to 2 lbs (454-907 g) chicken wings

Chicken wing brine 

2 tbsp (30 mL) cayenne pepper, omit if you don’t want it spicy

1/3 cup (80 g) salt

1/4 cup (44 g) sugar

2 cloves garlic

1/2 onion

8 cups (2 L) water

In a pan, heat all ingredients allowing sugar and salt to dissolve. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and allow to chill.

Chicken wing chili dust 

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5 tbsp (75 mL) Mexican chili powder

1 1/2 tsp (7.5 mL) garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp (7.5 mL) onion powder

1 1/2 tsp (7.5 mL) salt

1 tsp (5 mL) sugar

Combine all ingredients together in a bowl. Mix well.

Method 

Brine chicken wings for a minimum of 24 hours in the chicken wing brine in your fridge.

When ready, take them out and season the chicken wings with the chicken wing dust liberally, leaving some for a light dusting after baking. Bake chicken wings at 400F for 45-55 minutes until cooked through to an internal temperature of 165F. Dust the remaining chili dust. Allow rest for approx. 10 minutes before serving — if you can wait that long. Enjoy!

Makes 12-24 wings.

Recipe match

Baked chicken wings with or without spice give us two options to cope with the heat or savoury notes. 

Kitsch Maria’s Block Riesling 2019, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $27

Citrus and herbal notes with just enough residual keep you going back to the glass or looking for a spicy chicken wing.

Gérard Bertrand Côte Des Roses Rosé 2019, Languedoc, France $24.95 

The scent of watermelons and strawberries leads into a dry, firm, elegant pink ready to slay the regular wings with style.