Anthony Gismondi: How to save money on the holiday sales

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I was asked by a reader where she could find the Kosher wines recommended in this column last month. The answer is simple, most of the wines we recommend each week can be found in B.C Liquor Stores because it’s where most of our readers across the province shop.

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Starting this week and throughout the run-up to the holidays, we will be recommending many different wines, mainly sold at your local B.C. Liquor Store.

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If you didn’t know, wines are typically distributed from as few as a dozen stores to more than 125 government outlets. That said, highly sought-after wines at all price points seldom arrive in B.C. in large numbers, so a quality listing may only appear in a couple of dozen stores and often only in stores with extensive wine selections, known as flagship stores. B.C. wines are the exception, with the largest number, some 1,300, residing in the 21 Save-on-Foods grocery stores with wine departments.

Seasoned wine buyers will be able to locate many of our picks in private wine shops, but selections are highly personal in the private sector, and there is no reliable road map that tells you where you can find the wine. Searching for private sector wines on the internet in Canada is mostly a frustrating experience. It’s best to physically visit your local wine shop and inquire if they have the wine; often, their prices can be competitive if the wine is sold in government stores.

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Your best tool to locate a recommended wine is bcliquorstores.com. You can search for any of the wines we write about, and almost all of them will come up in the results. The trick is to click on the wine name or bottle shot you searched for, look for a red “Where to Buy” box, press that button, and enter your neighbourhood or store location. That will produce a list of stores selling the wine in question and how many bottles are in each store. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Today I wanted to focus on the “sale” signs in government stores. Countless wines go on sale during the 12 monthly government financial periods that unfortunately do not line up with the Gregorian monthly calendar, leaving everyone wondering when any sale period starts or ends without checking online.

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You could say a modest reduction on a highly inflated retail price is hardly a sale, and you would be correct, but you will spend less buying wines on sale. Rather than walking up and down store aisles to find out what is on sale, go back to the BCL website, hit the sale button on the front page menu, and get a list of the eligible wines. You can sort it by price, zero in on the wines that interest you and then check which stores are selling them.

The current sale ends Nov. 26, but a new list of wines will be available from Nov. 27 into late December. With a week to go, I wanted to show you how to save money at the low end of the scale, under $20 and higher up from $30-$75. Here’s what I suggest:

$20 and under:

• Torres Sangre de Toro Original, Penedès, Catalunya, Spain ($11.99 was $16.99)

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• Finca Las Moras Reserva 2020 Tannat, San Juan, Argentina ($13.99 was 16.99)

• Fat Bastard Shiraz, Languedoc, France ($14.49 was 16.49)

• Paul Mas ‘Allnatt’ 2019 Vermentino, IGP Pays d’Oc, France ($14.97 was $19.99)

• Louis Bernard Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2020, Rhone Valley, France ($14.99 was $16.99)

• Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc Private Bin, Marlborough, New Zealand ($15.99 was $19.99)

• Fontanafredda Langhe Arneis, Piedmont, Italy ($15.99 was $19.99)

$30-$75:

• Felton Road 2019 Bannockburn Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand ($74.99 was $87.99)

• Castello di Ama San Lorenzo 2017 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, Tuscany, Italy ($59.99 was $64.99)

• Damilano Lecinquevigne Barolo 2014, Langhe, Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy ($54.99 was $59.99)

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• Torres Purgatori 2013, Costers del Segre, Catalunya, Spain ($51.99 was $57.99)

• Greywacke Wild Sauvignon 2016, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand ($44.99 was $48.99)

• Giant Steps 2020 Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia ($38.99 was $42.99)

• Villa Antinori 2017 Chianti Classico Riserva, Tuscany, Italy ($30.99 was $34.99)

Weekend wine picks

Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay Vintner’s Reserve 2020, California, United States 

$23.99 I 90/100

UPC: 081584013105

Winemaker Randy Ullom was recently named an American Wine Legend by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. The maker of America’s No. 1 selling Chardonnay has made subtle tweaks to the wine over the last decade, tightening the structure, restraining the fruit and oak in favour of a livelier palate, and keeping the brand’s millions of fans happy. A citrus undercurrent supports soft, creamy tropical fruit with a lime butter finish. Impressive for the price and quantity produced. Congratulations, Randy, you have earned it.

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Spearhead Chardonnay Clone 95 2020, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada 

$30 I 91/100

UPC: 626990441229

Spearhead Clone 95 is rare single clone Chardonnay bottling from a single site, Duncan Vineyard, on the Naramata Bench. As good as it was last year, it is better in 2020. It is barrel-fermented in a combination of French barrels and puncheons (25 per cent new) and spends ten months on lees building complexity and mouth feel. It pops with freshness and intensity of flavour, led by tropical fruit, citrus, and toasted almonds. Baked apple pervades the finish with a leesy hazelnut underscore. Impressive and a whole lot of fun to drink. Like last year, drink or hold. There is no rush here. Good value.

Quails’ Gate Clone 49 Riesling 2021, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada 

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$34.99 I 91/100

UPC: 778856421026

The Collection Clone 49 Riesling showcases an emerging South Kelowna microclimate that is very welcoming to the grape. As good as 2020 is, 2021 comes from a cooler year and brings another level of electricity to this wine. Its mineral, stony nose previews a juicy lime palate pricked with green apples, flint, oyster liqueur, and a perfectly balanced dry finish. So get the vegetarian sushi rolls, a favourite Thai green curry, or fresh B.C. shellfish. More, please.

Quinta da Lixa Vinhão 2021, Vinhos Verde, Northern Portugal, Portugal 

$16.99 I 88/100

UPC: 5601333055467

A red Vinho Verde seems odd but with a mysterious inky dark purple colour. It turned out to be the definition of juicy and brambly on the palate, with light feet and plenty of acidity. Barbecue pork Chinese style would be perfect, or even more straightforward, a pulled pork sandwich. It is fun but pours it with a slight chill — tremendous value here but for wine nuts only.

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Marqués de Nombrevilla Garnacha, Calatayud, Spain 

$24.99 I 87

UPC: 08424703500483

If you are looking for a decent bag in the box red to keep you on the budget, the Marqués de Nombrevilla Garnacha might be for you. The prime ingredient is the Garnacha or Grenache grape. It is grown at 1,000 metre high, dry-farmed vineyards, and the average age of the vines ranges from 35 to 45 years old. It has that juicy, red-fruit Grenache style, primarily ripe raspberry and strawberry flavours, dusted with scrubby desert notes. Soft, simple, and ready to drink. The three litre eco-friendly container will run you $24.99. That is the equivalent of $6.25 a bottle. Dark ruby in colour, this Garnacha has juicy aromas of sweet strawberries, roasted plums, and dried herbs. Medium-bodied with round tannins, the palate has flavours of fresh raspberries, fruit roll-up, and baking spice. The finish is dry and fruity.

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Recipe match: Honey sesame popcorn snack mix

Perfect for a movie night or snacking on during an at-home happy hour, this simple recipe shared by the team at Orville Redenbacher Gourmet Popping Corn is perfectly sweet, salty — and crunchy — thanks to add-ins such as pretzel twists and dry-roasted nuts.

Shake up the serving situation by sharing in cool cocktail glasses.

Honey Sesame Popcorn Snack Mix

6 cups (1.5 L) popped popcorn

3 cups (750 mL) crispy corn cereal squares, broken into small chunks

2 cups (500 mL) mini pretzel twist

1 1/2 cup (375 mL) dry-roasted mixed nuts

3 tbsp (45 mL) butter, melted

2 tbsp (30 mL) sesame seeds, toasted

1 tsp (5 mL) liquid honey

Preheat oven to 180 C. In large bowl, toss together popcorn, crispy corn cereal chunks, pretzels and nuts. In small bowl, stir together butter, sesame seeds and honey. Pour over popcorn mixture; stir well to coat. Transfer to parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until toasted. Transfer to serving bowl. Serve warm or let cool for 15 minutes.

Makes 10 servings. 

Recipe match

Depending on how sweet this snack turns out to be, Prosecco is the match. It could be fun around the holidays.

Anna Spinato Prosecco Brut Organic N/V, Veneto, Italy ($20.49)

Expressive zesty lemon, confected pear, and almond flavours come with a gentle mousse that should refresh the palate between snacks — certified organic.

La Jara Prosecco Brut Biologico N/V, Veneto, Italy ($17.99)

Look for a delicate style with restrained pear, peach fruit, and floral aromatics with a soft, creamy mousse. Bring on the snacks.