Anthony Gismondi: There’s always time for affordable wines

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The long weekend is upon us, and while we were hoping to be free from COVID-19 restrictions, a few more days or weeks won’t matter in the big picture if it sets us free for the summer.

Today we suggest some quality affordable wines, at least for what you get in the glass. Pricing remains a huge issue in North America, especially B.C., and they are going up every week.

I read a frightening story about sommeliers starting to make a big comeback in the U.S, where restaurant openings are surging, and the rehiring of somms is on in a big way. I’m happy they are getting their jobs back but to hear why is concerning. Restaurant owners need/want their expertise to push up wine prices and sales to return the business to profitability. Despite a year and a half of pain, it looks like there will be no reset of the restaurant model that is in desperate need of a serious adjustment.

This long weekend you can still take matters into your own hands and buy your wine direct from retailers or local wineries and at least save on the hefty markups you can’t avoid at restaurants inside or outside. And you and your pod are not restricted to the backyard, you can enjoy a drink at several designated parks throughout the GVRD.

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There has been a rise in the interest of Sauvignon Blanc among consumers, suggesting that leanness and freshness have made inroads versus oak-aged whites. Locally we like Mission Hill Reserve Meritage White 2019 ($21.99). It’s mostly Sauvignon and part of the legacy of departed winemaker Darryl Brooker, sporting creamy lees, passion fruit, guava, pineapple rind that jumps from the glass.

On the import side, we like the Francois Lurton Les Fumées Blanches, Sud de France ($15.99), a dry, juicy ripe mineral affair with a lot of verve.

Chardonnay lovers have plenty of choices, so if you left the category to escape the vanilla and oak, you might want to rediscover this highly popular grape. Two impressive labels to look for are Devil’s Lair Honeycomb Chardonnay 2019, Margaret River, Western Australia ($24.99), bright and juicy with delicious mineral, honeycomb, citrus and stone fruit or the Louis Latour Ardèche Chardonnay 2018, France ($16.99) with its ripe red apple fruit sprinkled with hazelnuts, honey, and a dusting of lees. Grilled prawns, anyone?

Pinot Noir is an easy long weekend fit if you want something just a little lighter than Cabernet Franc or Sauvignon. A new wine to check out is Zorzal Terroir Unico Pinot Noir 2018, Gualtallary, Tupungato, Argentina ($17.49) with its dark cherry, spice and black raspberries with easy-sipping tannins. Homemade chicken empanadas are the match.

We dedicate the rest of the picks to barbecue freaks. Think rich, but not overly spicy or tannic. What you want is something you can sip and eventually drink alongside your creation, be it beef or pork or chicken or lamb or even grilled vegetables.

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The latest M. Chapoutier Belleruche Côtes du Rhône ($17.49) knocks it out of the park with black cherries, raspberries and white pepper flecks. Similar quality can be found in the Boutinot Les Coteaux Côtes du Rhone Villages, Rhone Valley, France ($19.99) along with sweet spices, oak and peppery, smoky, savoury black raspberry and licorice fruit — the perfect summer barbecue red.

Cabernet Sauvignon is everywhere. Here’s what we like for value: Matchbook Red Gravel Cabernet Sauvignon, Dunnigan Hills, Yolo County, California ($15.99). A big, bold red that delivers on its promise at a great price. Finca el Origen Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Character, Valle de Uco, Argentina ($16.99) is all you can want for the price in Cabernet, and it’s full of cassis, blackberry jam, and ripe plum wrapped in a light oak finish.

Keep your mask close, don’t drink and drive and have a long relaxing weekend — you have earned it B.C.

Weekend wine picks

Wild Goose Riesling 2019, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$17.99 I 89/100

UPC: 626990007272

The classic Wild Goose Riesling has been overdelivering since the middle 1980s. Cool slate, floral, orange aromas float from the glass. The attack is fresh and clean with crisp, juicy, elegant Granny Smith apple streaked with pear, lemon, lime, and nectarine skin — bright, mineral, ready to drink. Fantastic value.

Hester Creek Old Vines Block 16 Trebbiano 2020, Golden Mile Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

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$22.99 I 90/100

UPC: 626990125341

Block 16 Trebbiano is a much different wine today than it was a decade ago. Drier, firmer, fresher, and far more interesting, the 52-year-old vines tell a story no other wine in B.C. can. From the highly-lauded 2020 vintage, the latest effort is impressive. Wildflower honey, melon, nectarine and apricot feign sweetness yet remain dry. A highly affordable treasure will transform any prawn dish into a selection extraordinaire or serve with a block of fresh local goat cheese.

O’Rourke’s Peak Cellars Grüner Veltliner 2019, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$24 I 89/100

UPC: 681714150030

Among its multitude of vines, the estate grows four acres of Grüner Veltliner fermented and aged in a mix of stainless steel and oak. I love the way this wine invites you into its palate full of dry, mouth-watering orchard fruits flecked with tangerine and minerals. The acidity pulls it back in line for a clean, crisp, leesy finish. You could finish the bottle before any food arrives, but it only gets better on the table. A year later, it’s even better under screwcap.

Luigi Bosca Malbec 2018, Mendoza, Argentina

$23.99 I 90/100

UPC: 7791203001231

A steady, value-for-money performer, the latest edition comes from an outstanding year in Argentina. At 50+ years old, the east-facing, biodynamically farmed vines are matured at Finca La Linda, at 950m above sea level in Luján de Cuyo. The nose and palate are both rich and expressive, offering black plum flecked with blueberries and black raspberries, spending a year in French oak to round out the edges and firm up the tannins. This one is age-worthy, but you can drink now with grilled beef or the classic Italian offering, spaghetti Bolognese. Good value.

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The Hermit 2019, Osoyoos, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$32 I 89/100

UPC: 626990247265

2019 is the second release of this wine, designed and blended by longtime B.C. wine agent/educator turned wine grower/negotiant, Ingo Grady, with assistance from Suki Daliwhal and the Kismet Estate Winery team. The Hermit mantra is to be drinkable and delicious. In year one, the blend was Cabernet Sauvignon dominant at 60 per cent, but in year two, that number has dropped to 44 per cent, accompanied by a 33/12/11 mix of Malbec, Syrah, and Petit Verdot. The result is a fresher, more approachable red that more closely aligns with the original goal. Bright soft and juicy this easy-sipping red slides down with a wealth of spicy raspberry and blueberry, with an earthy undercurrent. A food-friendly red reminiscent of a Languedoc blend. Available through select private wine shops.

Recipe Match: Fraser Valley duck breast with roasted grapes

This savoury dish cooked up by Chef Angie Quaale of Well Seasoned, a Gourmet Food Store in Langley, celebrates Fraser Valley duck. Mixing simple flavours with a surprising twist — grapes! — this is a dish best served with some greens and good conversation:

Fraser Valley duck breast with roasted grapes

2 shallots, finely sliced

2 tbsp (30 mL) unsalted butter

1 cup (250 mL) chicken or duck stock

1 tbsp (15 mL) balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 lb red (226 g) seedless grapes

2 boneless duck breasts, skin on

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Sweat the shallots in butter in a small saucepan over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes while stirring. Add duck/chicken stock, reduce by half or until smooth. Once the sauce has reduced, add the balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside while the duck cooks.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Toss grapes in olive oil and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in oven for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once. Set aside.

Use a knife point to score a criss-cross pattern in the skin and fat on the duck breast without touching the meat. Generously season both sides of the breasts with salt. Fry in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, skin-side down, until fat is golden brown and crispy. Turn breasts over, transfer the frying pan to the 400-degree oven and continue to cook about 6-8 minutes until cooked through. Duck breast is best when still slightly pink, with an internal temperature of 135 degrees, remove from the oven and wait 5 minutes before carving.

Carve the duck and spoon over the hot sauce and roasted grapes. Serve immediately.

Recipe match

Fraser Valley duck breast with roasted grapes and New World Pinot Noir is the match this week. Like the grapes, a fruity Pinot works best with this dish.

Seven Terraces Pinot Noir 2018, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand $27.98

A workhorse Canterbury Pinot with silky, savoury, strawberry, carrot top, earthy compost flavours, built to take on the wild duck flavours.

Wolf Blass Maker’s Project Pinot Three Reserve Project Pinot Noir — Pinot Gris — Pinot Meunier 2018, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, $19.99

Project Pinot is a mid-weight, pure fruited raspberry, spicy, cherry red that would be a fine match for the rich duck breast.