B.C. wine for the week of Jan. 26, a bottle to cellar and calendar

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Wine in cans is a good choice because they’re made up of materials that have been recycled and can be recycled again — something Canadians are well-accustomed to doing. It’s easy to handle and transport, doesn’t break, and is very effective at blocking harmful UV rays, preserving the properties of wine.

The giant Swedish monopoly SystemBolaget says that switching to three 250 millilitre aluminum cans cuts 79 per cent of carbon emissions produced by the traditional 750 mL glass bottle.

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And almost 75 per cent of aluminum ever produced is still in use today. So it would appear that the bottle needs to go for any wine ready to open upon shipping or even in the first three to five years. Now we need consumers and producers to get on the same page.

New research commissioned by Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris into intergenerational wine consumption says only 26 per cent of regular wine drinkers are between 18 and 39 (gen Z and Millennials) versus 48 per cent aged 55-plus (Boomers). Gen X and Boomers see wine as integral to their informal, daily routine; gen Z views wine as an accessory to highly social, festive moments. Millennials sit somewhere between the two, opting for wine on special occasions but also for taste and relaxation.

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Also, gen Z and Millennials have a finely tuned appreciation for which drinks fit which consumption moments, drawing on a much wider beverage repertoire than older consumers.

Gen Z, for example, regularly consumes white spirits, cocktails, beer and cider, whereas, for Boomers, the list of regular wine alternatives shrinks to just beer and gin.

B.C. wine of the week

Poplar Grove Cabernet Franc 2017, Okanagan Valley

$37.99 I 90/100

UPC: 626990396963

We mention the 1 1/2-litre bottle this week with less than 10 bottles available at Kelowna Orchard Park and 39th and Cambie Street B.C. Liquor Stores as it’s now at a perfect moment for Cabernet Franc fans and should sit on this plateau throughout the next two or three years.

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Savoury and round with dense, soft, almost sweet tannins give it a very likable structure. The palate features expressive notes of black plums and black raspberries seamlessly dusted in dried sage and tea leaf.

A perfect bottle for a larger dinner party involving roasted or grilled meats.

It spent 21 months in about one-third new French oak, followed by another full year in a bottle at the winery.

Wine for the cellar

Rivera Il Falcone Castel del Monte Rosso Riserva 2015, Puglia, Italy

$29.99 I 91/100

UPC: 8000715000502

Il Falcone is a local legend among Apulian reds, and one sip of this wine will tell you why. What an exciting, refreshing 70/30 mix of indigenous Nero di Troia and montepulciano that leaves a favourable impression on your palate.

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The fruit is grown in the Murgia hills in the Castel del Monte DOC at 200 metres on deep porous rock and chalky soils.

Post ferment, the wine ages for 14 months, 50 per cent in 30 hectolitres French oak casks, and 50 per cent in 225 litre French oak barriques, followed by another year in bottle before release. The result is complexity and elegance that is a delight to sip.

Look for spicy tobacco, blackberry that doesn’t quit through a long persistent finish, with highly agreeable tannins.

Rich menu items are the ticket here, with even more decadent sauces. There is no rush to drink this wine. You could even serve it after dinner with mature old Italian cheese.

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