Salut! From best gifts and top picks, to cooking and mulled wine

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Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.

This year, we get an early start on the holiday season by sharing an advent calendar of wines and accessories to buy, gift, or use at home while you entertain guests.

Should you get really busy, you could use any of them as a hostess gift, depending on what is appropriate for the event you may be invited to. No one will complain if you open one of the wines on the list to serve at home.

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The word advent comes from the Latin adventus, which means arrival. While it was long associated with religious customs, non-Christians have embraced the notion of simply celebrating the season with a countdown to Christmas, often in the form of advent calendars, which are definitely having a moment. These calendars contain all manner of gifts, including wine, that you can open on the way to Christmas Day.

Our advent calendar offers 24 curated wine gift ideas to get you through December with still plenty of time to hunt them down. After 40 years in this game, there isn’t much I haven’t seen, and most of it I never want to see again. What follows are some surefire wine-related gift ideas and suggestions.

What wine lovers need

1. The Pulltap Double-Hinged Waiters Corkscrew, ($15-$20), is the best tool for casual wine drinkers. It is a no-fuss, all-in-one wine opener, foil cutter, and bottle cap opener whose allure is an ease-of-use, double-boot arm that creates two leverage points for effortless opening. The coated non-stick screw, or worm, ensures easy cork penetration and removal. The serrated steel knife cuts through the thickest of foils. If cared for, it will open hundreds of bottles. It’s a great stocking stuffer.

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2. Champagne is the ultimate wine to gift or pour over the holidays. One of the best all-around and widely available is the Champagne Pol Roger Brut Reserve, ($90). It is among the lightest, most elegant expressions of multi-vintage champagne, creamy and smooth with a sleek but lengthy finish.

3. Le Nez Du Vin Red Wine Kit 12 Aromas, ($170), explores the scents of red wine, focusing on some of the primary aromas. It includes an informative book and text cards explaining how these essential aromas appear and their wine types. It suits beginners or those who want to improve their tasting skills. Available at atkinsonsofvancouver.com

4. Tantalus Old Vines Riesling 2021, Okanagan Valley ($44). This East Kelowna Riesling is a B.C. treasure. The fruit is intense, pitching limy mandarin flavours and electric acidity. Dry and sophisticated, this will work with just about any food you pair it with over the holidays. Versatile, sophisticated, and local.

5. Road 13 winery is now shipping its six-bottle ($266) or 12-bottle ($566) Advent Calendar. The calendar also includes a complimentary all-access pass for two to an exclusive Road 13 experience at a future event, in the tasting room, or off site. Details at road13vineyards.com.

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6. Collectors love wines that can age from great vintages. If a wine geek is on your Christmas list, consider the Luce 2019 Toscana IGT ($159.99), a Super Tuscan Montalcino that blends the roundness and softness of Merlot with the structure and elegance of Sangiovese. It’s one for the cellar.

7. A holiday super pour is Ray Signorello’s Edge Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, Calif. ($49.99). The style is savoury Sonoma/Alexander Valley with a subtle Napa Valley polish. Edge is amazingly stylish for an entry-level premium Cabernet; it is the best Edge we have tasted.

8. Coravin Timeless Three+ ($329) is a preservation system that allows you to preserve still wines for weeks, months, or even years. It comes with two Coravin Pure Argon Capsules, two Coravin Screw Caps and a Coravin Aerator, everything you need to enhance your wine experience. The system allows you to have a glass today and save the rest for when you’re ready — next week, next month, or even next year without pulling the cork. The Coravin screw caps allow you to do the same with any screw cap finished bottle.

9. Blue Mountain Gold Label Brut ($31.90) is a bottle to gift or have on hand in the fridge for unexpected guests or whenever you want to add a little sparkle to your life. Blue Mountain Gold Label Brut continues to set the benchmark for Canadian sparkling wine, consistently outperforming wines double its price. Drink or hold, you confidently serve it throughout the holidays with a variety of appetizers.

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10. Danby 36 Bottle Free-Standing Wine Cooler in stainless steel ($350) This is a perfect solution for challenged homeowners who want somewhere to protect a few bottles, especially in condominiums and apartments that are usually warm environments. Your bottles will rest at the perfect temperature behind a tempered glass door designed to protect your collection from potentially harmful ultraviolet rays. This space-saver that fits almost anywhere comes with a reversible door that opens from the left or right-hand side. It’s a good value.

11. Magnums or 1,500 ml bottles, make spectacular gifts, and they have the added advantage of lasting longer in the bottle, given that their oxygen-to-juice ratio is half that of a regular bottle. Here are two we love: Le Serre Nuove Dell’ Ornellaia 2021 ($185.99), an Ornellaia offspring from one of the finest vintages in Bolgheri. They say Champagne in a magnum is always at its best. Phillipe Gonet Grand Cru Blanc deBlanc 2007 ($194.99) — already 17 years old, will turn heads for whomever opens it.

12. Decanters have come a long way since the last century. You can spend a fortune on design, but in the end, the ones of simple, clear glass let the wine breathe and quickly funnel the aerated wine into your glass. The stylish Williams Sonoma Reserve Wine Decanter ($115), efficiently aerates red and white varietals of any age before serving. It is perfect for old or new wines. It is dishwasher safe, but we recommend handwashing with soap and water.

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13. Need a reliable, classy, white wine for holiday gatherings the Coro Meu Vermentino di Gallura 2021, Sardinia, Italy ($27) covers all the bases. It’s darker than its more northern mates, but it is fresh and pitching dried yellow flowers, refreshing lemons and wet stone mineral notes.  An excellent white for West Coast seafood dishes, fresh cheeses and assorted sushi rolls.

14. The Oxford Companion to Wine Kindle Edition ($44.99), is everything you could want to know about wine, available on your mobile Kindle for quick reference. This latest fifth edition benefits from the knowledge and experience of more than 100 new contributors and is more international than ever. It is a treasure trove of wine knowledge, but the alphabetical format and the links between the entries make it easy to navigate. This is a lifelong reference book.

15. The Damilano Lecinquevigne Barolo 2016, Piedmont, Italy ($66) is a catch-all red wine for Italian wine lovers, Barolo afficionados and food lovers — and given it’s already eight years of age — collectors. Look for fresh mineral salts, wild cherries, red currants, and summer strawberries with fading tannin. It is a classic just coming into its own. Drink or hold.

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16. Tickets to the 46th annual Vancouver International Wine Festival are always a welcomed gift by wine lovers. From Feb. 22 to March 2, the 2025 festival will welcome 122 wineries representing 15 countries. This end-of-winter celebration of the grape features the wines of the U.S. West Coast complemented by B.C. wineries and global brands. Tasting room early bird tickets go on sale in early November at vanwinefest.ca.  

17. Sparkling wine is all the rage, but what do you do if you want a glass? A stopper will change your life, allowing an open bottle to stay fresh for days when refrigerated. The Stainless Steel Bettfor Champagne Stoppers, ($15) with a food-grade silicone leak-proof stopper, works on most sparkling wine bottles. It’s available solo, or in two- to six-packs in various colours. To use, you insert the stopper into the wine bottle and press the left and right handles. When you hear the click, it’s done. Just rinse and wipe to clean it, but it is dishwasher-safe.

18. Riedel Ouverture’s ($54 for two-pack) red wine glass is my choice for an all-purpose glass. At 12 ounces, it’s all you need in an everyday red or white glass that performs best about a third complete. The stem is long enough to handle the glass without warming the bowl with your hand. The bowl and shape allow for generous swirling to quickly aerate the wine and release aromas, and the thin rim enables the wine to interact with your palate quickly and efficiently.  Shop around because prices can vary.

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19. The Durand Corkscrew ($145) was designed and made for anyone with an extensive collection of older bottles. Removing the cork is always a problem with old bottles, but not for a Durand corkscrew. Its combination of a classic long Teflon corkscrew with a forked-style wine opener allows you to easily remove any cork without ripping out the middles of crumbly corks or accidentally pushing a shrunken cork back into the bottle. Worth every penny.

20. The Albariño grape makes for a versatile white wine for snacks or appetizers to serve your guests, and we can’t say enough about Garzón Albariño Reserva 2023, Garzon, Maldonado, Uruguay ($25). The 2023 is the best release of the Garzon Albariño ever, crammed full of peach and citrus pith with a full, stony, mineral finish. Lip-smacking and lively, it was made for B.C. seafood.

21. Wine Grapes: A Complete Guide to 1,368 Vine Varieties, including Their Origins and Flavours Kindle Edition ($60). Calling all wine geeks. Authors Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding, and Jose Vouillamoz worked with cutting-edge DNA analysis, detailing almost 1,400 distinct grape varieties and myriad correct (and incorrect) synonyms. Wine Grapes offers essential and original information in greater depth and breadth than has ever been available before. It is a lifetime gift.

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22. How about a delicious, affordable, Monday-to-Friday red wine for the winter from Paul Mas, a Languedoc champion? We like the Arrogant Frog Ribet Red, Vin de Pays d’Oc, Languedoc, France ($12.99). The not-so-Arrogant Frog is a fun 55/45 mix of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, awash in black jammy fruit, chocolate, blackberries, and glossy vanilla at a giveaway price.

23. Stop breaking your wine glasses while you try to clean them. The Hold Everything Slim Stemware Cleaning Brush ($30), is a welcome stocking stuffer for wine glass freaks. Gently clean stemware of all shapes and sizes with a brush that maintains its performance and shape after countless washings. Its nonabsorbent, odour-resistant foam bristles leave wine and champagne glasses clean without scratching. You may never break another glass.

24. Port is grossly undervalued and the perfect tonic for late Christmas evening after all the guests are gone. A blazing fire, a book, and a glass of port could also be a civilized moment throughout the crazy season. A bottle of Taylor Fladgate Late Bottled Vintage Port ($28) is packed with black pie-fruit aromas, and black raspberry jam flavours flecked with dark chocolate. Best of all, it can sit on a side table for days, if not a week or two, for daily access.

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— Anthony Gismondi

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10 stellar bottles for gift giving

This year, we searched for a selection of wines that would make suitable gifts ranging from as little as $24 to $240. Each has a strong personality and story; most could be aged if you have the willpower. Choose a bottle from the price range that fits your budget, wrap it up, and you’re done. Don’t be afraid to buy a few bottles for yourself — I’ll never tell.

Jabber The Winemaker The Blend Sauvignon Blanc 2022, Valle de Casablanca, Region de Aconcagua, Chile $19.99

Jabber is the work of famed New Zealand winemaker and Sauvignon Blanc czar Kim Crawford inside Chile’s super cool Casablanca Valley. Crawford’s label reveals the potential of this cool-climate region, ideally suited to Sauvignon Blanc yet virtually ignored by most wine retailers in the Western world. It is ready to serve with mussels, clams, or freshly shucked oysters to any Sauvignon Blanc fans.

Blue Mountain Estate Cuvée Pinot Blanc 2023, $26

If you are looking for a workhorse holiday white, or hostess gift, track down this uber-cool, dry white that takes you toward Burgundy before stepping off in Pkamagan Falls. It is filled with orchard stone fruits, white flowers, and a creamy palate made for food.

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Boutinot La Côte Sauvage Cairanne 2019, Côtes du Rhône Villages, Rhone Valley, France $33

The flagship Boutinot label relies equally on elegance and persistence. The rich and savoury blend includes fully ripe, hand-picked, old bush vine Grenache and Syrah with a bit of Mourvèdre.

Black Hills Bona Fide 2022, Okanagan Valley, $36

This wine took home a prized platinum medal at the 2024 National Wine Awards; it is a delicious, juicy affair of black and red fruits dusted in savoury South Okanagan scrub and sagebrush.

Meyer Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Old Block McLean Creek Vineyard 2022, Okanagan Falls, $44

OK, Falls is Pinot country, exemplified by this wild strawberry, fresh cherry, lilac and baking spice-scented red packed with loganberries, cherries and strawberries. Silky and seamless, it is ready to drink.

Burrowing Owl Meritage 2020, Oliver, Okanagan Valley, $53

One of the best Burrowing Owl wines we have tasted, from its enticing nose of fresh, savoury ripe fruit and umami nuances to the damp earth, blackcurrant, raspberry palate. A succulent blend to drink or hold.

Ridge Lytton Springs 2021, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, California, $88

A valid California cult wine, Lytton Springs has delivered a ridiculous quality year in and year out. Look for red licorice, crushed strawberries, black pepper meaty notes, bright acidity and dense sweet tannins.

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Champagne Louis Roederer Collection 244, Champagne, France $91.99

Louis Roederer moved from its non-vintage Brut to the multi-vintage collection series in 2021, referencing the years (244) since the winery was founded. The blend is 41 per cent Chardonnay, 33 per cent Pinot Noir, and 26 per cent Meunier. Beauty and purity stream from its green apple, fresh almond, lemon, and crunchy hazelnut aromas and flavours. It is ready to celebrate.

Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 407 2020, South Australia, $109.99

Bin 407 is a multi-five-regional blend whose fruit density and weight are mind-boggling. The tannin profile is refined, dense, and sweet, creating a seamless textbook Cabernet Sauvignon worth every penny.

Ornellaia Rosso 2021, Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy $240

Although this iconic red is a hefty 15 per cent alcohol, it remains an elegant expression of Tuscany’s west coast Bolgheri region. It is a vintage that can be collected and stored in a cellar for decades. You won’t be sorry.

— Anthony Gismondi

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What to know about cooking with wine

For years we’ve had a New Year’s Eve tradition in our house. We stay in, just the two of us, and make a fancy meal, sipping Champagne while we prep and cook, the idea being to begin the new year the way we end the old one: deliciously.

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And year after year the dish we make is Filet à la Hy’s, medallions of beef tenderloin topped with mushrooms cooked in brandy and cream, a recipe from the famous steak house in Whistler. It’s the brandy that puts this dish over the top, especially the exciting part where we light it on fire. There’s always a moment of anxiety: Will it ignite? Will we burn the house down? But ultimately it’s an act as thrilling as the end result.

Recently, though, I got to wondering: What does the alcohol actually do in a dish? Most of the time it’s burned or cooked off, so what’s the point? Here’s what I learned.

Molecular transformation

Many, many recipes call for a glug of something boozy: stews, sauces, preserves, glazes and desserts, even pie dough. Sometimes it’s right in the name: pasta alla vodka, boeuf bourguignon, coq au vin, stout ginger cake. The vodka, the wine, the beer — they all add flavour, but they also do more than that.

An intriguing transformation happens on a molecular level.

For the most part, flavour molecules are either water or fat soluble. Salt, for instance, is water soluble — if you put it into a pot of water, it will dissolve and spread throughout the pot. Most spices and herbs, on the other hand, are fat soluble, which is why we often have to toast or “bloom” them with a bit of oil to extract their flavour.

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Some flavour molecules, however, are alcohol soluble, which means they need a bit of wine or beer or brandy to fully release their flavours. The most famous of these is tomatoes. It’s why adding wine to a ragu doesn’t make it taste like wine, but more like tomatoes.

Alcohol also acts as a bridge between our senses of smell and taste. (Don’t forget that 80 per cent of what we taste is actually what we smell.)

But there’s a caveat here, as explained by Harold McGee, the author of On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. At high concentrations, alcohol inhibits the release of other aroma compounds into the air, he writes. However, “At very low concentrations, around one per cent or less, alcohol actually enhances the release of fruity esters and other aroma molecules into the air.”

In other words, a little bit of liquor makes food more aromatic.

At the same time, alcohol bonds with fat molecules. It makes buttery sauces silky and creamy ones luscious, which is why white wine works magic in beurre blanc, and neutral spirits in a creamy, tomato-y pasta alla vodka.

And because it doesn’t develop gluten, using neutral-flavoured vodka instead of water creates flakier, more pliable pastry dough and tender pie crust.

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Wine specifically is also quite high in acid, which breaks down collagen, helps tenderize meats and brightens flavours.

Basically, alcohol makes food more flavourful, more aromatic, more unctuous and more tender. So why wouldn’t you cook with it?

What if you don’t drink?

The good news is that alcohol enhances flavour. The bad news? A little will always remain in the food, which can be a problem for anyone trying to avoid it.

McGee explains that, even though alcohol is volatile, its molecules dissipating even if they are just exposed to air, a small proportion will remain bonded to other molecules in a dish. According to research by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as little as four per cent and as much as 95 per cent of alcohol remains in food after cooking.

The biggest factor determining just how much is how long the food is cooked. As McGee notes, “The higher the temperature, the quicker the evaporation. The longer the cooking time, the greater the cumulative evaporation.”

In the USDA study, a food that had been flambéed (think: cherries jubilee or steak Diane) retained 75 per cent of the alcohol by volume. After food was cooked for 15 minutes, 40 per cent of the alcohol remained, 25 per cent after an hour and about five per cent after it had been simmering for 2½ hours.

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Other factors come into play, too, including the other ingredients in a dish and the size of the pan — more alcohol remains in smaller cooking vessel than a large one — and how frequently the dish was stirred. (The more you stir, the more the alcohol evaporates.)

In reality, we’re talking very, very small amounts here, not enough to make you tipsy, but it’s still a good idea to let your guests know ahead of time that you will be cooking with alcohol.

If it’s a concern, you can also try using non-alcoholic beer, wine or spirits in some dishes. Or, as McGee suggests, you could always try replacing a hoppy beer with coriander and malt syrup, wine with vinegar or rum with brown sugar and vanilla.

Use only the good stuff

If you do plan to cook with alcohol, you want to do it right, otherwise it can be a wasteful and expensive experiment.

The first rule of thumb is never to cook with anything you wouldn’t actually want to drink. Banish any thoughts of so-called cooking wine, which is loaded with salt and artificial preservatives. Choose something of good quality, but don’t break the bank with anything too expensive.

If you’re cooking with wine, it should generally be dry, high in acid and not too tannic or heavily oaked; for instance, fruit-forward Gamay or Pinot Noir rather than a muscular Cabernet Sauvignon for reds, or, for whites, a crisp Pinot Gris or Sauv Blanc rather than a buttery California Chardonnay.

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The second rule is that unless the recipe states otherwise, alcohol should be added early in the cooking process so it can cook down and mellow.

If you do plan to cook with alcohol, you want to do it right, otherwise it can be a wasteful and expensive experiment.

Joanne Sasvari

Remember: A little goes a long way. If in doubt, err on the side of using too little — you can always add more if you need to.

Finally, the very best way to enjoy alcohol while cooking is to pour yourself a glass of something lovely while you’re waiting for dinner to be ready.

10 ways to use alcohol in cooking

Add white wine to a classic beurre blanc sauce or in seafood dishes like steamed mussels or linguine with clams.

Use red wine in Bordelaise sauce as well as stews, braises, ragus and marinades.

Rescue overripe fruit by macerating it in dessert wine or liqueur and serving over ice cream.

Add a little sherry when caramelizing onions.

Use wine, whisky or beer to deglaze a pan and create a flavourful pan sauce.

Use vodka in a tomato-and-cream pasta sauce or in pie and pastry dough.

Use beer in a cheese sauce or in a ginger-stout cake.

Soak or drizzle cakes in brandy or rum, or add brandy to creamy, mushroomy sauces for meat.

Stir coffee or chocolate liqueurs into hot fudge sauce or chocolate ganache, or use them to soak ladyfingers for tiramisu.

Whisky, especially bourbon, is a nice addition to barbecue sauces and marinades; it is also a good partner with peaches in a pie, and heavenly when added to caramel sauce.

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Recipe: Filet à la Hy’s

This recipe by chef Bala Kumanan from Hy’s Steakhouse Whistler is rich with cream, mushrooms and a splash of brandy that has been briefly set alight for flair and flavour. Excerpted from Vancouver Eats by Joanne Sasvari, with permission from Figure 1 Publishing.

À la Hy’s sauce:

2 tbsp. (30 mL) unsalted butter

2 shallots, finely chopped

8 oz. oyster mushrooms, sliced

8 oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced

8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced

6 tbsp. (88 mL) brandy

4 cups (9.4L) veal stock

½ cup (125 mL) heavy (36 per cent) cream

1½ tsp. (10 mL) chopped fresh thyme

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Steak:

4 (8-oz) prime-grade filet mignon steaks, each cut into 3 medallions

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 tbsp. clarified unsalted butter

Rice, salad or potatoes (roasted, baked or mashed), to serve

To make the sauce:

Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed, flame-proof saucepan over medium heat, add shallots and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until translucent. Add the 3 mushrooms and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until excess moisture has evaporated and bottom of pan begins to brown.

Pour in brandy to deglaze. To flambé, move pan away from stove and place it on a heatproof surface far from anything flammable. Carefully light brandy with a barbecue lighter or a long fireplace match. When flames subside, add veal stock and return to heat.

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Cook over low heat for about 1 hour, until only 1 cup of sauce is left. Add cream and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add thyme and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Steak:

Season each medallion with salt and pepper. Heat a frying pan over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of butter and sear 3 medallions to your preferred doneness, about 1 minute per side for medium rare, 3 minutes per side for well done. Repeat with remaining batch of medallions until they are all cooked. (Avoid overcrowding the pan to ensure a good sear.) When the medallions are cooked, let them rest for a few minutes before serving.

Place 3 medallions on each plate and spoon sauce on top. Serve with rice, salad or potatoes.

Serves 4.

— Joanne Sasvari

Excerpted from Vancouver Eats by Joanne Sasvari. Photographs by Kevin Clark. Copyright 2018 by Joanne Sasvari, recipe copyright by Hy’s Steakhouse Whistler / Bala Kumanan. Excerpted with permission from Figure 1 Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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How to perfect the art of mulled wine

Spicy, a bit sweet and seasonally inspired, mulled wine is the perfect holiday beverage.

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Whether you’re looking for an Italian option or a version with a touch of chai, there’s a spiced wine recipe to suit every holiday soiree. Shared by Vancouver bar and restaurant teams, these four mulled wine recipes will have you feeling festive in no time:

Vin Brulé (Italian mulled wine)

Recipe by: Amar Gill, beverage director, Banda Volpi, including Osteria Savio Volpe, Pepino’s Spaghetti House, La Tana, and Osteria Elio Volpe.

16 oz. (473 mL) Italian red wine (a dry, fruity red like Valpolicella or Barbera recommended)

4 oz. (115 mL) limoncello

4 oz. (115 mL) Aperol

16 oz. (473 mL) orange juice

4 oz. (115 mL) simple syrup (1 part sugar: 1 part hot water. Stir until sugar is fully dissolved)

16 dashes Angostura bitters

2 whole cinnamon sticks, broken in half

1 whole star anise (optional, for garnish)

Add all ingredients to a large saucepan. Heat gently on medium heat until steaming but not boiling. Once steaming, turn heat to low and let infuse for 5-10 minutes. Remove cinnamon sticks and serve. Garnish each drink with an orange slice and star anise pod, if desired.

Serves 6-8.

Crockpot Mulled Wine

Recipe by: Angela Poole, bar manager, Dockside Restaurant.

3 cups (750 mL) Merlot (dry and fruity balance)

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1 cup (250 mL) brandy

2 cups (500 mL) apple cider

¼ cup (60 mL) honey

1 orange, zested and juiced

5 whole cloves

4 green cardamom pods

1 whole star anise

Orange wheels, for garnish

Cinnamon sticks, for garnish

Whole star anise, for garnish

Add wine, cider, honey, orange zest and orange juice to a crockpot set to high heat. Add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick and star anise. Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to low. Heat for 2 hours, then set the crockpot to ‘keep warm.’ Do not let it boil. Stir in brandy. To serve, ladle into glass mugs and garnish with an orange slice, cinnamon stick and whole star anise.

 Serves 6-8.  

Chai Mulled Wine

Recipe by: Winnie Sun, Partner, Elem.

Chai spice blend

⁠2 tbsp. (30 mL) cinnamon sticks

1 tbsp. (15 mL) ground ginger

1 tbsp. (15 mL) ground cinnamon

1 tbsp. (15 mL) ground cardamom

½ tsp (2.5 mL) ground cloves

½tsp. (2.5 mL) ground black pepper

Mulled wine

⁠1 bottle red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot work well)

8 oz. (230 mL) brandy

¼ cup (60 mL) brown sugar plus ¼ cup (60 mL) honey or ⁠8 oz. (230 mL) Giffard Salted Caramel Syrup (a secret ingredient to round out the flavours of wine and chai spice)

⁠2 tbsp. (30 mL) Chai Spice Blend

¼ cup (60 mL) orange juice

⁠In a small bowl, combine Chai Spice Blend ingredients.

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⁠In a large pot, combine wine, brown sugar, honey (or salted caramel syrup) and Chai Spice Blend. Heat over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer but don’t let it boil. ⁠Reduce heat to low and let steep for 20-30 minutes. ⁠Strain spices and add orange juice and brandy. Serve hot, garnished with Stroopwafel (optional).

 Serves 4-6.  

Yokocho Mulled Wine

Recipe by: Barnaby Malong, general manager, Minami.

3 cups (750 mL) Zinfandel red wine

2 tbsp. (30 mL) brandy

2 tbsp. (30 mL) port

1.7 oz. (50 g) Sansho peppers

2 cinnamon sticks

6 whole cloves

3 tbsp. (45 mL) brown sugar

2 oranges, peeled (keep the citrus aside)

2 Yuzu or lemons, peeled (keep the citrus aside)

Combine ingredients in a large saucepan. Stir briefly to combine. Simmer the mulled wine over medium-high heat until it just barely reaches a simmer. Avoid letting it bubble to prevent burning off the alcohol. Reduce heat to low, cover and let the wine simmer for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.

Strain with a fine mesh strainer to remove all spices and fruit. Taste and adjust sweetness as necessary. Serve warm in heatproof mugs, topped with cinnamon sticks and orange/citrus peels.

Serves 5-6.

 — Aleesha Harris

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Get away to wine country — in style

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We’re spoiled in B.C. with a world-class wine region located just a few hours’ drive away.

But, with the winter season in the Okanagan leaning more toward freezing than T-shirt friendly, we’re admittedly dreaming of sun-soaked tastings on a patio somewhere warm (or, at least warmer).

In the hopes of soaking up some Vitamin D while sipping some fabulous wine, a visit to Napa and Sonoma in California seemed like a perfect pick for a weekend wine getaway.

Getting there is easy thanks to daily flights connecting Vancouver International Airport to San Francisco. And opting for a car through the rental app Turo means picking up a car at the airport, and driving like a local, is a breeze. From there, the two wine-producing regions are about an hour’s drive from the airport.

If a similar grape escape is in your winter plans, we’ve got the top recommendations to add to your itinerary for places to sip, stay, eat and play (otherwise known as miscellaneous itinerary additions) during a weekend escape to Napa and Sonoma:

Sonoma

Where to stay

From boutique hotels to luxury accommodations, there’s an option to suit every lodging preference. An Autograph Collection property, The Lodge at Sonoma Resort is centrally located within walking distance of the historic Sonoma Plaza. Featuring renovated rooms and private cottages, the hotel also boasts many on-property add-ons such as a spa and the restaurant Wit & Wisdom, helmed by Chef Michael Mina.

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If a modern inn is more your vibe, consider the boutique hotel El Pueblo Inn. The family owned property boasts 53 large guest rooms, 24-hour access to the pool and spa, and lush landscaping that will leave you feeling like you’ve escaped to paradise.

Where to sip

While wineries abound in Sonoma and Napa counties, there are a few special stops that are not to be missed.

Located in the nearby town of Glen Ellen, Coursey Graves Estate Winery is an appointment-only destination that features surreal views of the Bennett Valley. Perfectly private, the modern winery offers personalized tastings of its impressive Bordeaux-style wines.

A quick stopover in Jack London Village, a hub of artisan makers, small wine producers, eateries and more, offers an introduction to a delightful restaurant/catering outfit called Songbird Parlour. Started as a micro-wedding space and catering outfit, a transition to a full (and fully anticipated) restaurant is in the works.

Enjoy a leisurely meal, or even better, opt for a special winemaker’s experience with winemakers Laura and Rob Schermeister of the sustainable winery Schermeister. Offering truly exceptional small-batch wines, their creations are unfiltered, unrefined and vegan friendly. A relaxed wine tasting paired with Songbird plates on a sun-dappled patio? Perfection.

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Finish your time in Sonoma with a tasting at Sangiacomo Family Wines. While still relatively new with its own wine label, the Sangiacomo family has been growing grapes for some of the best and brightest wine labels in the area among its five vineyard properties.

Where to dine and play

Sonoma Plaza is a perfect place to enjoy a stroll, a visit to the farmers market, a meal and more.

A weekend brunch stop that’s not to be missed is the sunny spot, Sunflower Caffé. Featuring farm-fresh ingredients and locally sourced ingredients, it’s the type of restaurant that inspires long lineups of hungry locals and tourists alike. It’s worth the wait.

Craving a break from sipping, shopping and snacks? Consider a visit to the Sonoma Botanical Gardens. Featuring more than 20 acres of gardens planted with Asian plants on the 60-plus-acre property, the green space is a place to hike and enjoy nature.

Napa

Where to stay

Downtown Napa is a hive of activity. And the Archer Hotel is right in the middle of it all. The luxury boutique property features dining options, a rooftop bar, spa and more while also being within walking distance to more than 50 local wine-tasting rooms. No Uber required.

Where to sip

Clos Pegase, Robert Mondavi Arch & Tower, Stags’ Leap, Domaine Carneros … Napa wineries need little introduction, which is why you can fill your glass at a wide variety of wineries to visit in the area and not go wrong.

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For a little slice of home in the heart of Napa, consider a visit to Signorello Estate.

Owned by West Vancouver resident Ray Signorello, the impressive, modern winery has literally risen from the ashes after the original winery buildings burned in the Atlas Wildfire of 2017. Its limited production wines include award-winning Cabernet and Chardonnay.

Where to play

With a vibe that’s Nashville-meets-wine country, downtown Napa comes alive at night. But you can step away from the crowds and step back in time with a trip on the Napa Valley Wine Train.

Ride through the heart of Napa Valley in a refurbished Pullman dining car pulled by a steam-powered locomotive. With a variety of lunch and dinnertime trips on offer, the experience features wine country-inspired dishes with optional sommelier wine pairings.

— Aleesha Harris

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