Join our wine writer, Allison Markin, every week for a wine review complete with food and music pairings. Featuring Okanagan and Canadian wines, with an occasional international bottle, Castanet celebrates the bottles of our Valley and the diversity of the Canadian wine industry and influences from around the world. For current availability and pricing, consult the winery. Unless indicated, international selections are generally available at government liquor stores or private wine shops.
Wine: Gewürztraminer, 2017
Winery: Baillie-Grohman, Creston
Why drink it? Yes, wine is being made on the edge of the Kootenays in Creston, where the focus is most definitely what works in a cool climate, like “gew”. A recent award winner as Best of Varietal at the Okanagan Wine Festivals, the first thing you’ll notice is a slight pinkish hue to this wine, owing to skin contact (the grape skins have a rosy-purple colour). Next are the vibrant aromas of ginger, spice, and a floral note on the nose. Then a sip or two brings out flavours of dried apricots, lychee, and maybe a bit of candy…red licorice? A nice finish that lasts longer than expected wraps this up.
Price: $21
Pair with: Something a bit spicy, such as a curry or Thai dishes. Try an Indian-spice cauliflower soup on a cool day, or another dish that embraces ginger. A vegetarian flatbread with a couple of varieties of mushrooms and dots of a mild soft cheese, but no tomato sauce.
Music pairing: Rose Garden, Lynn Anderson