For Canada’s 150th birthday this year, Castanet is featuring an Okanagan wine each week, celebrating the bottles of our Valley and the diversity of the Canadian wine industry, including suggested food pairings and Canadian music artist to listen to while enjoying a glass. For current availability, consult the winery.
Winery: Upper Bench, Naramata Bench
Why drink it? Because it has 150 and a maple leaf on the label. Or maybe because it is the first 2015 Bordeaux-style wine to come from Upper Bench, where you can conveniently find great cheese to pair with it. Or simply enjoy the riveting nose of cassis, cherry, plum, and pomegranate – all the red fruits you’d expect in this Merlot. Then it will be more specific on the tastebuds: Damson plum, red cherries, with a touch of nutmeg and chocolate and a hint of coffee. Complex and introspective, like Canada. But ultimately, a great wine for a Canada Day BBQ and for quietly patriotic Canadian selfies.
Price: $30.50 (limited production and availability)
Pair with: Poutine with a thick gravy and sharp cheese curds. A bison burger with maple bacon. Tourtière, or an Acadian meat pie. Maple-glazed smoked salmon jerky. Okanagan cherries. Chocolate Timbits. Pemmican (look it up on Google, sorry).
Classic cancon music pairing: Canada Day Up Canada Way, Stompin’ Tom
Have a wine you'd like to suggest? Contact us at [email protected], and we will put you in touch with our wine writer.