"Pinot Noir, dammit," says winemaker Justin Hall of Nk'Mip Cellars in Osoyoos with a hearty laugh.
He's answering the question: What's the best wine to sip with Christmas turkey dinner?
"Turkey doesn't have a lot of fat, but the sides you have with it are salty and cranberry, so you want a light red wine that doesn't have a lot of tannins," said Hall.
"Pinot Noir doesn't have a lot of tannins, so it's the perfect pairing. By the way, I love turkey dinner and Nk'Mip's 2020 Qwam Qwmt Pinot Noir ($40). I'll be having both Christmas Day."
Nk'Mip is Canada's first Aboriginal-owned winery (a 51%-49% joint venture of the Osoyoos Indian Band and wine giant Arterra, which also has Okanagan wineries Jackson-Triggs, Sumac Ridge, See Ya Later Ranch, Inniskillin, Laughing Stock and Culmina.)
And, Hall is the country's first Aboriginal head winemaker, a member of the Osoyoos band who grew up in Oliver before winemaking training at Okanagan College, Goudrey Winery in West Australia and Lincoln University in New Zealand.
"I also believe there should be no snobbery in wine and you should drink what you want and whatever makes you happy," said Hall with another chuckle.
Thus said, Christmas turkey dinner lends itself to being matched with an aromatic or lightly-oaked white wine or light red wine with little tannins.
So, Nk'Mip's 2021 White Mer'r'iym (a Bordeaux-white-inspired blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon) is a fit with its aromas and flavours of honeydew melon, gooseberry and herbs.
If you want to go back to light reds, the Blue Grouse 2020 Pinot Noir ($46) from Vancouver Island's Cowichan Valley and the 2020 Haywire Gamay ($29) from Summerland are ideal pairings.
Gamay is similar to Pinot Noir in that it's a light red with few tannins with a strawberry-and-spice profile.
Rose shouldn't be considered a compromise between red and white, but a sensational category on its own that also happens to be an inspired match for turkey.
Thus, put the 2019 Free Form Rose of Cabernet Franc ($28) from Summerland in your glass.
Personally, I'm a huge Riesling fan and will drink it with almost anything, which, obviously, includes turkey.
The 2020 Evolve Riesling ($23) from Penticton is a flavourful and affordable such bottle.
Pinot Gris is BC's most planted white wine grape.
So, we'd be remiss if you didn't offer a couple of such Christmas dinner options -- the Blue Grouse 2021 Pinot Gris ($28) and Blasted Church 2021 Pinot Gris ($25) from Okanagan Falls.
Every memorable Christmas celebration demands bubbly -- either while opening presents, with breakfast or brunch or as an aperitif before the turkey feast.
Make it elegant and pink with the 2018 Blue Mountain Rose Brut ($40) made in the Champagne-style for just the right balance of ripe strawberry and fresh-baked brioche aromas and flavours.
California family buys Vancouver Island winery
Blue Grouse Winery in Vancouver Island's Cowichan Valley was just mentioned a couple of times on the Christmas list above.
But, its big news is that some members of California's famous Jackson wine family have purchased Blue Grouse, as well as its Quill brand, along with all winery property and vineyards and tasting room, for an undisclosed amount.
The Brunner family owned Blue Grouse for the past decade.
Now, second-and-third generation members of the Jackson family are the owners -- Katie Jackson, Julia Jackson, Chris Jackson, Hailey Jackson-Hartford Murray and MacLean Hartford.
Jackson Family Wines has 28 wineries in California, including Kendall-Jackson, La Crema, Freemark Abbey and Murphy Goode.
It also owns wineries in Washington state, Oregon, Italy, France, Chile, South Africa and Australia.
The family's expansion tends to focus on cool-climate regions, of which the Cowichan Valley is a prime example.
The new owners were also attracted to Blue Grouse's and the Cowichan Valley's propensity for producing premium Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, two varietals the Jackson family loves.
The Jackson family are no strangers to the Cowichan Valley.
Two-and-a-half years ago, the Turyk family sold Unsworth Vineyards in the Cowichan to Jackson Family Wines CEO Barbara Banke and her daughter, Julia Jackson.
Steve MacNaull is a NowMedia Group reporter, Okanagan wine lover and Canadian Wine Scholar. Reach him at [email protected]. His wine column appears every Friday afternoon in this space.
