The New Holiday Red Is White

When American and French researchers suggested there might be a relationship between moderate alcohol consumption, particularly with red wine, and a lower rate of heart disease, the continent's drinkers turned red overnight. The question now is, when will the public's love affair with the heavily pigmented juice end?

We are hardly immune to change here in British Columbia, but when it comes to wine often we set the trend rather than follow it and according to my sources, and from what I can see, white wine is definitely making a comeback.

It's not a huge rush. In fact it's mostly occurring at the sommelier, wine writer, wine enthusiast level, but that's where most trends begin. So if you see people sipping riesling or viognier or gruner veltliner in places like Feenie's, West, Cin Cin, Bin 942, Sanafir, The Ocean Club and other trendy local eateries don't be afraid -- the new red is white.

This holiday season you will be seen as a trendsetter, too, if the colour of wine you are drinking and/or serving happens to be white. The good news is, settling for white wine doesn't mean you have to sip second class juice. Today's white wines are better than ever and when it comes to food and wine pairing it may be the best choice for those stand-up, mix and mingle parties we invariably end up attending.

We begin with a pair of sauvignon blancs. The Vina Casas del Bosque Sauvignon Blanc 2006 is everything you want in a standalone -- a showy sauvignon that can accompany shellfish, asparagus dishes, and assorted appetizers with ease. Look for a cool, fresh style with canned jalapeno, grapefruit rind, passion fruit and mineral aromas and flavours. The finish is crisp with fine intensity.

The Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc 2005 from California is a kinder, gentler version of sauvignon. The nose mixes floral, passion fruit, gooseberry, and honeyed-tropical tones in a round, fresh, slightly sweet and sour style. The flavours are gooseberry, bell pepper, grapefruit rind with a touch of butter in the background. The perfect aperitif-style white you can serve with food or sip solo.

Next up is the best un-wooded chardonnay (fermented in stainless steel and bottled direct from tank) in the Canadian market. Goundrey Homestead Chardonnay Unwooded 2005, which hails from Western Australia, easily captured the un-wooded category at the recent Wine Access International Wine Awards. This is a terrific value white wine that delivers on all accounts. The fruit comes from south Western Australia, including the cooler Mount Barker region where Homestead is located. Look for wonderful minerality and a tight, nervous palate that carries just enough fruit to balance it all out. Killer value.

Italian chardonnay is a bit obscure but the De Angelis Prato Grande Chardonnay 2005, from Marche, Italy is well worth checking out if you like the clean, fresh, light style. It has an attractive floral, flinty, smoky, citrus, green apple nose with similar green apple, floral, nectarine, lees flavours. Best of all is its clean, mineral, slate finish. Well done.

If you need something just off-dry to serve as a sipper or to pair up with spicy food, there is big value in the KWV Chenin Blanc 2006 from the Western Cape region of South Africa. Banana, honey, green apple and floral, citrus notes mark its nose. On entry it is slightly sweet with red apple, floral, honey, and lime-rind flavours. A simple, easy-sipping, clean-style white that sells for a mere $11.

No party is complete without a bottle of "groovy" Rabl Gruner Veltliner Spiegel 2005. This Austrian varietal will shock you with its fabulous nose of green apple, nectarine skin, white asparagus and mineral scents. It's round, fresh and crisp with passion fruit, granny smith, butter, chalky, flavours. Good intensity and finesse. Serve with seafood or cheese. Terrific value.

VINA CASAS DEL BOSQUE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2006, VALLE DE CASABLANCA, CHILE
Price: $17.99
UPC: 697412000027
Score: 87/100
Remarks: Cool style with canned jalapeno, grapefruit rind, mineral aromas.

GEYSER PEAK SAUVIGNON BLANC 2005, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
Price: $15.85
UPC: 083417000207
Score: 87/100
Remarks: Floral, passion fruit, gooseberry, honey, tropical notes.

GOUNDREY HOMESTEAD CHARDONNAY UNWOODED 2005, GREAT SOUTHERN, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Price: $13.99
UPC: 9316369013157
Score: 89/100
Remarks: A terrific value white that delivers on all accounts.

DE ANGELIS PRATO GRANDE CHARDONNAY 2005, MARCHE, ITALY
Price: $18.21
UPC: 8032505970023
Score: 87/100
Remarks: Young, fresh, simple style for current drinking. Well done.

KWV CHENIN BLANC 2006, WESTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA
Price: $10.99
UPC: 748294420219
Score: 86/100
Remarks: Simple, easy sipping, clean-style white wine. Good value.

RABL GRUNER VELTLINER SPIEGEL 2005, KAMPTAL, NIEDEROSTERREICH, AUSTRIA
Price: $15.95
UPC: 09120018451036
Score: 88/100
Remarks: Passion fruit, granny smith, chalky flavours -- try with seafood or cheese.