West Coast Wine Sense

Beer has been the traditional go-to drink for football watchers, but there is plenty of evidence that that relationship is about as solid as Demi and Ashton's.

Wine consumption is closing in on beer both in market share and dollars in British Columbia, which in this writer's mind is somewhat of a bellwether for North American wine trends. There are no teams from eastern Canada in the cup this year, so expected crowds of Alouette and Tiger Cat fans has diminished.

That is too bad, because easterners are always jealous when they see a full-service, private wine store in action, or a BC VQA wine store, neither of which exist in Ontario or Quebec where the only wine you can buy is whatever the government supplies, end of story.

From Chardonnay to cabernet to Merlot to Pinot Noir, then over to malbec and Riesling now back to Chardonnay along with forays in and out of France, Australia, Chile, Spain, Italy, Argentina and back to France, this market has developed a curious interest in wine that few others in North American have experienced.

Need further proof. In wine-savvy B.C., screw caps are a non-issue, yet in many North American markets the cork debate rages on. Our own Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival is finally being copied in Montreal and Ottawa, likely because the biggest names in international wine continue to return to Vancouver where the format is focused on - you guessed it - wine.

Place matters here and appellations count. So does value-for-money wines, organic wines, lighter glass, lower car-bon footprints, bio-dynamic wines and natural wines. Each has a foothold in a dynamic, healthy wine market that is literally smothering, mass-produced beer sales.

Come to think of it you can probably thank wine drinkers for the resurgence of handmade cocktails and artisan beer. Both are about flavour and style and less about alcohol. Much of our thriving restaurant scene appears to be inspired by wine and its attraction with food and few cities offer a wider selection of quality food and wine at so many price levels.

All of this means that chances are the wines you serve during the Grey Cup may well be more important than the beer. Today's picks are designed for appetizers and or meals, depending on your party plans. Whatever you choose, enjoy, and don't drink and drive. Go Lions Go.

I'm happy and sad to hype to the Obikwa Chardon-nay 2010 from South Africa's Western Cape. Happy because it's a delicious, inexpensive Chardonnay; sad because this $10 white shows up the rest of the category including far too many ordinary reds and it just ain't right. That said you can rely on this fresh little white to entertain with its honey, mango, citrus, apple aromas, off-dry palate, and lemon, red apple, honey, butter and peach flavours. A fresh, fruity, juicy style that offers great value you can drink today. Amazing for the price and under screw cap for ease of opening.

It's perfect timing for the Jadot Beaujolais-Villages Combe aux Jacques 2009 with its enticing, smoky, spicy, meaty nose laced with black cherry jam, earth and forest floor aromas. The attack is fresh, the style elegant with spicy, cherry, peppery, licorice, smoky, mineral fruit flavours. A transitional wine to take you from white to red. Serve this with pork, duck or turkey or grill some chicken kebabs on the barbecue.

Wow, the Palataia Pinot Grigio 2010 from the Pfalz, Germany, is a pleasant surprise.

This is not your average grigio, given it comes from Germany, but you will be impressed with its attractive fresh, citrus, aroma nose. The palate is equally lively with hint of ripe, red apples and tangerines. There's a dash of Pinot Blanc in the mix to add just a hint of complexity. Would be a fine turkey wine too.

Similarly pleasant, as in value, is the Canta Perdices Tem-pranillo 2008 from Ribera del Duero in the Castilla y Leon region of Spain. You will love its spicy, black cherry, orange, tobacco, peppery, gamy aromas. The palate is fresh and round but on the refined, lean-ish side. More smoky, meaty, peppery, black cherry, roasted pepper, coffee flavours mark the palate. Good flavours especially made for food. Try this with lamb or pork, or even a post-game pasta Bolognese.

Love the glass Vino-Lok closure on Cusumano Nero d'Avola 2009 that keeps thing fresh here, not to mention elegant. Fragrant spicy, floral, cherry, licorice aromas melt into its dry, elegant palate with very light tannins. Fresh cherry, plum, spicy, chocolate, tobacco, herbal, floral flavours. Good finesse and fruit for the money. A perfect hamburger wine that can easily double as a match for steaks.

Finally how about a "roar you lion's roar" B.C. red for the game. The Tinhorn Creek Merlot 2008 remains mostly youthful under screw cap presenting fruit that is on the riper, softer, fruitier side. The entry is round and soft, the fruit spicy with black olive, dried herbs and roasted bell pepper and floral red fruit notes. Best with hearty meat dishes or perhaps charcuterie during the big game and/or spaghetti and meatballs after the cup is ours.