Lean into the coldest season. Keep stepping into those skis or snowshoes. Unbox another family puzzle. And when it comes to wine, keep those winter warming reds at the ready.
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The cold always seems to hit a little harder in late January. As the post-holiday cheer and glow wanes, the realization that there’s still two months of winter looms.
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The solution, of course, is to lean into the coldest season. Keep stepping into those skis or snowshoes. Unbox another family puzzle.
And when it comes to wine, keep those winter warming reds at the ready.
Batasiolo 2022 Barbera d’Alba, Italy
($14.99 on sale until Jan. 25, No. 311555)
Winter can also bring a bitter bite in the rugged hills of northwestern Italy, home to the Barbera grapes grown for this gutsy red. Barbera is a signature cultivar for the Piedmont region, and Batasiolo’s main bottling offers a great introduction to the grape.
Pouring a typically deep garnet purple, it brings classic aromas of cherry and savoury cedar. It’s quite robust and intense overall, with good acidity keeping things bright before slight grip, grit and spice on a fulsome finish.
This is a fun wine to pair with braised stews or roasts or even give it a go with comforting mushroom risotto.
Bottom line: B, solid value.
Faustino Rivero Ulecia 2019 Reserva, Spain
($18.99, No. 496451)
A recent arrival to local shelves, this hearty red hails from a lesser-known Spanish wine region. Utiel-Requena, to be specific, which is in the province of Valencia.
The area lays claim to some of the region’s longest-running wine culture, with amphora and other wine paraphernalia found at archeological sites pointing to 2,600 years of winemaking.
Bobal is the most significant grape in this region and, in this fun bottle from Faustino Rivero Ulecia, it’s blended with Tempranillo.
Aromas of dark fruit meld with herbs and sun-baked earth, plus there’s evident oak influence due to lengthy barrel aging bookended by a soldering savouriness and touch of tannins.
Bottom line: B, serve with pot roast or an eggplant hot pot.
Haywire 2022 Lunar Red, B.C.
($28.88, available direct through the winery)
Finally, for other warm thoughts right now remember that the depths of winter also herald the arrival of the Lunar New Year. The Year of the Snake arrives Jan. 29, and to commemorate Summerland’s Haywire continues their tradition of launching a limited release Lunar Red.
This year’s bottle is a juicy blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc bringing bright red fruit along with underlying herbs and earth. Ample acidity help this generous red marry with all manner of dishes, which does make it a great candidate for a multi-course Chinese banquet dinner — or even just a simple celebration of keeping warm by the fire with takeout pizza.
Bottom line: B+, a festive winter warmer.
The Swirl: Hot Chocolate Festival
It may not be wine but it certainly qualifies as a winter warmer — yes, the 15th Annual Hot Chocolate Festival is on now and runs until Feb. 14.
This year the festival features 81 “Chocstars” presenting 180 flavours of hot chocolate at 124 locations spread throughout 10 regions. With contributions from chocolatiers, pastry shops, bakeries, cafes, gelato and ice cream makers, there is certain to be something for every hot chocolate lover.