Wine from Down Under

Photo: Redbubble

A shiraz vineyard in the Adelaide Hills area of Australia

Connecting to wine down under

I had several ideas for this column on the first day of 2020.

IDEA ONE

Make resolutions such as taking a cooking class or indulging in a chef demo at The Okanagan Table in Kelowna, at Hester Creek or Backyard Farms Chef’s Table in Oliver, or at Mission Hill in West Kelowna.

Or simply try a new restaurant or cuisine this year, choosing local spots that support farmers, growers, and suppliers from the Okanagan and British Columbia. Hint, look for the Buy BC logo.

IDEA TWO

Raising a glass to the many wineries, breweries, cideries, and distillers who give back to their communities in ways both big and small. Stay tuned.

Given the devastation down under, I decided to go with IDEA THREE: start the year by buying a bottle of Australian wine.

Maybe not one from a large producer, but seek out – from your favourite independent wine shop or ask the knowledgeable staff at government stores for suggestions – a bottle from a smaller winery that has somehow found its way to Canada, especially if it’s from the Adelaide Hills area.

News reports indicate that it will take years for this region to recover, as an estimated one-third of the vines have burned.

Imagine the impact that would have in our province. And the damage isn’t restricted to grapes, but orchards, livestock, equipment, and surely, culinary tourism.

Worry is spreading to other wine regions including the Hunter and Yarra valleys, both of which I have visited.

My fondest memories are of wineries opening their cellars and private rooms to my family (my brother and sister-in-law’s dog included), so we could compare notes and enjoy long pours.

One winery dropped an open bottle of rosé into my purse at the end of the day so we could finish it at home.

If you have been in a tasting room in Canada, there is a decent chance that somebody who had a part in making the drink in your glass picked up some tips in Australia.

They might have studied some aspect of the wine industry, working a harvest, or experiencing beers, spirits, or ciders from the other side of the world. And there are many winemakers here who came from Australia to pursue their careers in the Okanagan.

The wine industry there has many similarities in production to us here. Find a bottle of Aussie shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, or semillon and taste it next to a corresponding bottle from B.C.

Then take a picture, post it, tag the Australian winery, and send them some wine love from Canada.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Stay tuned for a preview of the best events coming in 2020 in a future column.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.