Our correspondent, Shafiq Jamal, is back for 2024 with his annual holiday season wine column.

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I said this last year but it looks like I have to say it again: we are living in challenging times that require us to be discerning with our funds. And while the dogs, cats and pets appear to be safe and no one fell out of a coconut tree (see what I did there?), inflation is still very real. Which means we need to be much more pragmatic about how we spend our hard earned money.

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For this year’s column, I really really tried to focus on bargain finds that you would be proud to put on the table for any holiday-season dinners––without feeling stressed or concerned that your choices won’t live up to the expectations of your guests. And I struck gold, IMHO! I found some great bargains that allowed me to enjoy quality wines without breaking the bank, something I continue to focus on.

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Spotlight on Reds

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For those of you who are new to my annual column, I focus primarily on big, bold wines usually with alcohol levels at 14%+. That means lots of Malbecs, Shirazes, Cab Savs and such. I do not like more delicate wines like Pinot Noirs, Beaujolais or Burgundies. And I don’t do whites or rosés. While my expertise has grown in these categories, my preference remains reds.

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Also, in October, I was “put to the test” at a dinner where I was asked to blind-identify three different red wines. So, no pressure, right? Wiping the beads of sweat from my forehead, I successfully identified the grape and the region of two out of three wines. Hey, I’ll take that to the bank!

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Without further ado then, here are my recommendations for wines you and your lucky gift recipients can savour for the 2024 holiday season. Enjoy, and of course, do so responsibly.

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First Two Picks

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First up is the Famiglia Bianchi Malbec 2016, available at the BC Liquor Distribution Board (BCLDB) as well as at Everything Wine. What a wine! Let me say it again: What. A. Wine! A bargain at $18.99 right now (regularly $21.99), this wine can be consumed now or placed down in your cellar. It is medium-to-full-bodied velvety, juicy, ripe, with a nice mid-length finish. It has notes of raspberries, blueberries, chocolate, oak, vanilla and leather. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable sipper. And while not a classic turkey pairing, sometimes you just gotta toss out the rulebook and throw caution to the wind!

 

Next up, is the Church Block––Wirra Wirra McLaren Vale 2022, again available both at BCLDB ($26.98) and Everything Wine ($23.98). Boy, those Australians really know how to bring it to the table! Punching well above its weight, this deep red (almost purple) luscious wine comes up respectably with notes of cassis, blueberries and ripe black fruit, accentuated by oak, vanilla, fig and raisin on the nose. A full-bodied gem, it is on the dry side but chewy and coats the mouth really well, making you want more. It is an easy-drinking wine so pace yourself!

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A B.C. Winner

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While I like to support local wineries, especially because we have a growing wine scene in B.C.’s Okanagan region, sometimes its hard to do so: the prices of these wines are much higher than what one can find from international jurisdictions.

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Sadly, B.C.’s wineries were devastated this year by floods, following huge wildfire challenges in 2021 and 2022. In response, the B.C. Government granted the sector special temporary permission to bring in grapes from outside the Province––mostly from Washington and Oregon––to help with their 2024 harvest.

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With this in mind, and upon hearing that more than 150 B.C. wineries are up for sale, I decided to give this province another look. And I am glad I did. I stumbled upon the sublime Tantalus Syrah. Admittedly, this one comes in a little steeper at about $37 (at both BCLDB and Everything Wine), but it is a beautiful, bold, complex and layered wine.

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Notes of anise, licorice and cherry dominate. It’s a well-integrated, almost dry, juicy and mouth-watering wine that’s chock-a-block with blackberry, dark plums and leather flavours. Mind you, be careful of the vintage you select because it could be smoky on account of the wildfire season that previously affected the region.

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The Unicorn

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At this point, I was struggling on where to go next. Why? Because I normally stick to five recommendations. However, this year I was fortunate to discover more than five great finds. So, onwards we go!

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Next up is my most wonderful unicorn discovery––OMG! I deliberately hid this reco within my column so you’d only know about it if you read the whole piece! This wine is so good that it is THE gifting wine on my list for all my clients to whom I remain eternally grateful. Their business and their support continue to allow me to do what I am passionate about: PR and communications, especially issues and crisis PR.

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This wine is the Brotte Création Grosset Côtes du Rhône-Villages Cairanne 2016 ($17 tops), which is only available on special order through the BCLDB. I am a sucker for Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre (GSM) or such blends, and this one is a spectacular representation of this type.

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To my surprise, with nary a review on Vivino, I still maintain that this is a great surprise. According to celebrated wine writer, Anthony Gismondi, “the domaine is situated at the foot of the old Provençal village of Cairanne, covering an area of 22 hectares, including some 100+ year old grenache vines. This blend of grenache, syrah, mouvèdre and carignan is lightweight and juicy, with herbal cherries, dusky red currants, dark cocoa and tart acidity, wrapped with dusty sueded tannins. One to drink now, with veg / pork stews.”

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I wholeheartedly agree with Anthony. And I know––I know––you’re going to say, hey Shaf, you said you like big bold wines so what gives? Truth be told, while this wine is lightweight in one sense, it drinks like it is a bold wine ––plum, blackberry, cherry, earthy, leather, tobacco and molasses of all things make it feel like a bigger wine than it is. I highly recommend you order a case of this wine and gift it out like I am doing. You and your recipients will not be disappointed!

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The  Finale

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Okay, we’re near the end. Hang in there. I know none of us likes to read lengthy columns these days, so I’ll close with one more recommendation and then list the rest for you to check out at your leisure.

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For my final recommendation, it was quite the toss up: two wines were competing for my attention. But in the end, I went with the Laurent Miguel 2021 Vendages Nocturnes, available at Everything Wine for $15.99. You cannot go wrong with this buy.

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A fantastic bottle for the price––­­notes of cherry, plum, blackberry, with hints of licorice, pepper––this is a satisfying medium-bodied wine that does not disappoint. Buy a few bottles for yourself, and impress your guests with a wine that will have them thinking you might have been a somm in a previous life…

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And before I forget, here are three other wines you should check out this holiday season:

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• Torre Zambra Montepulciano d’abruzzo Italia

• Sumac Ridge Merlot

• Crusher Petit Syrah

 

Well, that’s it folks! I wish you all a safe, happy, healthy and joyous holiday season and I look forward to talking to many of you in 2025!​​