If you're doing 'Dry January' you can stop reading right now.
If you're seeking delicious and affordable wines to sip through January after the spending frenzy of Christmas and New Year's Eve then, by all means, read on.
Value drinking doesn't mean you have to give up on taste, quality and style.
There are lots of Okanagan and international wines out there that come in at $20 and under -- which is our definition of a bargain bottle.
Those same wines come from reputable wineries that have found a way to make enticing wines with varietal distinctiveness that don't break the bank.
What you will give up in a wine of $20 or less is aging and complexity because affordable bottles tend to be wines meant to be enjoyed when they are young, fresh and fruit-forward.
You'll also be hard pressed to find a big and bold red for under $20 because such wines are aged in expensive oak barrels.
Okanagan winery Good Natured, which is part of the Andrew Peller Limited family of wines, puts quality affordability best.
It says, on every back label: "Delicious, yet unpretentious, straightforward and easy drinking. The genuine article. A great discovery. Made in our very own backyard by locals. Enjoy!"
Good Natured's winemaker is Stephanie Van Dyk, who also makes high-end wines for Peller's Sandhill brand.
A very versatile and talented woman, indeed.
Peller's line up also includes cost-effective wines under the Wayne Gretzky and Red Rooster brands.
You can't go wrong reaching for any one of these bottles when you want a sensational wine that's easy on the budget.
- Sumac Ridge Cabernet Merlot 2021 ($15) from Summerland
- Sumac Ridge Merlot 2019 ($14)
- Sumac Ridge Gewurztraminer 2021 ($15)
- Sumac Ridge Pinot Grigio 2021 ($14)
- Kono Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ($19) from Marlborough, New Zealand
- di Lenardo Monovitigno Pinot Grigio 2021 ($20) from Friuli, Italy
- Cusumano Nero D'Avola 2020 ($19) from Sicily, Italy
- L'Olivette Organic 2020 Red Blend ($19) from the South of France
- Good Natured 2020 Merlot Petit Verdot ($16) (Okanagan)
- Good Natured 2020 Balanced Red ($16)
- Good Natured 2021 Crisp Chardonnay ($15)
- Wayne Gretzky 2021 Pinot Grigio ($15.50) (Okanagan)
- Wayne Gretzky 2021 Sauvignon Blanc ($16)
- Red Rooster 2021 Rose ($20) from Naramata
- Gray Monk 2021 Unwooded Chardonnay ($20) from Lake Country
Wine fest is back
After cancellations because of COVID, budget constraints and labour shortages at wineries, Okanagan Wine Festivals are back, revamped and revitalized.
Kimberly Hundertmark, formerly the hospitality manager at Time Family of Wines in Penticton, is the new festivals general manager.
"The time is right, and the Okanagan Wine Festivals is committed to festivals re-imagined," she said.
She's working under a new strategic plan that focuses on partnering with other groups and businesses to drive attendance and tourist visits to events.
For instance, the first event back was last month's Big Reds at Big White weekend at the ski resort.
Coming up is Winter Sip & Savour at Predator Ridge Golf Resort near Vernon on Jan. 22 and then the inaugural Okanagan Winter Wine Festival on Jan. 27 and 28.
On the 27th, Sensation -- An Eve for the Senses at the Penticton Trade & Convention Centre will see wines from 20 wineries poured to go with food from five culinary stations.
On the 28th, Winterfest @ The District Wine Village in Oliver will offer up six elevated tasting experiences.
Go to TheWineFestivals.com for ticket information.
Details are still being worked out for the Okanagan Spring Wine Festival, June 2-11, and the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival in late October.
Steve MacNaull is a NowMedia Group reporter, Okanagan wine lover and Canadian Wine Scholar. Reach him at [email protected]. His wine column appears in this space every Friday afternoon.
