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Eat, drink and be merry

Where did 2014 go? It's hard to believe that this is my last article for 2014. I hope you all enjoyed some great wines along with me this year; I look forward to sharing more with you in 2015.
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Where did 2014 go? It's hard to believe that this is my last article for 2014. I hope you all enjoyed some great wines along with me this year; I look forward to sharing more with you in 2015.

Are you all ready for Christmas? With only four more days of shopping left before Santa arrives we're all in a tizzy and flurry. I am hoping I can alleviate some of the pressure of what wines to pair with either a turkey, ham or even salmon and lamb.

Today I am sharing wines that you can pair with all these foods and more.

Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl

Riesling (301671) USA

$19.99

It's good to know that this Riesling isn't just one of my favourite picks but also by the Wine Spectator.

Kung Fu Girl Riesling has landed a spot on the Wine Spectator's Top 100 list for a second year in a row with a rating of 91 out of 100 points, ranking it No. 43 on the list. It also achieved "best value" for five years in a row.

Who would have thought a rock 'n' roll promoter in Europe would become famous for making wines? Well it happened to Charles Smith and the rest is history.

After travelling in Europe with the bands, he enjoyed many a glass of wine. That's when his passion for wines really started. He was exposed to the wine world of Europe and brought that back to the United States and started his own dream of producing wines.

Charles opened his winery

K Vintners in 2001 and is a self-taught winemaker with many accolades and awards. The Evergreen Vineyards is where the Riesling grapes are grown for this fabulous white.

I would recommend trying this white on its own first before pairing it with almost any spicy dish. Turkey and stuffing would be the perfect pairing. Kung Fu Girl Riesling is loaded with lots of stone fruit aromas and flavours followed by a burst of citrus balanced just right with the acidity.

Belle Glos Meiomi

Pinot Noir (278937)

USA

$26.99

Fifth generation Napa Valley winemaker Joseph Wagner, son of famous founder of Caymus Vineyards Chuck Wagner, is really following in his father's footsteps.

The same can be said of all five of Chuck's sons. Joe and Joseph branched out on their own to produce their own brand and make a name for themselves, and boy did they ever get more than they expected.

Belle Glos Meiomi has even become famous in the Napa Valley and around the world. The uniqueness of this wine I think comes from the three very different wine regions along the Californian coast. The grapes are sourced from Sonoma County which lends the cherry notes, slight mineral taste and the weight behind this red. Then grapes from Santa Barbara County bring the brightness and spicy notes. To finish off, they use grapes from Monterey County, which gives almost old-world aromas and flavours of leather and soil. Meiomi, meaning coast, comes from the names of the tribes living along the California coast Wappo and Yuki.

Belle Glos was named Wine Brand of the Year for 2014 by Market Watch Leader. This Pinot Noir is my go-to red for when I am having turkey and want to splurge for the special occasion. It really is a very versatile red though and can be enjoyed with blue cheese, and even thin crust pizza.

For all you red lovers I recommend giving this one a try. Your guests will be impressed once your serve them their first glass. The rich cherry and oak notes are quickly followed by hints of vanilla and spice. The layers of flavours rush past your tongue with loads of ripe red fruits, mocha and spice on a rich long finish.

CedarCreek

Gewrztraminer 2013 (240978)

BC VQA

$17.95

Next time you are in the Kelowna area make sure and take in a tour and tasting at CedarCreek vineyards, located just south of Kelowna.

CedarCreek has a long history as the first vines were planted there in the 1930s. It wasn't until Senator Fitzpatrick purchased the winery in 1986 that really putting the eighth pioneering winey of B.C. on the map again. The Fitzpatrick family owned and operated the winery until just this year when in February they turned it over to the von Mandl family.

The von Mandl family have continued producing the same award-winning wines as the Fitzpatricks were so proud of and famous for. The families may have changed but the same team is still in charge of what goes into each and every bottle.

Vineyard manager Justin Adams has been overseeing every aspect of the vineyards ensuring only the best grapes are grown under his watch. Between the CedarCreek vineyards they also have two other sites, Desert Ridge and Haynes Creek, with a total of 150 acres planted.

Winemaker Darryl Brooker lends to the team many years' experience of producing wines for Thirsty Bench and Villa Maria Estates New Zealand. Helping Darryl is assistant winemaker Taylor Whelan, who went abroad to learn different wine making techniques from Ontario, Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania until he returned to B.C. where he was born and raised.

Together, they have produced an award-winning Gewrztraminer (silver at the 2014 All Canadian Wine Championships, best varietal 2014 the Spring Okanagan wine festival 2014 and another silver awarded at the National Wine Awards of Canada 2014).

This Gewrztraminer really reminded me of the Alsatian wines from France with the bold aromatics of fruits and floral - a very full-bodied white with very little acidity. The floral notes are bright followed by citrus and spice.

Kim Cabral is a product consultant at the BC Signature Liquor Store at Pine Centre Mall.