Dork Uncorked

Gift Picks: Whiskey: Glenfarclas 12 Year Old Whisky Rum: Ron Zacapa Solera 23 year old Cognac: Bisquit & Dubouché - (or the more budget friendly brandy option, Torres 10 Year Old) Fancy Wines: Château Saint Bernard 2018 Bordeaux, France Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone, France (this one is pricey) Clos de l'Oratoire des Papes Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone, France William Fevre Chablis, France Tinhorn Creek Oldfield Series Bench Red, B.C. Pick(s) of the Week: Codorniu Brut Clasico, Cava, Spain Gerard Bertrand Corbieres 2017

Pick of the Week: Beronia Rioja Reserva, 2016, Spain

Pick of the Week: Take It To The Grave Grenache, McLaren Vale Australia.

Pick of the Week: Cono Sur Bicicleta Pinot Noir 2019, Chile And Now Pair This (Cheese Edition) Results: Brie: Lindemans Bin 65 (unoaked) Chardonnay, or spend big bucks on a real French Chablis. Aged Cheddar: White Haven New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or Folonari Ripasso Valpolicella Manchego: Spanish Cava, such as Codorniu Clasico or Freixenet Cambozola: Ogier Cotes du Rhone Heritages, Louis Bernard Côtes du Rhône-Villages, Les Dauphins Côtes du Rhône Réserve Plain Goat Cheese: Champaign or Pinot Noir... that simple. Smoked Gouda: Bread & Butter Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Columbia Crest Horse Heaven Hills H3 Merlot, Washington State And, in closing, if faced with a varied cheese plate, go for a well balanced chardonay (white) or a well balanced sangiovese, grenache, or rioja (red).

Pick of the Week: White Haven Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand Bonus Mention: Thomson and Scott Noughty Blanc de Blanc, non-alcoholic sparking wine

Pick of the Week: Columbia Crest Merlot, 2018, Washington State

Pick of the Week: Batasiolo Barbera d'Alba 2018, Italy "And Now Pair This" results: Spaghetti with (basic) meat sauce: Giacondi Sangiovese, Italy (yet again) or Tsantali Rouge, Greece Bacon Lettuce Tomato Sandwich with Mayo: Prosecco Grilled Salmon: For white, a Siegerrebe or an Ortega from Vancouver Island. For red, a Pinot Noir or Gamay Noir (such as beaujolais) Butternut Squash Soup: Amontillado, a style of sherry out of Spain, or a Marsala, fortified wine from Italy (Rod notes, if there's a lot of ginger in the soup drink a beer instead!)

Pick of the Week: Briccotondo Barbera, Italy

Special Guest Picks of the Week! 2015 Louis Latour Chardonnay, a deep cut which is on the wine list at the Med Grill. France. BC Wine Studio Sirens Call Harmonious, expensive but apparently punches above its weight. Okanagan.

Pick of the Week: Folonari Valpolicella, Italy

Pick of the Week:  Bread & Butter Pinot Noir, 2019, California "And Now Pair This" results: California Roll - Pinot Grigio Bread dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar - Sweet Vermouth BBQ Chicken Thighs - Chianti (or the Giacondi Sangiovese Rubicone from Italy we mentioned last time)

Special Guest Pick of the Week: Maple Leaf Spirits' Lady of the Cask, (Brandy)

Pick of the Week: Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington State And Now Pair This! results (abbreviated): Pesto Pasta: Prosecco or Pinot Grigio  Nachos (no jalapenos): Tsantali Rouge (Greece) or Giacondi Sangiovese Rubicone (Italy) Milk Chocolate: Port Plain Potato Chips: Bread & Butter Chardonnay (California)  Basic Steak and Potatoes: Telmo & Ruth Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot (Chile) Battered Fish and Chips: Chablis     

Special Guest Pick of the Week: Pedra Cancela Dao 2016, Portugal

(Special Guest) Picks of the Week: Plantation Barbados 2011 Rum - AND - Temper Rum

Pick of the Week: Campo Viejo Tempranillo Crianza, 2018, Spain

Pick of the Week: Torres Sangre de Toro 2018, Spain

Pick of the Week: Fontanafredda Briccotondo Barbera, Italy, 2018

Pick of the Week: Field House IPA

Pick of the Week: Animus Vinho Verde, Portugal (a previous pick that's on sale in B.C. at the time of this post)