Kung Hei Fat Choi
(Cantonese)
Gong Xi Fa Cai
(Mandarin)
Chinese New Year falls on Saturday, February 10th this year and ushers in the Year of the Dragon. Word has it that 2024 could be a very lucky and financially successful year for those born in the year of the Rat, Monkey, Rabbit, Snake, and Dragon. (Sadly, the year of the Horse was not included.)
Whether or not you are one of the above, you can always enjoy some of the following traditional Lucky New Year dishes including fish, dumplings, spring rolls, sweet ice balls, fruit–tangerines, oranges, rice cake, and noodles.
And to cap off the festivities what better than Haywire’s Lunar Red? This is a limited-edition release to celebrate the Lunar New Year. It marks a continuation of a tradition that began with the winery’s first Lunar New Year wine in 2014.
Not familiar with Haywire?
“In 2009, Haywire began as a virtual wine brand at Switchback Organic Vineyard. Today, it’s renowned in Canada and Europe for its cool‐climate wines, emphasizing “less is more” winemaking. Chief Winemaker Matt Dumayne’s signature style features state‐of‐the‐art concrete vessels, natural yeast, and a gentle touch, resulting in vibrant, textured wines. The winery, with a fresh label and a year‐round tasting lounge, offers visitors in Summerland a chance to enjoy personalized service with scenic lake and vineyard views while savouring their beloved Haywire wines.”
2024 is the Year of the Dragon and dragons are thirsty as we all know (or at least that’s my theory) and Lunar Red is just the ticket to slake such a thirst.
About Haywire Lunar Red 2021:
The winery describes it as, “A meticulously crafted blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Fermented and aged in Nico Velo concrete vessels, gently basket pressed and allowed to age for 11 months before bottling. This rich and sophisticated wine features a complex profile of juicy red berries layered with licorice, dark chocolate, and brambly fruits. Perfectly complementing a broad spectrum of Asian cuisines, it pairs wonderfully with stir‐fried vegetables, pan‐seared sablefish, BBQ duck, or can be savoured on its own.”
My notes:
Garnet red with medium-deep intensity. An aromatic nose with red fruit and berries, blackberries, black olives, spice, prunes, mocha, bacon, a hint of soy, earth, and toasted oak. Good balance. Savoury and toasty flavours on the palate that linger on the medium-plus finish.
90+ Points
The good news is that you don’t have to wait for the Lunar New Year to enjoy this wine. We paired it with dumplings – Jiaozi (Chinese) or Gyoza (Japanese) served with garlic ginger soy sauce, and a selection of cheese – smoked gouda, truffle cheese, Piave stravecchio, and gorgonzola.
I’d also love to open this wine with some hickory smoked barbecue ribs.
As mentioned, this is a limited-release wine priced at only $23.88 a bottle (note the lucky price) so you’ll want to get yours soon. You can order it directly from the winery at https://okanagancrushpad.com/haywire‐wines‐shop‐online or check out their social feds to find other locations.
https://twitter.com/Haywirewine
https://www.facebook.com/HaywireWine
“A portion of the proceeds from this Haywire Lunar wine will be donated to the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation, a registered charity committed to the revitalization of Chinatown, one of Canada’s most iconic neighbourhoods in the historic heart of Vancouver.”
And if you happen to be in the Summerland area on the Lunar New Year, you can join Haywire for a,” . . . festive event featuring colourful Asian décor, lively music, passed appetizers and a special selection of wines including the newly unveiled Haywire Lunar Red.
*Tickets are complimentary for Haywire Wine Club Members and up to 3 guests*”
(All photos, except as noted – Sam Hauck) Feature image: Photo courtesy of the winery
