If you enjoy sipping fortified wines, such as Port, over the holidays and through the cold winter, I have an option you may want to consider.  BC-made, Rara Avis, an organic, fortified haskap berry wine.  Produced at Kalala Organic Estate Winery for Saraya Natural Products Ltd.  Haskap berries are a group of berries that contain high levels of healthful nutrients, similar to Elderberries, Black Currants, Aronia berries, and Goji berries.  Haskap is an ancient Japanese name of the Ainu people of Northern Japan for the fruit meaning “berry of long life and good vision”.  It looks like an elongated blueberry to me.  Only 250 cases are available.

From the Haskap Farm founders, Margarita and Igor Valou, this wine is ” Crafted with dedication and passion from the rare haskap berry by winemaker Tibor Erdélyi, this fortified fruit wine is a testament to the dedication of Tibor and the exceptional terroir of British Columbia.

Rara Avis embodies the essence of haskap fruit winemaking. Its remarkable characteristics and exceptional flavour make it a standout choice for wine connoisseurs and those new to the world of wine.

“Rara Avis,” means “Rare Bird” in Latin, and this wine lives up to its name as an uncommon and exceptional creation. Made from haskap, organic, and small batch, this wine is an exquisite addition to your wine selections.

If you enjoy fortified wines like Port, you will love Rara Avis. It is perfectly suited for serving with end-of-meal cheese plates or desserts. Packaged in an alluring design, this wine not only tantalizes the taste buds but also presents itself as an impeccable
gift choice for those who appreciate the extraordinary.“

Let me tell you about this fortified wine.

My Wine Tasting Notes

Rara Avis Fortified Haskap Wine, NV, 375ml bottle (BC $45)

Appearance: A clear medium-plus garnet colour blended with a medium brownish tint.  This wine is clear to the core.
Nose: Medium intensity aromas of ripe sweet berries, maderized fruit, caramel, vanilla and a touch of sweet spices. The aroma intensity increased to medium-plus with decanting, with no change to the aromas.
Palate: Dryish, smooth, lightly round with a light mouthfeel.  Bright medium-plus acidity.  Flavours of ripe black cherries, tart berries, maderized red fruits, and touches of caramel and pepperiness toward the finish.  Port-like flavours.  Light tannins. Same flavours, but now has a sweeter fruit note on the mid-palate with decanting.
Finish: A medium-plus length finishing dry and with a light mouthfeel.  Tart berry fruits and a touch of pepperiness. With decanting, the finish is not as tart and you pick up more maderized red fruit flavours.

A nice change to vintage port wine with a lighter mouthfeel and not quite as sweet.  Open and enjoy at your leisure as the wine changes little with exposure to air.

Rating: – A medium-plus garnet colour with a touch of brown. Medium-intensity aromas of ripe sweet berries, maderized fruit, and a touch of caramel on the nose and on the palate. Bright acidity and light tannins.  Medium-plus length.

Pairing with Cheese and Shortbread Cookies

I tried three different types of shortbread: a traditional soft shortbread which was soft and buttery, a lavender-flavoured shortbread which was floral, crunchy with small sugar crystals, and some burnt butter flavour, and a lemon-flavoured shortbread, also crunchy, and with a light lemon flavour. The softer texture of the traditional shortbread blended more with the wine.  You get butteriness from the shortbread and tartness from the fruit.  The wine was a little too strong for the lavender and lemon shortbread with the fruit flavour in the wine overpowering the floral and lemon flavours of the cookies.  The crunchiness of both cookies though were nice with the fruit flavours.

I also tried this wine with a soft blue cheese, Camabazola.  The cheese has a soft, creamy, lightly bitter and salty taste with a touch of pepperiness on the finish. The sweetness of the wine pairs with the creaminess of the cheese.  The bitterness of the blue in the cheese is diminished as is the maderized fruit flavour of the wine.  The saltiness in the cheese becomes more apparent.  This is a nice pairing.

Where Can I Buy This Wine?

You can purchase this wine online at the Kalala Organic Estate Wine website. It is also available at Coal Harbour Liquor Store and Angry Otter Liquor Aldergrove.

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