Don’t like Vikings? Don’t eat salt? Try Culmina Unicus from the Okanagan Valley. Its namesake references that this is the culmination of a lifetime of viticultural efforts. Unicus means that it was the first planting of the Austrian grape grüner veltliner to adapt to the soils of Canada. It’s raised in a concrete egg, ancient Greek amphora, and still sees oak. In spite of this, it is delicate and packed with tropical fruit concentration. It is mineral, but not one bit salty. Unicus can be the bridge between zealots and novices. I would introduce it to my mom, who rarely leaves the New Zealand sauvignon blanc aisle. I would pour it tableside for high profile international clients, confident that it possesses old world charm and gravitas. Unicus is a unicorn, only because it is fearless with food ingredient monsters (sorry, Chef). The vegetables may even lend it more fruit. And at the very least, a note of lemon grass will be placed on top of every sip. Don’t like wine? I’ve heard whispers from brewmasters and cicerones that the beer style Saison - a farmhouse ale - is great with dumplings. It’s bottle conditioned to have the same froth as a bubbly wine. Saison Dupont from Tourpes, Belgium gets my vote. Before it was imported (and perfected) Belgian shepherds used to drink litres of this style of beer a day out of a sheep’s bladder. I recommend a tulip shaped beer glass instead, or heck, even a half-cleaned tea cup. They might not have enjoyed their lukewarm beer with mouth-watering dumplings (we don’t know!) but you should. And chill it in the fridge if you can.
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