Your wild game deserves a great Canadian wine. A wine pro shows you how to choose one

DEER & CABERNET FRANC

Venison is one of the best, and certainly most natural, pairings for Cabernet Franc. Based on their diet, field deer have a high fat content. That calls for a cool-climate Ontario Cabernet Franc that’s lean in body with a higher acidity to cut the fat, while using its outdoorsy flavours to bring the dish to life. For deep-woods deer with more muscle—and therefore a tighter meat grain—move to a fuller-bodied Cabernet Franc, such as those from B.C.’s Okanagan Valley. They will typically have higher tannins and medium acidity to better balance the dish.

CHOICE PAIRING

Da Silva Cabernet Franc 2022, from Oliver, B.C.’s Avila Family Vineyard. This 100 per cent Cabernet Franc is barrel-aged for 20 months in 50 per cent toasted American oak and 50 per cent toasted French oak, all carefully integrated with the wine. Complex and inviting aromas of licorice, dark cherries and paprika lead the way to a smooth palate with sweet oak, cherries, rosemary and thyme. The wine’s rounded tannins and medium acidity make this an easy drinking wine, while maintaining a complex and delectable profile.