More gratitude to hand out today to all the winemakers around the world. You make wines so that we can enjoy them with friends and family. With COVID restrictions lifting we can now do this safely in person. I have a bottle of Gratitude Red 2019 by JAK’s, made by Okanagan Crush Pad, from a blend of Merlot and lesser Cabernet Franc sourced from Summerland and Osoyoos.
In case you were admiring the label, it is drawn by West Coast illustrator Alex Maertz.
$1 from each bottle sold of this limited release Gratitude wine is being donated to the BC Hospitality Foundation in June 2021. The British Columbia Hospitality Foundation is a charity that raises funds to support those in the hospitality industry facing financial crises due to health conditions. The BCHF helps them when all other options have been exhausted. In an earlier post, I tried their Gratitude Chardonnay and Rosé. There is a wine that should suit everyone. Let me tell you about the Gratitude Red.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Gratitude Red by JAK’s 2019
Appearance: Uniformly translucent, 50%, from the rim to core, garnet in colour.
Nose: A medium-plus intensity nose with fresh aromas showing red berries, sour red cherries and a touch of sweet spices. With decanting the aromas were more raspberries, brambleberries, sweet spices, and a touch of oak. Less sour red cherries.
Palate: Slightly off-dry, angular, with higher acidity leading to a lighter mouthfeel. Medium-plus bright flavours of juicy red fruits, tart red cherries and plums, raspberries, and a touch of floral. Tannins are not noticeable until the end. The wine was drier and more astringent with decanting. More tart red fruits, oak and a touch of capsicum.
Finish: A medium-plus length finishing with lingering sweet and tart red fruits, mouthwatering acidity, a touch of pepperiness and oak, and light tannins.
With the acidity and bright red fruits, I recommend chilling the wine for 30 minutes in your fridge. This wine would not taste as nice too warm.
Rating: 
No need to decant. A fun refreshing red wine to enjoy as soon as you open it. Be sure to chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes for best enjoyment. Bright red berry fruit and red cherries on the nose and palate. High toned flavours. Acid driven. Tannins not noticeable until the finish. Lingering red fruits, tartness and a touch of pepperiness on the finish.
Grilled Banger Sausage Pairing
My grilled banger sausage pairing with this wine was very good. The sausage had some fat, but not too fatty, and the acidity in this wine minimized the fat. The pepperiness in the wine came out a bit and the red fruit flavours complemented the savoury flavour of the sausage.
