Stir Wine Pairing: In this time of nostalgia and hope, we’re going for an eclectic art exhibition, Gamay Rosé, and fried chicken
Place des Arts, Haywire pink wine, and Downlow Chicken Shack are on our weekend planner
Connections by Yifei Zhang is part of the Coquitlam Heritage Society’s Capturing Moments: Chronicling Our Lives exhibition at Place des Arts.
New on the menu at DL Chicken Shack on the Drive is a dark meat Hot Sando—which would go perfectly with Haywire Gamay Rosé 2019.
Photo by Alexis Lea Photography
Every week, Stir Wine Pairing suggests BC wine and food to go with a local arts event.
The event
Coquitlam Heritage Society’s Capturing Moments: Chronicling Our Lives, at Place des Arts until March 18
The drink
Haywire Gamay Rosé 2019
The food
Anything from the Downlow Chicken Shack (905 Commercial Drive)
The lowdown
Here we are a full year and a bit into the pandemic, and while we’ve been living history, we’ve experienced all the emotions along the way. We’re missing our pals and our parents, going to see live theatre and dance and music, and having dinner parties. By this point, we’re fed up and frustrated while also hopeful, with the vaccine rollout underway, that life will get back to near normal sometime soonish.
We are ready for some lightness this weekend in the form of art, food, and wine that will lift our spirits.
We’re starting out by booking a visit with our core bubble to Coquitlam Heritage Society’s Capturing Moments: Chronicling Our Lives at Place des Arts.
The exhibition features works in a range of media—including photography, paint, and mixed media—by culturally diverse artists from Coquitlam who have documented memories and moments in time. The exhibit also includes artifacts from Coquitlam Heritage’s collection that speak to capturing time.
The pairing
Here’s some good news: the spring equinox is on March 20—about a month away. A rosé—specifically Haywire Gamay Rose 2019—seems to be just the wine to toast the coming of warmer, brighter days. First, there’s its gorgeous pale pink hue, resembling blossoms that should be peeking out soon here in Vancouver when the rest of the country is still in a deep freeze.
Haywire is part of Summerland-based winery Okanagan Crush Pad, and rosés happen to be a favourite among the team, led by winemaker Matt Dumayne. It shows.
There’s Okanagan herbaceousness in this savoury, dry wine, which has an aroma of orange blossom and flavours of red fruits. Luscious, it goes for $22.90 at independent wine shops, including Swirl Wine Store, Legacy Liquor Store, JAK'S (South Granville, Richmond, and Westwood), O'Hares Liquor Store, Westgate Liquor Store, among others. (It can also be purchased via the winery’s website.)
The menu
The thought of pairing that pink wine with Nashville-style fried chicken just makes us happy.
The Downlow Chicken Shack has jazzed up its menu, keeping the classics and adding some new items and flavours.
The dark meat Hot Sando, for instance, features a whole six- to seven-ounce boneless leg.
Its new Pizza spice dust is matched up with basil-and-garlic mayo on tenders or sandwiches, while Cool Ranch was inspired by co-owner Doug Stephen and Lindsey Mann’s apparent love for Cool Ranch Doritos.
The same spice levels are all still there: mild, medium, hot (“you’re gonna feel it”), extra hot (“are you serious”, and side of milk (“does this need explaining?”). The crazily popular spot serves ethically raised chicken that is now also Halal.
It’s open for take-out only Monday to Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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