Cookin’ on the Coast 2023 – Episode 14:
Gray Monk Odyssey White Brut w/Family Holiday Brunch
For episode #14 of Cookin’ on the Coast, Tammy Large is here from Gray Monk Estate Winery out of Lake Country, BC. For this special breakfast episode, Tammy has brought the Odyssey White Brut, a well-balanced, light and refreshing sparkling wine.
The Odyssey White Brut is an excellent breakfast option thanks to its lighter attributes that won’t risk overpowering your meal.
Head to a Liquor Plus liquor store near you to pickup this crisp and refreshing Odyssey White Brut from Gray Monk Estate Winery.
Paired with the Odyssey White Brut for this special episode is Chef Heidi’s Holiday Brunch, complete with overnight baked French toast with quick-caramelized apples, big batch bacon, and brunchy baked eggs.
On this episode of Cookin’ on the Coast, Tammy and Chef Heidi discuss the challenge of pairing alcohol with breakfast, the history of Gray Monk Estate Winery, and so much more.
Grab the recipes below and all the ingredients at your local Country Grocer:
Featured Beverage: Gray Monk Odyssey White Brut
The Odyssey White Brut from Gray Monk Estate Winery is a sparkling white blend made from Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay Musque grapes.
Pouring a straw colour, this bubbly wine provides aromas of fresh fruit. On the palate, you’ll notice a creamy texture along with flavour notes of citrus and apricot.
Find the Odyssey White Brut from Gray Monk at a liquor store near you, or visit their winery at 1055 Camp Road in Lake Country, BC.
Vintage: 2018
ABV: 11.3%
Appellation: Okanagan
Why it Works with the Family Holiday Brunch
The Odyssey White Brut from Gray Monk Estate Winery is a blend of Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay, which helps to create a light-bodied, crisp and refreshing sparkling wine. That light body makes the wine an excellent match for brunch, where you’ll want to steer away from anything too heavy or overly-flavourful.
The Odyssey White Brut also provides a well-balanced profile of sweetness and acidity, making this bubbly a great pairing with brunch because neither will be able to overpower the other.
With all of its breakfast-y qualities, this Odyssey White Brut is fantastic choice for your holiday brunch.
Brut Pairing Tips
In French, ‘Brut’ means “dry, raw, or unrefined”. In fact, Brut is the driest form of Champagne, as well as the most popular. And these characteristics are put of what make this type of wine so versatile and easy to pair.
The low-sweetness plus high acidity make it an easy match with most foods. That being said, there are a couple of foods you’ll want to stay with. Leave steaks and barbeque for the red wines, and definitely don’t make the common mistake of serving Brut with your wedding cake. This wine is not meant for ultra-sweet desserts – but it works with nearly everything else.
Try pairing this Brut with:
- Salty snacks like popcorn or potato chips
- Nuts
- Scrambled eggs
- Pasta or risotto with white sauce
- Fish
This Week’s Partner: Gray Monk Estate Winery
Gray Monk Estate Winery was started by the Heiss family after they moved to the Okanagan Valley from Europe via Edmonton. The first vineyard was planted in 1972 but Gray Monk officially opened its doors in 1982, quickly developing a reputation for fruit-forward white wines.
Gray Monk’s first vintage was produced out of a garage, and consisted of 125 cases. Fast forward to today, Gray Monk produces north of 100,000 cases per year.
Aside from the Odyssey White Brut, Gray Monk has its hands in all kinds of wine, producing everything from bid reds and fruity whites to port and sparkling wine. They’ve also got quite the restaurant. Appropriately named ‘The Lookout’, you can enjoy one of the best views in the Okanagan Valley from their patio.
Learn more about Gray Monk Estate Winery, their history, wines, restaurant and more: Gray Monk Winery.
Photo credit to Tourism Kelowna
Liquor Plus Sponsors Cookin’ on the Coast
Each week, Liquor Plus sponsors the Pairings segment of Cookin’ on the Coast on CHEK. The show features unique food and drink pairings offered by BC suppliers, with recipes created by Chef Heidi Fink and sponsored by Country Grocer. All of the beverages featured on the program can be found in Liquor Plus stores across Vancouver Island.
