BCWAS Bus Tour 2013: Naramata Bench

After a comprehensive tour through the Oliver-Osoyoos region last year, the BC Wine Appreciation Society bus tour swung north in 2013 to visit Summerland and the Naramata Bench. The Executive team had arranged luxurious accommodations at Summerland Waterfront Resort, where most of us met up Friday before the tour started in earnest the next morning. The well-appointed resort directly on the water is also the site of Local Lounge & Grill, where we were set to dine throughout the weekend. The highly-respected restaurant is operated by Christa-Lee McWatters and her husband Cameron Bond, in partnership with Christa-Lee’s father, Harry McWatters. The convenience of dining directly at the resort allowed guests more flexibility, and saved money on transportation as well!

For BCWAS members arriving Friday evening, Local was set up to welcome us with a festival style wine tasting, alongside a tapas dinner from talented new Executive Chef Lee Humphries. Several members wineries from the “Bottleneck Drive” association in Summerland were present pouring for the excited guests, with everything from crisp sparkling wines to rich fortifieds and icewines. Naturally, everything was available to order as well, with the wineries generously offering to deliver orders to the hotel’s front desk the next day. Given the many excellent wines being poured I certainly hope they received plenty of new customers.

As good as the great many wines were, the seemingly endless array of food easily grabbed our attention as well: platters of cheese and charcuterie were accompanied by a bevy of bite sized hors d’oeuvres on skewers, planted in a bed of living greenery. The quail eggs, prawns, seared tuna, and tomato & bocconcini morsels kept guests salivating while Chef Lee cooked up mini meatballs and squash tortellini at a hot food station. A table of desserts didn’t go missed either, with pies, brownies, éclairs, and chocolate mousses offering a feast for the senses late into the evening.

Despite a hearty party to get us started, everyone dutifully reported outside the resort on Saturday morning at 8:15 for our departure to visit the Naramata Bench wineries, helped along by plenty of coffee, and/or sparkling wine in a number of cases! A short ways down the road in Penticton Upper Bench Winery & Creamery was ready to receive more than three dozen bright-eyed wine (and cheese) fans. Proprietors Gavin Miller (the winemaker) and Shana Miller (the cheesemaker) welcomed us to their newly renovated patio, where we all enjoyed a seated wine and cheese tasting.

Elegant Chardonnay and crisp Riesling were paired with Shana’s “Gold” and “French Gold” cheeses to start, while industry veteran Gavin discussed his all-natural viticultural approach. A hearty new 2011 Pinot Noir was accompanied by the garlicky “Italian Gold” cheese, and the fruit forward Merlot and old world inspired Cabernet Sauvignon brought out the “Moody Cow” and “King Cole” blue cheeses. The impressive selection of wines and cheeses set Society members upon the tasting room in droves, stocking up on their favourites in both domains. It didn’t take long for the previously-burgeoning cheese fridge in the shop to look quite forlorn and lonely once we practically emptied it in our enthusiasm for Shana’s wares!

With the Naramata Bench wineries so close together it wasn’t long before we reached our next destination, mere minutes away at Poplar Grove’s production facility, down the road from their iconic Tasting Room. There, Founder Ian Sutherland was on hand to greet us and provide a guided tour of the new winery, about to enter its second year of production. The extremely spacious building is home to dozens of massive steel tanks and a huge barrel room that should serve Poplar Grove and second-label Monster Vineyards well for many years.

After a quick hop up the road to the beautiful tasting room and event facility Ian was happy to share and discuss several wine samples, including a smooth and balanced Chardonnay, plus a rare and luscious Viognier found only at the winery. The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2009 CSM red blend soon brought on plenty of grins with their ripe dark fruit, and the nicely maturing 2006 Legacy provided for a delectable treat.

With Poplar Grove having been joined by the Vanilla Pod Restaurant from Summerland just last year, we were able to smoothly transition directly into lunch, served outside amongst the stunning views overlooking Penticton and the lake. Executive Chef Bruno Terroso had prepared a spectacular three-course meal, beginning with an extremely flavourful heirloom tomato salad with fresh Burrata.

Summerland potatoes and squash were next, served with either Hanger Steak or Wild Soho Salmon, similarly mouth-wateringly fresh and honestly prepared. Finally, the flourless chocolate torte for dessert was so rich and delicious that members were pooling their leftovers in take-away containers, so as not to leave even a single bite behind!

With memories of such a fantastic lunch still in our minds (and bellies) it was almost hard to concentrate during our afternoon visit to Township 7. Winemaker Bradley Cooper met us outside the winery where a series of tables had been set up for a custom blending session. After pouring the 2010 Reserve 7 Meritage, Brad challenged us to form small groups and create our own unique blend out of six single vineyard samples from the 2012 vintage.

With a full suite of flasks and beakers on hand, we masterfully crafted three Merlots, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Malbec/Petit Verdot field blend into several brand new wines, under the watchful eye, nose, and palate of Brad. Many gleeful amateur winemakers soon received Brad’s approving acknowledgement of their blends, which he recorded for future research and consideration during his own blending sessions for the 2012 Reserve 7.

Our final winery visit of the day took us up the road to Red Rooster, where the winery was hosting a fundraising picnic afternoon for the Penticton Fire Department. Outdoor games, a petting zoo, and actual firefighters demonstrating their life-saving equipment were all on display. With the winery grounds crowded with families and wine fans, we journeyed upstairs to a private room for a guided wine tasting with hospitality associate Dale.

Several wines from Red Rooster’s portfolio gave us a crash course in the techniques and skill of Winemaker Karen Gillis. We were lucky to sample from small lot, Reserve wines such as the Lieutenant Governor’s Award-winning 2012 Viognier, the rare 2011 Pinot Noir, and the newly released 2011 Malbec. The winery’s generosity continued as Dale provided samples of the light, refreshing 2012 Riesling Icewine, and the restrained, age-worthy 2010 “Golden Egg”, Karen’s venue for experimenting with Mourvedre and Grenache.

Back at the Resort, we enjoyed some time off to collect ourselves and squirrel away our purchases of wine and cheese from the day. The evening’s dinner at Local saw us honoured with the company of two well-known local winemakers: Tom Di Bello and his wife Tari joined Robert Van Westen in introducing several wines from their individual and joint ventures. Tom’s small “Di Bello Wines” project has yielded exceptional Chardonnay, Viognier, Merlot, and Syrah thus far, but is temporarily on hold as he ramps up work as the new head winemaker at Burrowing Owl. The busy harvest season didn’t stop Tom and Tari from bringing their 2010 & 2011 Chardonnay and Merlot wines, plus the 2010 Syrah, all ready to be paired with Chef Lee’s delicious food.

The first course of Poached Pear Salad with Goat’s Cheese paired nicely with both Chardonnays, each of which possess bright, food-friendly acidity. The second course of Bison Tartar was enjoyed with the 2011 “VD” Pinot Noir, a very successful collaboration between Tom and Rob, and of which fewer than 100 cases were produced. Rob revealed his initial anxiety at producing a Pinot Noir, given the passion with which fans of the variety can both celebrate excellence and condemn perceived failure. Fortunately Tom convinced him to take the chance, and they have continued to collaborate on subsequent vintages. A third course of Duck Confit Ravioli served to celebrate both vintages of Di Bello Merlot, and juicy Syrah synched up with Roasted Black Pepper Venison next.

A highlight of the entire meal for many was the dessert course of Qualicum Brie Pannacotta with the exquisite 2012 Van Westen “Vicicle” Viognier icewine. The honeyed peach and apricot flavours of the wine meshed superbly with the added rosewater honey gel and candied ginger sable crumble atop the Pannacotta. It was altogether the perfect conclusion to a fantastic day!

VIWF 2013: BC Wineries Continued

Earlier this week, I detailed some of the BC wineries from which I had the good fortune to sample at the Vancouver International Wine Festival. With twenty-seven BC wineries (including the SakeMaker at Granville Island) in attendance this year I could go on and on detailing each one and all the delicious wines they were pouring. In addition to those wineries and wines I mentioned already there are at least several more I would love to highlight – keeping in mind all the wineries were doing a great job promoting the excellent products produced by themselves and the entire local industry.

At the Nk’Mip Cellars table I had a great time catching up with Assistant Winemaker Justin Hall, with whom I always enjoy discussing Okanagan winemaking. We talked about Nk’Mip’s new “Talon” red blend, a fun and approachable mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Malbec from 2010. It’s soft and a little sweet (3.3 grams of residual sugar), and value-priced at $23 – a good deal considering the quality of grapes and winemaking talent that went into it. Being poured alongside the Talon were the Qwam Qwmt (Reserve) versions of the 2011 Chardonnay ($35), 2010 Pinot Noir ($30), and 2009 Syrah ($35), all of excellent quality and drinking very nicely at present, particularly the Pinot Noir. I also felt it pertinent to try out the 2010 Mer’r’iym I had already purchased, and I adored the ripe dark fruit and mouth filling texture. Sadly, there will not be a 2011 Mer’r’iym, as the winery felt the quality of fruit that year was not up to par for such an icon wine – which garners them a lot of respect in my book!

Painted Rock Proprietor John Skinner was a fixture throughout the festival, seemingly manning his booth relentlessly without pause. Helping to pour his fine wines was hardworking Sales Representative Jill and even his son Riley at one point. John’s sole white wine, his 2011 Chardonnay ($30), was front and centre, and was in fact the sole Canadian wine served at the Festival’s centrepiece Bacchanalia Dinner. It’s a very elegant and complex wine with a long finish and superb food friendliness. The Painted Rock team was also showing off their new 2010 Syrah ($40), a fine follow-up to the highly acclaimed 2009 vintage: it’s coming along well, with spicy pepper and slowly softening tannins. The 2009 Merlot ($40) is still exhibiting superb ripe flavours and maturity that I’ve been loving for months, as was the 2009 Red Icon ($55) of course. John decided at the last minute to hold back the 2010 Red Icon despite honestly wanting to share it with the world at the Festival; a little more time in bottle should ensure it is revealed when most appropriate.

I stopped by Quails’ Gate to check out the Stewart Family Reserve wines I’d already purchased, and spotted Proprietor Tony Stewart flitting in and out. Chief Operations Officer Tyler Galts and Winemaker Grant Stanley were present behind the table, pouring the winery’s Chenin Blanc ($18) and Dry Riesling ($17), along with the Reserve Burgundian varietals. The Reserve Chardonnay was as elegant as I remember from many previous vintages, while the Reserve Pinot Noir is back after a year’s absence: a smoky nose led nicely into earthy mushrooms and red fruit. At the Trade Tasting sessions the 2008 Merlot ($23) was also being poured (notable in particular given the current vintage comes from 2010) and it impressed me with a juicy, still somewhat tannic, chocolaty palate.

Sandhill’s Senior Winemaker Howard Soon could be spotted now and then, but it was Winemaker Stephanie Leinemann who spent the most time behind the table at the Festival. Although the winery was surprisingly not pouring their Small Lots Chardonnay in the Tasting Room, the regular 2011 Chardonnay ($18) did just fine, serving as a textbook traditional take on the varietal. I found the 2010 Syrah ($22) to be an enjoyable mix of peppery spice and bright berry fruit, with a hint of menthol; unfortunately it is sold out at the winery. When it came to trying the 2010 Small Lots “One” ($35) I was impressed at how well this blend is drinking already, with spot on balance and lots of fruit on the palate – good thing I purchased a bottle in advance! Also being poured at the Trade Tastings was the one-of-a-kind 2010 Small Lots Sangiovese ($30), with youthful tannins within a light-coloured, strawberry-flavoured palate.

Right next door See Ya Later’s Winemaker Mason Spink was happy to discuss the gamut of wines he was pouring. The 2011 Chardonnay ($20) possesses a soft, smooth mouthfeel thanks to malolactic fermentation, with subtle use of oak and apple-dominant orchard flavours. The new “Belle” Viognier-Pinot Gris blend comes in at a budget-friendly $17, and includes some of the best of both grapes, with floral aromas and apple-peach flavours; the 15% Pinot Gris provides acidity to back up the Viognier. The 2010 “Rover” Syrah ($25) was co-fermented with Viognier skins that provide pleasant floral aromas in the wine’s youth, but sufficient acid is present to allow for longer-term aging – as far as 2017 is suggested. The 2010 “Ping” red blend ($28) was darker on the palate, with less acid but more tannins, and could age even longer – I’ve been impressed with the performance of previous vintages. Lastly, for a delectable treat, Trade Tasting attendees were treated to samples of the new 2011 “Hunny” Last Harvest Riesling ($25), Best Dessert Wine at the Fall Okanagan Wine Festival: ideal sugar balance compliments a delicate, creamy palate and long finish – an excellent icewine alternative.

The Martinuik family of Stoneboat Vineyards was particularly excited to be present at the festival, as the timing was perfect for them to show off their new sparkling wine, “Piano Brut”. This Charmat-method sparkling is being released this spring at the approachable price of $23, but Festival-goers had the chance to buy it immediately at the on-site store. Comprised primarily of Pinot Blanc with a touch of Müller-Thurgau, it’s slightly off-dry, with peach flavours and a robust mousse (having been recently bottled). Stoneboat is perhaps best known for their Pinot Noir and Pinotage, both of which ($25) were being poured from the 2010 vintage. In tasting both wines I was taken aback at their highly expressive, fruit-forward aromas that easily wafted from the glass; although either should be able to age well, they are delightfully fresh and engaging at present.

Next door Tinhorn Creek was pulling out all the stops, led by President and Winemaker Sandra Oldfield. She had ensured only the reserve “Oldfield Series” wines were being served, with pouring being assisted by Vice-President Shaun Everest and Sales Manager Mark Butschler. The biggest surprise was seeing the newly released Oldfield Series 2010 Cabernet Franc ($35) on the table, and thus in the on-site store. The Oldfield Cabernet Franc is a brand new addition to the Tinhorn Creek portfolio, and only 374 cases were produced: nine months in bottle have begun to mellow the youthful tannins, but it should still have a long, fruitful life ahead of it. The more mature 2009 Oldfield Merlot ($29) and 2Bench Red ($30) were both showing very well, with round, mouth filling textures, and delicious chocolate flavours. The Oldfield Series white blend, 2011 2Bench White ($23) was also present for a little reminder of its terrific versatility: the soft texture and melon, pear, and peach flavours seem to pair well with almost any type of food.

Nearby, Township 7’s well-known Winemaker Bradley Cooper was helping Proprietor Mike Raffan share a few of their wines. I tried the 2010 Chardonnay ($20) first, and was surprised by the enticing and powerful nose and golden colour; it’s a full-bodied take on the varietal, with plenty of apple and sweet oak flavours. The 2011 Unoaked Chardonnay ($18) keeps the apples, and adds additional fresh tree fruits and citrus in a wine that speaks of summer. The grapes come from Harry McWatters’ Black Sage Bench “Sundial” vineyard, and that close relationship explains why Township 7 was pouring Harry’s McWatters Collection 2011 Chardonnay ($25) at the Trade Tastings. This tasty Chardonnay was both rich in texture and delicate in flavour, with well integrated oak that allowed the fruit to shine alongside hints of toast.

Having spent so much time hunting down BC’s top wines for my collection there weren’t many available for purchase at the Festival which I don’t already own. In addition to my earlier Festival purchases from Nk’Mip, Quails’ Gate, and Sandhill, I added See Ya Later 2010 Rover, which I’ve been eyeing for a while. Lastly, even though it will be widely distributed in stores, I couldn’t help but snag a bottle of Stoneboat’s new Brut to make for an even half-dozen bottles.

Over the weekend I visited the BC Paired Luncheon as well as the Festival Tasting Room one final time with a group of friends on Saturday night. I was pleased to have once again sampled from all of the local talent this year, in addition to some illuminating international exploration. Hearing that next year’s Festival Global Focus is on Sparkling Wine has certainly got me excited to see the international competition and BC’s contribution – we have some charming and sophisticated sparkling wines coming out of BC lately. My congratulations to the Festival Society for another great week, with many more sure to come!

BCWAS: Township 7 Tasting

The dynamic duo of Township 7 Public Relations Manager Lori Pike-Raffan and Winemaker Bradley Cooper were on hand at the Listel Hotel mid-April to show off a wide range of delicious flavours they brought to the BC Wine Appreciation Society. With three white wines, a Rosé, and six reds on the table a huge part of the viniferous family was before us, from Sauvignon Blanc to Cabernet Sauvignon. Brad even brought the literal terroir in the form of two jars of Naramata and Langley soils!

Guests happily sipped Blue Mountain Brut while Lori showed off two raffle wines for the evening: she beamed with pride when acknowledging that Township 7 was selected by the Calgary Stampede to craft the official Stampede Centennial wines. Two lucky BCWAS members would soon be taking home the Centennial Selection 2009 Chardonnay, and the Centennial Selection 2008 Merlot; only 199 cases of each having been made!

Before the sniffing and sipping began in earnest, Brad walked us through the details of Township 7’s approach to grape-growing and winemaking, with details of the winery’s estate and contracted vineyards in the Fraser, Similkameen, and Okanagan valleys. A thorough and impressive PowerPoint presentation provided information and illustrations of the terroir from which Township 7 produces their award-winning wines, with details going back as far as the Cretaceous Period, 150 million years ago!

In addition to describing the various glacial deposits and soil types throughout the vineyards, Brad pointed out the advantages of long days with high light intensity, low rainfall, and large diurnal temperature swings. The cool evenings that come about in the Okanagan maintain sufficient acids and keep the grapes from accumulating excess sugar, all leading to superb flavour development. As he was speaking, guests were invited to pass around the provided jars of soil to appreciate the dramatic difference in composition and density of the silty Naramata soil and the heavy, clay-rich Langley sample.

With no time to lose we soon delved into the many wines to taste, starting with the 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, a now sold out vintage showing how this often youthful wine can become fuller and more lush over time. A tiny 2% contribution from Muscat helped bring out flavours of honeydew melon, and the texture showed off reduced acidity and more obvious minerality from the time in bottle.

The 2009 Chardonnay was next, showing very subtle oak on the nose, despite full barrel fermentation, and a full texture courtesy of malolactic fermentation and extended sur-lie contact. In 2009 the Chardonnay came from four different vineyards in Naramata, Oliver, and Cawston, making it as complex as any other blend, despite being a single varietal.

Our third and final white was revealed to be an unfiltered tank sample of the 2011 7 Blanc blend. With about two thirds Gewurztraminer and one third Pinot Gris the young wine was very fruit forward and perfumed on the nose. Slightly off-dry on the palate with bright acidity it will no doubt have a prosperous future in food pairing for Asian-inspired dishes in particular.

A mature Rosé from 2009 came next; with a little rusty colour this “compilation Rosé” is a blend of Pinot Noir co-fermented with Chardonnay, plus small percentages of Muscat, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot from vineyards in the Okanagan and Fraser valleys. It shows a flavour palate that focuses on strawberry, with sufficient body and acid for successful food pairing. Interestingly, Township 7 didn’t make a 2010 Rose, and so the 2011 is awaiting release once the remaining 2009 is sold.

As we finished the first pass through the white wines we were treated to tasting plates from Listel Executive Chef Whittaker, who shared Seared Albacore Tuna, Rare Beef Tenderloin, Wild Mushroom & Eggplant Tartlet, and Tiger Blue cheese with red wine stewed fruits. For vegetarians there was car-grilled veggies and even more spectacular cheeses to enjoy.

Moving on to the reds – each one unfiltered – we began with a mini-vertical of the 2007 and 2008 Merlots. Both wines include single digit percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon, with the current release 2008 adding an additional bit of Cabernet Franc for extra backbone and complexity. The 2007 Merlot was a favourite of James Suckling, who felt it was the best Merlot of his Canadian tasting session. I noticed dusty tannins and plenty of blueberry characters, while the 2008 seemed a bit fruitier on the nose and palate. A still-young 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon followed the Merlots, with flavours of chocolate and cherries, and tannins suggesting it will continue to mature for several more years despite 26 months in oak already.

The last three wines comprised a vertical of the Reserve 7 Meritage, from 2006 to 2008. While debates about favourites went back and forth Lori described the amazing accomplishments of quadriplegic artist Robb Dunfield, who mouth-painted the art for the label of the limited release 2006 edition. Brad then pointed out that the upcoming 2009 Meritage will include Petit Verdot and Malbec for the first time.

While we emptied our glasses and considered the best food and wine pairings Lori shared details of all the spectacular events Township 7 holds at both their locations, including the fall grape stomp – captured on video in 2011 by BCWAS member and Shaw TV reporter Kendall Harris. Whether it’s wine, food, art, music, or even live theatre amongst the vines, Township 7 goes all out for their fans!

Fraser Valley Wineries

Fraser Valley Wineries

Last Saturday we visited a farmer’s market near Langley with some friends, and after loading up on some unusually large produce we headed back to Vancouver, only to pass by a winery: Neck of the Woods. After determining that it had a tasting room and was actually open we headed back for a visit. There are quite a few wineries in the area around Langley, in the designated viticultural area officially called The Fraser Valley. Since we so rarely make it out there it seemed like a great time to check out this sometimes overlooked region of BC’s wine industry. What began as one winery visit turned into an exciting afternoon of wine touring that we hadn’t expected whatsoever!

Neck of the Woods Winery, our first stop, is a young winery that began life as Glenugie Winery in 2002. After the unfortunate passing of the winery’s founder it was purchased by a White Rock developer in 2008 and eventually renamed Neck of the Woods. They grow Pinot Noir, Zweigelt, and Schoenberger at the Langley vineyards, and produce a very nice sparkling Blanc de Noir from that Pinot, plus a Rose from the Zweigelt and Schoenberger. The winery also produces several additional wines from Okanagan fruit, such as a solid Meritage and a very off-dry Gewurztraminer. After tasting several of their wines (some of which can also be found under the “Backyard” label) we ended up taking home a bottle of Brut, as well as a mixed case of Chardonnay, Merlot, and Gamay (all Okanagan VQA) – 2006-vintage leftovers from Glenugie and priced to move at $99/case. There’s still plenty left so if you’re looking for some good basic table wines at a price that can’t be beat it’s a great opportunity.

Following Neck of the Woods, and with a complimentary and handy Fraser Valley Wineries map in hand we decided the day was young, and headed off in search of Township 7’s Langley location (having visited their Okanagan winery last spring). Township 7 clearly brings in a lot of traffic, as the small tasting room was buzzing with activity. We tried a few whites – a very nice Viognier, a crisp and clean Sauvignon Blanc, and a refreshing un-oaked Chardonnay among them – before picking out a tapas tray and a chilled bottle of Viognier for the picnic table outside. Having these pre-made trays of cheeses and dips ready to go in the fridge is a stroke of genius on Township 7’s part, and was the perfect way to enjoy a leisurely lunch in the vineyards. Red wines followed lunch and we thoroughly enjoyed the Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon; a breakthrough moment occurred when we realized that the Merlot conjured up flavours that reminded us all of smoked ham with mustard – surprisingly specific! I ended up purchasing a bottle, recalling that I also very much enjoyed the previous year’s vintage (2006) when I got a bottle in the Okanagan.

Quite close to Township 7 is a very unique winery and farm called Vista D’oro: “a culinary agritourism destination” in their own words. Vista D’oro not only produces a small portfolio of table and dessert wine (primarily using Okanagan fruit), but also an extensive series of artisanal preserves from fruit and vegetables grown on the farm. Above and beyond their excellent wine you should visit if you are interested in unique, locally-made, high-quality gifts to impress the foodies in your life. If we hadn’t just purchased a couple of jars of compote at the farmer’s market, we would certainly have come away with delicious-sounding preserves such as Turkish Fig with Walnut Wine or Chestnuts, Dates and Brandy. The selection changes with the seasons of course, the mark of a truly authentic artisanal producer. Fortunately you can find Vista D’oro wines year-round in VQA stores, including a very unique fortified wine called simply “D’oro”: a walnut wine comprised of Marechal Foch, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc in which green walnuts (from the trees right beside the tasting room) have been macerating in Okanagan Brandy. The best part is, Vista D’oro uses the brandy-soaked walnuts a second time after draining off the red wine blend. They add Okanagan Pinot Noir to the mix and age for a year in oak to produce a Sherry-like wine they cheekily call “Pinot Noix”. Hearing that it is not available outside the winery (“D’oro” is in select stores), and would taste superb alongside an olive tapenade (for which I have a killer recipe) I had to get a bottle!

The next time you find yourself in the Fraser Valley on a beautiful sunny Saturday keep your eyes peeled for winery signs; you might just discover some unique treats and unexpected delights!