With serious summer weather right around the corner, what better time for our first of the season’s patio sippers, wines to show off your consummate good taste at the first al fresco opportunity.
When it comes to whites (and increasingly many reds) corks are a thing of the past, so much so you can safely discard that pesky corkscrew from your backpack. The fact is, especially when it comes to whites, it’s no longer only budget wines that come with the convenience and freshness of a twist top.
One of the more remarkable features of the Okanagan Valley is the wide range of varieties grown. Travel its length and you can encounter some 60 different varieties, and possibly more.
A good number of those arrived with the Becker Project of the mid 1970s, when a considerable number of cool-climate Germanic aromatics were planted under the study led by the University of Geisenheim. Today they make up some of the oldest vines in the valley, and what they produce is becoming increasingly noteworthy.
Gray Monk (the Heiss Family were key players in the Becker Project) still has significant plantings from those early days. And some of those lesser, more obscure varieties are well worth tracking down.
Gone is the era of the consummate winemaker’s “cocktail” when everything that was left over was dumped into a tank and sold off at the cheapest possible price. Today’s B.C. blends often deliver good value, and in some cases (Joie Farm) are hallmark wines and impressive statements of the house style.
Combine that with the blossoming of West Coast cuisine and a growing group of wine savvy chefs and it should come as no surprise that white blends now make up one of the largest categories.
Here’s a worthy haul of blends and others to kick your summer off in style:
Maverick Estate Origin 2012
Winemaker and owner Bertus Albertyn left Burrowing Owl, just across the way, to establish one of the valley’s most exciting new wineries. Check out this unique blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Gewurz, for an intriguing mix of grassy, rose-petal floral, and citrus notes in juicy acidity ($15.90, 90 points).
Quails Gate Chasselas, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris 2013
Chasselas was the first vinifera planted on Quails’ Gate’s estate and it remains a mainstay in this blend. Aromas of citrus and pear followed by an easy sipping apple-and -pear toned palate in a slightly drier style than before, with good structure and a lengthy, zesty end ($18.99, 89 points).
Gray Monk Pinot Auxerrois 2012
It may be tough to pronounce but just call it “Pinot Ox” and you’ll be fine. From some of the Okanagan’s oldest plantings: citrus on top, followed by luscious stone fruit and juicy acidity. Think seared scallops, grilled chicken salad, or just good summer sipping. A lot of wine for $16.99 (BCLS) 90 points.
Moon Curser Afraid of the Dark 2013
Roussanne, Viognier and Marsanne yield intense aromas of citrus, peach and stonefruit before a nuanced apricot-and-lemon toned palate and a clean and lingering close ($21.90, 90 points).
Joie Noble Blend 2013
Arguably the best to date, Joie’s “nod to Edelzwicker” continues to set the bar for sophistication in B.C. blends (Gewurztraminer 45 per cent, Riesling 38 per cent, Pinot Auxerrois eight per cent, Pinot Blanc and Muscat four per cent, Schoenberger one per cent). Look for tropical notes, such as lychee and guava, up front with generous but sleek mouthfeel and a lengthy citrus-lime ending ($24, 91 points).
Intrigue Social 2013
Riesling, Gewurz and Muscat Canelli combines for a food-friendly sipper that sports citrus and apple notes up front with a well rounded pear-and-melon toned palate ($14.90, 89 points).
Try before you buy
BCLS and BC VQA offer 20 in-store tastings in the Lower Mainland where you can “try before you buy” from a dozen wines, plus enter a draw for a dream wine touring vacation for two to British Columbia wine country. Schedule and contest details (no purchase required) at winebc.com/contest.
Tim Pawsey writes about wine for numerous publications and online as the Hired Belly at hiredbelly.com. Contact: [email protected].
