The first time I laid eyes upon Harper's Trail I was on my way to the Ice Wine Festival at Sun Peaks.
As we left Kamloops and headed east along Highway 1, we crossed over the South Thompson River and arrived at what was still the relatively early stages of Vicki and Ed Collett's winery. They drove us up to a bluff where we could survey the winter vineyard shrouded in snow.
Harper's Trail (which has claimed the moniker of "Kamloops' First Winery") has already won kudos for its mineral-streaked Riesling and Field Blend, and has rolled out its first red wine. If you had asked people a decade ago (even five years ago) what the chances were that Kamloops would produce a decent red wine they would've been a tad skeptical, and that's being polite.
Over the last short while, the Colletts' vineyard manager John Dranchuk and Okanagan Crush Pad winemaker Michael Bartier have been working hard to figure out which red varieties with which to work. Gone are trials of Syrah and Merlot. Instead they've planted Pinot Noir and Gamay. And last week they released their inaugural Cabernet Franc 2012. Cabernet Franc makes absolute sense here as it does in many more marginal areas. It's regarded as being the most hardy of red vinifera and is also an early ripener much more forgiving than Cabernet Sauvignon.
This is a groundbreaking wine on so many levels. But most of all it confirms Harper's Trail as a serious player in and worthy pioneer in B.C.'s newest wine region, and bestows promise that their considerable gamble has paid off. If you can get your hands on a bottle or two, you'll be pleasantly surprised and the owner of what will surely become a collector's item.
Harper's Trail Cabernet Franc 2012 Bright red fruit on top followed by a mediumbodied palate of blackberry and raspberry notes wrapped in easy tannins and juicy acidity, with slightly mineral undertones and good length to finish. This is not an overblown, powerhouse red but a wellbalanced red that cries out for good food. Think winter dishes like cassoulet, duck breast or firm cheeses like cheddar. Or just sip and think about where it came from ($25 at the winery, 90 points). Move quickly as there were only 138 cases made.
Stay tuned to Harper's Trail. There's plenty to come, including a brand new winery and tasting facility to take advantage of the dramatic panorama planned for a May 2014 opening.
And by the way, if you've never been to the Sun Peaks Winter Okanagan Wine Festival, it all adds up to a whole lot of great winter fun, food and wine, in a unique and family friendly setting. This season's runs Jan. 11-19, 2014 (sunpeaksresort. com).
Speaking of winter, it's here! There's no better proof needed than the ice wine harvest, which took place at a score of Okanagan wineries on Wednesday and continued into the wee hours of Thursday morning. This is the third earliest harvest on record and the largest to date with some 1,000 tons of those little marbles of frozen nectar anticipated. West Kelowna's Little Straw was first out of the gate, with neighbouring Volcanic Hills not far behind.
Belly's Best ¦ Chanoine Frères Grand Réserve Brut 'Tis the season, and this is arguably the best real Champagne deal of the season, sporting no shortage of brioche (bready) notes on top, a good mousse and a well-textured palate of citrus and stonefruit. Look for it at private stores, where it should be less than $50. [email protected]
