It’s harvest time in the Okanagan.
And my hunch is that more than a few people are breathing a whole lot easier than they were a few weeks ago. Yes, we’re about to celebrate what may turn out to be one of the best vintages to date in B.C.’s young history, but the drought just experienced could have had serious implications for the industry.
When fires raged on either side of Oliver, all it would have taken was a slight shift in the wind to consume some of the longest-established vines in the south Okanagan.
The good news is, with (hopefully) the worst of the fire season behind us the damage in the Okanagan Valley was light, with little if any risk of smoke taint for 2015.
Wine growing can be a tenuous affair on many levels. If you were lucky enough to take in the Main Event at Top Drop this week you might have (should have) tasted the wines from Chateau Musar.
In spite of all odds (including 15 years of Lebanon’s civil war), the Bekaa Valley winery has managed to make every vintage except one (1976) since its founding in 1939.
The late owner-winemaker Serge Hochar, who put Chateau Musar on the world wine map, brought grapes by truck through the war zone to his Beirut winery. (I was lucky enough to meet him in 1998).
You can find Chateau Musar’s flagship blend of old vines Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsault at BCLS and some private stores, while Kitsilano’s Supermarine pours Chateau Musar Rosé by the glass.
A year ago this week, I was in Languedoc, tasting some excellent wines at Domaine Le Clos du Serres, on the wild and rocky newly declared AOC Terrasses de Larzac, not far from Montpellier.
When our group arrived there was a real buzz at the winery with a palpable sense of busyness and expectation in the air as the harvest was just getting underway. As we tasted through the wonderfully structured blends (including Clos du Serres Les Maros 2012, 92 points), the balmy weather started to change and the winds picked up.
Suddenly, almost without warning, the storm hit with a vengeance. Rain lashed sideways. Plastic buckets awaiting the pickers by the vines were hurled across the yard. The storm turned out to be one of a series resulting in flooding throughout the region with a devastating impact on agriculture.
After a turbulent year for many in the Okanagan and elsewhere, Thanksgiving may just be a whole lot more meaningful.
There’s no better way to celebrate our own industry than to take in the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival, which kicks off in Kelowna, Oct. 1, with the B.C. Wine Awards Tasting. New this year is Cropped.
Billed as “B.C.’s Largest Wine Tasting and Farmers Market,” this extravaganza brings together more than 80 wineries along with a wealth of produce and cheeses (including seminars with the Dairy Farmers of Canada), live bands and more.
Belly’s Best
Black Hills Syrah 2013
While the flagship Nota Bene blend (92 points, 2013) still gets all the glory, the all-too-often-overlooked Black Hills Syrah is another pace-setter and a good indication of what to expect from 2013 premium reds. Brimming with black and blue fruit, mulberry and smoky notes, the plush palate is layered and juicy with textbook pepper, well-integrated tannins, carefully managed oak, suppleness and good length ($37, 93 points).
Tim Pawsey writes about wine for numerous publications and online as the Hired Belly at hiredbelly.com. Contact: [email protected].
