When The Triggs Family landed in the Okanagan, a few years after the sale of Jackson Triggs and Vincor (and their own DeLaine Vineyards) to Constellation Brands, I figured we’d be in for some interesting times.
After all, Don Triggs, the man who steered Vincor to become the world’s seventh-largest wine products company, was not known for standing still. In what might seem in wine terms like barely the blink of an eye, Don and Elaine Triggs and their daughter have created a distinctive, state-of-the-art, clean-lined winery, and immaculate, precision-planted vineyards along with the wines to match.
One of the first tasks to which Triggs applied himself was the development of a high altitude vineyard, well above and outside the proposed Golden Mile Bench (in which their other acreage will be included).
I was lucky enough to visit the site early on, and was duly impressed but still more intrigued and excited when Triggs told me that in addition to Riesling and Chardonnay he planned to grow Gruner Veltlner.
Gruner is to Austria what Riesling is to Germany or Shiraz to Australia. So why plant it here, you might ask, especially when it’s so little known? And, based on experience, challenging to sell.
However, I don’t think it will be challenging for the Okanagan’s first Gruner, which Culmina Estate has recently released. All the Culmina wines sport proprietary names, so it’s known as Unicus, which loosely translated means “incomparable” and “unprecedented,” and has spawned our modern adjective, “unique.”
Triggs likes to refer to Gruner as “the love child of Riesling and Chardonnay.”
The Austrians grow their best Gruner on elevated terraces, or “terrassen,” and there can be little argument that the 595-metre elevation Margaret’s Bench is as dramatic as any terrace you’ll find in the Wachau. The vines, of course, are still very young. But first tastes of this inaugural 2012 vintage reveal a complex, structured, mineral-and-citrus-toned drop, wrapped in juicy acidity, and with that distinctive pepper streak for which the variety is known (91 points, only at the winery).
Any B.C. wine collector will want this for their cellar. My guess is the line has already formed for the next release.
You’ll need an appointment to visit Culmina and drive up the impressive, tree-lined boulevard. But if you’re in the valley this summer, I’d highly recommend it, especially with winemaking now in the hands of Pascal Madevon. In my humble opinion, these are some of the most focused and terroir-driven wines around. You’ll want to taste them.
Hot off the press: the 2015 Winery Dogs of B.C. Calendar yields the usual troop of friendly canines, curated by wine columnist Troy Townsin. It includes a few rescue dogs from the BCSPCA, which benefits from the proceeds. Look for it at participating wineries and soon at VQA stores.
Belly’s Budget Best
This week a couple of hot weather-worthy patio and barbecue picks:
Grass Hopper Gruner Veltliner 2012 / 2013
While it may not be in the class of Culmina, here’s a great intro to Gruner Veltlner, and it’s more than affordable. Up-front citrus and grapefruit followed by apple, pear and stonefruit. (BCLS $9.99, new vintage may be more, 89 points).
Casillero del Diablo, Devil’s Collection 2012
Here’s one of those impressive Chilean reds produced on a large scale that over delivers for the money. A step up from the “basic” Casillero wines, I like the fact that while it’s approachable and not that dry, Concha hasn’t decided to pursue that overt, commercial, sweet style we’re seeing so much elsewhere.
A juicy blend of Cab. Sauv, Shiraz and Carménère, medium-bodied with approachable tannins, loads of dark red and black fruit with solid structure and a touch of spice. Two things: Barbecue and red meat (BCLS $16.99, 89 points).
Tim Pawsey writes about wine for numerous publications and online as the Hired Belly at hiredbelly.com. Contact: [email protected].
