Last week, I wrote about a unique new wine business in Summerland called the Okanagan Crush Pad. It is a full service wine facility that offers everything one needs to take grapes from field to market.
These folks know their stuff, as evidenced by a statement from winemaker Michael Bartier:"The best way for a wine to represent the region is to be well grown, made and packaged, with a true, credible and relevant story that is well articulated." That`s big concept for a guy who makes wine and it shows a deep understanding that even good wine needs help in getting it into the hands of the consumer.
Two wines now being produced at the Okanagan Crush Pad are endeavours by the business`s principal owners. Haywire is the label chosen by marketing guru Christine Coletta and her husband, Steve Lornie. Bartier Scholefield bears the names of the winemaker and a former senior wine buyer for the BC Liquor Control Board.
I have sampled some of the first releases under each label and they did not disappoint.
Haywire makes a Pinot Gris ("1. things that are out of control 2. erratic or crazy people 3. a winery in Summerland, BC") that is pretty much what I want from a fine white wine. It has a huge, fruity bouquet and a very pleasant lemony flavour all the way through the palate. Surprisingly, the wine also has a soft, round feel in the mouth that balances off the acidity. This is a wine that will stand up nicely on its own and match with many different foods, including fish, salads and cheese. I can imagine it being a fine complement to a lemon tart.
Also made by Haywire is a superb rosé made entirely from Gamay Noir grapes. Its light colour was achieved with 14 hours of cold soaking of juice on the skins, which also imparted just a smidge of tannins, again adding to its potential to pair with food. This rosé has big cherry notes, but I was really taken by the cranberry flavour. I`d like to try it with any number of seafood dishes.
Bartier Scholefield is the self-explanatory label by two kingpins of our B.C. wine industry. Two wines, a white and a rosé, are the results of the 2010 vintage. The white is an unusual and highly successful blend of Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. That the flavour of each grape can be identified this table wine is a testament to Bartier`s winemaking abilities. I don`t recall coming across this particular blend before but I liked the bouquet, dominated by Pinot Gris aromas, the acidity provided by the Sauvignon Blanc, the apple notes from the Pinot Blanc and body courtesy of the Chardonnay. Once again, Bartier has created a wine with a very accessible mouth feel, all without the use of oak — this wine was made entirely in stainless steel tanks.
Bartier Scholefield rosé is also made from Gamay Noir grapes, but they come from a different vineyard than the Haywire version and the result is completely different, too. This rosé has a dominant strawberry flavour but includes a surprising earthiness that Scholefield describes as truffle notes. The result is a style more closely identified with Old World rosés from France and Italy. Again, the acidity and soft mouth feel make this a wine that will be equally pleasing on its own or with food.
At this point in the year it appears that we will not be able to make our annual trek to the Okanagan. It`s all the more disappointing because I really look forward to touring this very unique, and much-needed, facility. Great people. Great idea. Great early results.
Lorne Eckersley s the publisher of the Creston Valley Advance.