Gravelly loam
What wine pairs perfectly with bannock? Any number of Indigenous World Winery’s vintages, of course.
The West Kelowna winery is owned by former Westbank First Nation chief Robert Louie and his wife, Bernice.
The wines are made by Jason Parkes, who also works with Perseus in Penticton and The Hatch in West Kelowna, to be enjoyed on their own or matched with the Native-inspired dishes at Indigenous’ Red Fox Club restaurant.
As such, while lunching recently at Red Fox my wife and I and our company from England devoured bannock, the traditional Aboriginal fry bread, with both the Indigenous Pinot Gris ($18) and the Hee-Hee-Tel-Kin white blend ($15).
Hee-Hee is the Syilx word for an elusive high-country stag with large antlers and an illustration of such a animal is featured on the wine’s label working a grape press.
It’s a blend of Viognier, Ehrenfelser and Gewurztraminer and features flavours of apricot and honeysuckle.
The Pinot Gris has some baked apple flavours and a slightly spicy finish.
Both wines also paired nicely with the cold-smoked chicken salad and wild mushroom pie we ordered.
In charge at Red Fox is Andrea Callan, who used to be the chef at Old Vines restaurant at Quails’ Gate Winery in West Kelowna.
By the way, Red Fox has astounding views of forest and Okanagan Lake from its patio and also has indoor seating.
Les Collines is the French term for hill and, as such, is the ideal name for Clos de Soleil Winery’s new 10-acre vineyard near Keremeos.
Clos de Soleil is also French meaning vineyard in the sun.
Clos will grow Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapes in the certified-organic gravelly loam on the steep ridges overlooking the Similkameen Valley.
The two varieties are used in the classic French Bordeaux-style whites Clos makes – Capella ($28) and the flagship Estate Reserve white ($60).
Clos also has other vineyards in the Keremeos area growing grapes for the winery’s rose, Fume Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Syrah and Bordeaux-style reds .
“We like to makes wines as hands-off as possible to showcase the terroir of the Similkameen Valley,” said Clos winemaker and managing director Michael Clark.
“So, the Estate Reserve white was slow fermented with wild yeast and barrel aged in neutral French oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered.”
Precise and piercing, the resulting wine has a nose of lime peel and wet stones and flavours of pear and green citrus with a mineral streak.
Clos’ wines are available at the winery, online, Save-On Foods in Penticton and Kelowna and some private liquor stores.
Summer Sips
What does a Miss Universe hopeful and Okanagan wine have in common?
Both will be at the Summer Sips 4 Smiles fundraiser Friday at Kelowna Yacht Club.
Shanelle Connell is from Kelowna and is the Okanagan representative going to the Miss Universe Canada pageant in Toronto Oct. 17.
The winner of that contest will go on to compete for the Miss Universe crown in Australia in early 2018.
Connell is hosting Summer Sips 4 Smiles to raise money for Operation Smile, which is the Miss Universe Organization’s charity of choice.
Operation Smile sends doctors around the world to perform surgery on children to repair cleft palates.
The Summer Sips evening features wine tastings from Kelowna’s Sandhill and West Kelowna’s Quails’ Gate, appetizers and silent auction for prizes ranging from wine baskets, weekend getaways and teeth whitening to art, photography and health and wellness programs.
“There is no better way to raise money than with wine, great company, astonishing prizes and fantastic entertainment,” said Connell.
“Everyone deserves to feel confidently beautiful inside and out and Operation Smile gives me a reason to smile and I know it will for you too.”
Tickets are $40 at EventBrite.ca.
Pink
This Pinot Gris is so pink you’d think it’s rose.
The 2016 Pinot Gris ($22) from Narmata’s Nichol Winery gets its gorgeous salmon hue from 36 hours of contact with the skins of the grayish-blue grapes at the beginning of the winemaking process.
Grown in a vineyard of granite shard and glacial till, the grapes impart this particular Pinot Gris with a fresh acidity, aromas and tastes of peach, apricot, ginger and apple skin and a grapefruittinged finish.
The stainless steel tank and neutral French oak aging added some complexity.
My family drank this bottle on Canada Day with barbecued maple syrup-marinated chicken to establish a mash-up CanuckOkanagan theme.
While it was an exemplary patriot drink, Nichol Pinot Gris should also be enjoyed yearround.
Vineyard Trails
This weekend’s Art in the Park Vineyard Trails is today and tomorrow 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Volcanic Hills Winery on Boucherie Road.
The Vineyard Trails edition of Art in the Park is the City of West Kelowna’s way to promote local artists, local art and the Westside Wine Trail of 13 wineries.
Future Vineyard Trails events this summer will hit Indigenous, Quails’ Gate, Off the Grid and Mount Boucherie wineries.
Steve MacNaull is The Okanagan Weekend’s business reporter and columnist. But, he loves to eat and drink too, thus his new Fill ‘er Up column on the Wine & Dine page. Reach him at steve.macnaull@ok.bc.ca.