Serious Riesling
La Frenz Winery in Naramata takes Riesling seriously.
After all, Germany’s king of grapes makes a majestic wine.
La Frenz released two special Rieslings yesterday, one made from grapes of Clone 49 vines, the other from Clone 21B.
Clones are cuttings from the original mother vine that have found their way around the world to produce grapes and wines reminiscent of the revered original.
Clone 21B is from Geisenheim, Germany on the right bank of the Rhine River.
As such, La Frenz’s version has the racy acidity and hint of sweetness the German Clone 21B is famous for.
However, influenced by the fine sandy loam and clay of Freedom 75 vineyard and Okanagan sunshine, Clone 21B ($22) from La Frenz is subtly different from a German 21B with aromas and flavours of key lime, Golden Delicious apple, peach and minerality likened to river stones and wet shale.
La Frenz has declared its Freedom 75 Vineyard as the best suited for Clone 21B.
Clone 49 is from the Alsace region of France near the German border.
It again it’s a slightly different style, bigger and off-dry with aromas and flavours of orange oil, lemon butter, peaches and honey.
La Frenz’s Clone 49 ($22) is also influenced by its home in the winery’s most southern Rockyfeller Vineyard on the Golden Mile in Oliver, where it’s grown in cooler pocket of sandy loam over heavier clay and rock.
La Frenz also released two other 2017s yesterday – a Limited Edition 2017 Pinot Noir rose ($25) and a 2017 Alexandria ($24) off-dry white blend.
Expect a dark salmon hue from the rose with whiffs and tastes of tea, strawberries and cream.
Alexandria is exotic, luscious and floral with lychee, cantaloupe, peach, pear and orange. varieties native to Northern Italy will be pouring at the festival next month.
For Stag’s Hollow that means showcasing its 2016 Dolcetto ($22) and 2017 Muscat Frizzante ($22).
Dolcetto is a red grape famous in Piedmont, but virtually unknown in the Okanagan because Stag’s Hollow is the only winery to grow it here.
Stag’s version is the darkest electric blue-purple with aromas and flavours of black cherry, raspberry and botanicals.
Stag’s Muscat Frizzante is light and spritzy, just like the Moscato d’Asti semi-sparklers made in Piedmont.
However, unlike Moscato d’Asti, which is usually sweet, Stag’s interpretation is finished dry (brut) with hints of lime, jasmine, peach, honeysuckle and lychee.
Piedmont producers also use Muscat to make dessert wines and fortify it for vermouth.
Stag’s also grows another grape that’s rare to the Okanagan – Albarino.
Albarino’s home is northwestern Spain, which gets a lot of rain.
However, Stag’s has figured out a way to grow it in the dry Okanagan to spectacular effect.
Stag’s 2017 Albarino ($19) is light and fresh featuring melon and apple and a slight saltiness that makes it a perfect pairing with fish tacos.