Release of new-vintage Okanagan wines sure sign spring not far off
It’s my favourite time of year.
The release of new-vintage Okanagan aromatic white and rose wines has begun.
The refreshing wines are a sure sign spring is around the corner and we’ll soon be sipping on the patio.
After fermentation in stainless-steel tanks, the results of the fall grape harvest emerge as 2018 vintage whites and roses that are meant to be enjoyed right away.
First out of the gate with 2018s are Lillooet’s first winery, Fort Berens, and 50th Parallel Winery in Lake Country.
– Introduction of the Lillooet (Fraser Canyon) Appellation in the summer of 2018 means Fort Berens 2018 Dry Riesling ($19) can proudly display the Lillooet Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) certification on its label.
Fort Berens’ Dry Creek Vineyard, with its hot days and cool nights, is perfect to produce Riesling grapes that maintain fresh lemon, lime and apple fruit flavours with zippy acidity and minerality.
– The 2018 Riesling ($18) is sweeter, but still nicely balanced with a profile of lime, grapefruit, apple and honey.
Most of the grapes for this vintage come from the Dry Creek Vineyard with some from The Rise Vineyard in Vernon.
– Fort Berens went with a Pinot Noir-Gamay Noir blend for its 2018 Rose ($18).
The result is a mouthwatering, slightly off-dry pink that delivers ample sweet raspberry and tart cranberry aromas and flavours.
– The Dry Creek Vineyard also provided most of the grapes for the Fort Berens 2018 Pinot Gris ($18).
This classic Gris has peach and pear aromas and flavours typical of the varietal with a beautiful twist of mandarin orange.
My wife, Kerry, and I paired it with gnocchi in a creamy sage sauce.
– Fort Berens is having fun with both the wine inside this bottle and the label on the outside.
The 2018 Camels White ($16) does, indeed, feature six camels on the label, a tribute to the beasts of burden John Calbreath brought to Lillooet in 1862 to carry his loads on the Gold Rush trail.
The camels eventually broke loose and Calbreath lost his small fortune in found gold.
The blend of Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Muscat generates a bright and off-dry white you can drink on its own or with chicken, seafood or salad.
– 50th Parallel has christened its 100 per cent Pinot Noir 2018 Rose ($20) “summer sunset in a glass.”
With exotic flavours of pomegranate, watermelon, cherry and strawberry, I agree.
– This is the only wine in this line up of 2018 new releases that’s been partially aged in oak barrels.
But, the barrels had already been used a couple of times, so rather than imparting oaky aromas and flavours, they only lended texture and creaminess.
As such, the 50th Parallel 2018 Pinot Gris ($20) is a layered beauty offering up a profile of nectarine, peach, pear, lemon, lime and orange.
Match wines
Why limit happy to an hour?
That’s the question Match Eatery & Public House at Kelowna’s Playtime Casino is asking.
The answer is happy-hour food-and-drink specials spanning 3-6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to late, Sundays through Thursdays.
That means any wine on the menu is half-price during happy hours.
Being in the Okanagan, Match customized its wine list with ample Valley offerings, including Sumac Ridge Sauvignon Blanc from Summerland, Jackson-Triggs Riesling-Gewurztraminer from Oliver, Wayne Gretzky Pinot Grigio from Kelowna, Nk’Mip Qwam Qwmt Chardonnay from Osoyoos, Black Sage Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from Summerland, Wayne Gretzky Cabernet Syrah, Sumac Ridge Merlot and JacksonTriggs Cabernet Sauvignon.
Half-price means the most affordable wine on the menu, the Jackson-Triggs Riesling Gewurztraminer, can be had for $3.75 a glass or $15 a bottle during happy hours.
Happy hours also extends to $5 craft draft beers, $4.50 for select highballs and $5 eats, including the American carhop burger, food truck-style chicken or fish tacos, southern-fried chicken sandwich and dirty fries tossed in cajun butter and topped with parmesan, hot sauce and crispy bacon.
A 19-week casino strike last summer and fall forced the closure of Match during that time.
But the restaurant is now back full-force and re-introduced its tweaked food menu and wine list at a first-anniversary party earlier this month.
More Half-Corked
The Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country Half-Corked Marathon is so popular over 6,000 people annually vie for the 1,500 available running spots in lottery seven months before the May 25 event.
To increase capacity for this year’s 18-kilometre fun run, 100 additional tickets will be released Tuesday at 9 a.m. for $220 each at OliverOsoyoos.com/Tickets.
The $220 includes race registration, wine tastings along the route and lunch with wine at the finish line.
Participants are encouraged to ham it up and many dress up in wine-themed costumes to cover the 18 kilometres.
The Half-Corked attracts wine-loving runners from all over North America and was named Canada’s event of the year at the 2017 Canadian Tourism Awards.
The race has spawned an entire weekend of antics, including Primavera, a tented, long-table dinner in the vineyard; a Dinner in the Park; The Matinee concert at Tinhorn Creek Winery, a Recovery BBQ at
Road 13 Winery and pancake breakfast at Oliver Twist Winery.
Wine BC 2030
Wine BC 2030, the ten-year strategic plan for the province’s wine sector, will be released Tuesday at the B.C. Wine Industry Insight Forum at Penticton Lakeside Resort.
The day-long event also features an innovation panel and line up of guest speakers.
More on the strategic plan in next week’s column.