Severine Pinte
WINEMAKER AT LE VIEUX PIN & LA STELLA ESTATE
nterview with severine Pinte, Winemaker at le Vieux Pin & la stella estate in okanagan Valley, B.C.
OKANAGAN VALLEY
What are the wine signatures for both estates, Le Vieux Pin & La Stella?
Vertdevin :
Severine Pinte: At Le vieux Pin, we work a lot with the Syrah grape varietal for the reds and for the whites we work a lot with three Rhône white varietals Roussanne, Viognier and Marsanne. We do 3 different cuvées of Syrah. The cuvée Violette is one of the most popular and represents the feminine, silky side of the Syrah. The cuvée Classique is more robust, tannins are a bit stronger and aromas are leaning more towards the meaty, gamy side. Finally, the Equinoxe Syrah is our high-end cuvée where we try to bring together all these different personalities of the Syrah.
The main white wine is called Ava and is a blend of the three rhône varietals. It is usually showing some delicate aromas of white flowers and a rich creaminess on the mouth. It is named after my daughter.
At La Stella, we work a lot with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese. So we make different styles of super Tuscan wines. There are only 8 acres of Sangiovese planted in the south Okanagan and we own 3 acres of it.
What makes them recognisable and unique?
S.P.: I believe that everything starts in the vineyard, and we work really hard to produce balanced, high quality grapes. I pick when I have the perfect balance between ripe tannins, intense flavours and a good natural acidity. So all our wines have this distinct characteristic of a nice spinal cord of natural acidity. The mostly sandy loam terroirs with different variations of pebbles, rocks and clay are giving us delicate and elegant flavours.
Why did you choose to become a winemaker?
S.P.: I fell in love with the fact that I could create something right from the start. Being able to nurture the vines, watch them grow, study the soils; and from that knowledge, manage the growth, the canopy and then see how each block has its own personality. Each year, I get to create another unique cuvée.
What are the plans for the future of the wineries?
S.P.: We obtained our certification with the Sustainable Winegrowing BC program of which I am the chairwoman. As it is an outcome-based program, the certification process is a continuous one, we are using more precision viticulture tools to know our vineyards in even more detail. We also planted another 10 acres last year, and as the vines mature, we will need to get more tanks to accommodate the increased volume. I’m looking forward to playing with different textures (concrete, oak fermenters) and shapes again.
What makes your terroir specific?
S.P.: The south Okanagan is the northern tip of the Sonoma desert, and the unique hot days, cool nights, and GDD similar to some of the southern France regions allows us to grow perfectly ripened Vinifera grapes with natural acidity remaining in the wines.
In your opinion, what are the main winemaking challenges for the region?
S.P.: The main challenge is the shorter growing season in the vineyard. We have to ripen Vitis Vinifera in 6 months versus 8 to 9 months for some similar GDD regions in the world. Vineyard management with a fine-tuned irrigation system, increased knowledge of the soils is the key to success in the Okanagan.
Thanks to Severine Pinte for the interview
Joanie Metivier
La Stella Winery 8123-148th avenue, osoyoos, BC Canada V0h 1V0
www.lastella.ca
Le Vieux Pin 5496 Black sage road, oliver, BC Canada V0h 1t1
www.levieuxpin.ca