A long weekend expedition to the Okanagan typically brings me past the small towns of Keremeos and Cawston following the main highway as it snakes along the Similkameen valley between the river and the steep hills, and I've been meaning to stop and explore the wineries there. While the Okanagan has been feverishly ripping up established orchards to plant vineyards instead, the Similkameen towns embrace their fruity heritage and there seems to be more of a balance of fruit stands and wineries, including a fruit winery of course. The wineries pride themselves on being small family-run operations, and you can't guarantee to find these labels outside of the VQA or private wine merchants. I prefer these small yield wines, it feels like more of a rare treat than whatever the 'house wine' is at a given restaurant. It's a great excuse to purchase straight for the source and speak with the knowledgeable producers about their product, region, and history.
First stop was not a good start for wine tasting; they were a new winery that had just opened up, the tasting room smelled very strongly of.. building/finishing/cleaning materials? Not good. And the wines were very young. Perhaps I'll try them again in a few seasons, once they get settled a bit.
Next up was Robin Ridge, and a much better presentation with the friendly family patriarch. Their Gewurztraminer was drier than I prefer but held the aromatic notes I love best. I was glad to see a straight Gamay too. Most noteworthy was the rose "Flamingo" made from a table varietal, an easy and accessible fruitiness that reminded me of a wine made from Concord grapes I had several years ago, and I am glad to support winemakers bending the rules of tradition.
Taking a wrong turn while searching for one winery lead me to Herder; snug against the hillside was a gorgeous and spacious Mediterranean-style building, with the great potential to be a B&B or host receptions. Only sampling three wines, "Three Sisters" had a fine balance of Pinot Gris' crisp acidity, Chardonnay's smoothness, and Viognier's nose.
The right turn found Clos du Soleil; wines done in the Bordeaux style. Their white focused on Sauvignon Blanc tempered with a bit of Semillon, and I was glad to have a fresh clean white that walks the line without being too acidic, sweet, or oaked. I am increasingly a fan of the pliable Sauv Blanc and its versatility with meal pairings. Fume Blanc caught my attention here. Tried two reds; the harvest had produced poor Cabernet Franc that year, and one blend included their contribution for the sake of French tradition, while the other excluded it for the sake of taste - the difference was definitely noticeable. I'll stick with their whites.
Just down the street (and in the next town of Cawston, organic capital of BC) was the Orofino strawbale winery. This one gets top marks in all regards, and I count this as my best new find of this trip! The presenter was a wealth of information about the wines, winery, history and geography of the region, and could juggle several customers and their tastings and questions with apparent ease. The wines were fantastic and I would've been fine with bringing home anything from their menu, including the Chardonnay - I will enjoy an aromatic Moscato frizzante for New Year's. Their building is a strawbale construction that is both ecologically friendly and educational, having been built by 22 people in a 5 day workshop that I would've loved to been part of. On top of all that, they have an old dog that want you to throw his slobbery ball for him to fetch.
Seven Stones winery was next, the wine presentation from the winemaker himself who could answer well any questions and included a free tour of the new "caves" he's building; an excavation part for the cellaring of wine but also to house the 'library' of collectable vintages and a banquet hall for special events. I enjoyed most of the samples and was pleasantly surprised by the Merlot, as something different than the rounder juicier norm. Those that have sampled wines with me before may have heard me express my personification of each varietal's typical characteristics, and for me Merlot is a large-bosomed aunt that demands a big hug, likely wearing faux flowers and chunky beaded jewelry. Now the tasting notes on the "Row 128" suggested olive and leather, and intrigued I found quite a different experience with this perennial favorite, less of the berries and more robust and borderline masculine even. As if dear auntie just beat me at arm wrestling.
Last stop for the afternoon (or was it evening...?) before I completely fall over was Forbidden Fruit winery, the aforementioned fruit-focused winery. I enjoyed a Sauvignon Blanc/Vidal blend "Sauvidal" and an apple dessert wine "Pomme Desiree" that had the sense (scents) of apple pie, that would either pair with that or replace it entirely. I think this'll be passed around for Thanksgiving, if it lasts that long. The last sample was the port-style "Cerise D'Eve" cherry wine. I wouldn't say I'm a big fan of cherries in general, but this was nice and will be fine with a nip of dark chocolate. Tasting fee was a suggested donation of $3 and went to a local environmental program.
No comments:
Post a Comment