September is my favourite time to tour Okanagan wine country. Its picture-perfect since the grapes are all going through veraison, the technical term for the onset of ripening when they start to change colour. Its also a very busy time, as harvests begin, because there are visitors aplenty and the sun still shines bright throughout the day.
If you havent made the trip out this year, let this column be a gentle nudge that way. Keep in mind that many wineries will be offering wines in their tasting rooms that cant commonly be found in Vancouver. These small-batch exclusives are often some of their most interesting drops, so do take advantage when you come across them. Here are a handful of my favourite tasting room-only BC wines to keep an eye out for.
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An aromatic blend made from Pinot Gris, Muscat, Pinot Blanc, Ehrenfelser and Gewurztraminer, this lively white is more about the sum than its parts. All these varieties add up to a lip-smackingly juicy splash of lychee, papaya, citrus and charm. Sunshine in a glass.
From some of the oldest, gnarled vines in the Okanagan comes this wine of local legend. As a little selfish disclosure, Road 13 reached out to me earlier this year to assist them with putting on a couple dinners and events. One of the top reasons I was happy to oblige was knowing that I could talk them into pouring this wine and Id be able to snag a couple glasses for myself here and there. Made in the traditional Champagne method, this sparkling dazzles with brioche, pears, honeycomb and sage.
The Pinot made from younger vines is a steal at 23 bucks, with a nice truffle and mushroomy nose plus plenty of plums and purple fruit on the palate. A good dusting of nutmeg gives it a little extra dimension, tying it all together nicely.
One of the richest, most-complex and delicious Pinot Noirs in the valley, its a shame that this bottle is winery-only (and carries such a hefty price tag.) Pinot-geeks will adore this juicy wonder, gently swaddled in French oak, loaded with cherries, currants, cloves and finesse. Ultra-exclusive and theres not much left of this vintage; dig deep into those pockets at least once to give this one a whirl.
The only 100 per cent Grenache in Canada will have you wondering why we dont make more. With a similar weight and structure to a Pinot Noir, theres a bit more of a weighty punch to this bottle, bursting with cherries, blackberries and a wee bit of ginger.
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As always, if youre having trouble tracking something down or just want to say hi, find me via KurtisKolt.com or Tweet me @KurtisKolt.
