Gray Monk is still at the head of the Pinot Gris parade

Photo: Winemaker Jen Oishi (Credit Mackenzie Dempsey)

Credit Gray Monk Estate Winery for the fact that Pinot Gris has become the most widely planted white varietal in the Okanagan. In 1976, Gray Monk founder George Heiss was the first to plant the grape in the valley. George and Trudy, his wife, had been hair stylists in Edmonton when they decided to change careers. They began developing a vineyard in 1972 in what is now Lake Country. The impetus had come from Hugo Peter, Trudy’s father, who has started a vineyard there four years earlier.

At the time, George was a novice at viticulture. “I knew how to get the content in a bottle out of the bottle and into myself,” he once told me. “We were so bloody ignorant. We had not even figured out at that time the positive influence of the lake on our vineyard. That was way beyond us. One thing we did figure out right off the bat: if cherries, apricots and peaches survived here, grapes would definitely survive.” He was given has initial planting advice from an industry almost as green as he was. Initially, George planted two hybrid varietals, Maréchal Foch and Seibel 1000. He soon discovered that these would produce mediocre wines. “I don’t think they were imported from France,” George said later. “I think they were deported from France.” Fortunately, for George, his father-on-law, who went to Europe on vacation in 1975, agreed to source premium varietals. He had the Colmar research station in Alsace ship modest amounts of vine stock of four varietals: Pinot Auxerrois, Gewürztraminer, Kerner and Pinot Gris. While Auxerrois and Kerner remain bit players in British Columbia vineyards, Gewürztraminer became the third most widely planted white and, as I wrote above, Pinot Gris is number one, ahead of Chardonnay in second place.

There was serendipity that Pinot Gris should emerge as a signature wine both for British Columbia and for Gray Monk. George Heiss was born in Vienna. In Austria, one of the names for Pinot Gris is Grauer Mönch, German for Gray Monk. It is believed this was what inspired the winery name when the Heisses launched their winery in 1982. When they retired in 2017, the winery was purchased by Andrew Peller Ltd. Under the new owners, winemaker Jen Oishi has continued to craft an award-winning portfolio that includes Pinot Gris and rosé.

The winery’s autobiography says: “Jen Oishi was born and raised in the Okanagan, immersed in the Okanagan way of life. Growing up surrounded by orchards and vineyards piqued her interest in the wine industry. After completing her degree in Microbiology from the University of British Columbia, Jen joined the Gray Monk team in 2011. It was here that she was able to pair her love of science with the artistic side of winemaking. Jen worked closely with long time winemaker, Roger Wong. Under his mentorship she learned many aspects of winemaking from the vineyard to the glass, becoming assistant winemaker in 2015 and winemaker in 2020.”

Here are notes on the wines.

Gray Monk Pinot Gris 2021 ($19.99). This wine is a staple for Pinot Gris lovers: it is listed in all 197 stores of the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch. In making this wine, Jen usually gives 12 hours of contact of the juice on the skins, extracting more flavour and a hint of colour. The wine begins with aromas of pear and citrus, leading to flavours of peach and pear. The finish is slightly off-dry. 90.

Gray Monk Rosé 2021 ($19.99). This wine will be in liquor stores by July. It is a blend of 46% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 8.5% Syrah, 8.5% Gamay Noir, 8.5% Rotberger, 8% Pinot Noir and 6.5% Malbec. The varietal in that lineup that may be unfamiliar is Rotberger, a cross of Riesling and Trollinger developed at the Geisenheim research station in 1928. Gray Monk also was the first (in 1978) to plant the vine and for many years released it as a single varietal rosé. In this blend, Jen has created a more complex and fruitier rosé, employing a cool 21-day ferment in stainless steel to preserve the fruitiness. There are aromas and flavours of cherry, strawberry and watermelon with hints of pink grapefruit on the refreshing finish. 91. T