Fandango is not just a dance

With help from Wikipedia, here is a definition of fandango: “Fandango is a lively couples dance from Spain, usually in triple meter, traditionally accompanied by guitars and castanets or hand-clapping ("palmas" in Spanish and Portuguese). Fandango can both be sung and danced.”

It the Okanagan, it also can be consumed. This is the name of unique and delicious white wine from Terravista Vineyards, the Naramata Bench winery that Bob and Senka Tennant opened last year.

The wine is named for a Spanish dance because it is a blend of two Spanish grape varieties, Albariño and Verdejo. The Tennants were the first to plant these varieties in the Okanagan. There is not much of it. Their vineyard is only four acres in size. A neighbour has also planted a small block.

There is a small price for being out in front. Neither of these varieties is approved yet for VQA certification. The list of approved VQA varieties is locked down in legislation and regulation. Adding additional varieties requires getting industry consensus and then approval by the B.C. cabinet. The industry has approved but the government, of course, has been distracted this spring.

I am not sure that it even matters, other than it keeps Fandango from being sold through the VQA wine stores.

Terravista has only one other wine, a VQA-eligible blend of Viognier and Roussanne that is called Figaro. The 2012 Figaro is to be released next month. Previous vintages of both of these wines were outstanding. The current vintages should be even better, given that 2012 was an excellent vintage.

Here is my note.

Fandango 2012 ($24.90). The wine begins with lovely, refreshing aromas of honeysuckle, pear and apple. On the palate, there are flavours of melon, apple and citrus, with a hint of stone fruit and almond on the clean and lively finish. Behind the elegant and delicate fruit, there is a rich texture. The wine is so well made that the 14% alcohol is simply not apparent. 91.