Stag's Hollow turbo charges Vidal

Photo: Stag's Hollow founders Linda Pruegger and Larry Gerelus (courtesy of winery)

The Vidal grape is one of the few French hybrid varietals that remains commercially important in Canadian vineyards.

In Ontario, it is the primary Icewine grape. Several BC producers also make Vidal Icewine.

It can, however, also yield an exuberantly fruity white wine, somewhat reminiscent of Sauvignon Blanc.

The varietal was already growing in the vineyard when Stag’s Hollow Winery founders Larry Gerelus and Linda Pruegger bought this Okanagan Falls property in 1992. Larry grafted Chardonnay onto most of the Vidal, keeping just half an acre.

He was just in time for the “Anything but Chardonnay” fad. But consumers had no prejudice against Vidal table wine. It sold so well that Larry let some of the grafted Chardonnay revert to Vidal. In recent years, he has even planted more Vidal.

The grape was developed in the 1930s by French plant breeder Jean-Louis Vidal. He crossed Trebbiano Toscano (also known as Ugni Blanc) with Rayon d’Or (Seyval Blanc in North America), intending to produce a grape for Cognac production. According to Jancis Robinson, the varietal was not authorized in France and is rarely grown there.

When Vidal acquired a cult following in the Stag’s Hollow tasting room, the owners renamed the wine “Tragically Vidal” because so little was grown in the Okanagan, a tragedy considering the appeal of the wine.

When I read the specifications for the 2017 Tragically Vidal, it seemed to me that Stag’s Hollow has begun to overthink the wine. The blend is 85.2% Vidal, 11.8% Orange Muscat, 2.6% Viognier and 0.5% Marsanne. The Muscat has accentuated the aromatics and the Rhone whites have added a noticeable richness to the texture. The wine is more complex than previous vintages of Tragically Vidal.

But does it make sense to put together such a complex blend for a wine selling for $17 a bottle when the winery gets $22 a bottle for its Muscat or its Viognier Marsanne. Stag’s Hollow is spoiling its Vidal drinkers who would, I suspect, still be happy with the simple fruity Vidal of old.

Here are notes on current releases.

Stag’s Hollow Muscat Frizzante 2018 ($22). This is a wine looking for a summer’s afternoon. It is light (11.1% alcohol) with delicate and refreshing bubbles. There are floral and spicy aromas of orange and nectarine. On the palate, there are flavours of spicy Asian pear. The finish is dry. 91.

Stag’s Hollow Tragically Vidal 2017 ($17). The wine begins with aromas of stone fruit mingled with notes of honey. That repeats on the palate. The texture is full. 90.

Stag’s Hollow Dolcetto 2017 ($22). Stag’s Hollow is just one of two Okanagan producers of Dolcetto, a fruity Italian red. The wine, which was aged in concrete and older oak, begins with aromas of blackberry and chocolate. Those are echoed on the luscious palate. There is a note of spice on the lingering finish. 91.