Covert Farms resumes tours

Covert Farms, which was established in 1959, is tucked away on a plateau north of Oliver, on the back side of McIntyre Bluff.

While the winery is now open for private tastings, by reservation, the need to stop the pandemic has led to the cancellation, so far this season, of the many imaginative events normally hosted here – such as a famous pig roast.

However, some events are resuming. On its website, Covert writes: “Beginning July 1st, we’re offering private, pre-booked Hands on Harvest tours for small groups (up to six people). The tour will run twice daily (11 am and 2 pm), Wednesday through Sunday. The two-hour experience includes a one-hour tour of our 650-acre farm, followed by cheese, charcuterie and wine pairings back on our rustic outdoor covered patio. Reservations required.”

If you go, here are notes on some of the wines you will be tasting.

Covert Farms Sauvignon Blanc Sémillon 2019 ($25.80 for 470 cases).  This is 72% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Sémillon and 8% Viognier. The wine was fermented in stainless steel. An aroma of ripe apples mingles with herbal notes. The texture is fleshy; the flavours echo the aroma. The finish is dry. 90.

Covert Farms Pinot Blanc 2019 ($23.80 for 180 cases). This wine was fermented 90% in stainless steel, 10% in French oak, and was aged sur lie. It has aromas and flavours of nectarines and ripe apples. The lees aging has fleshed out the texture. The fruit flavours linger on the dry finish. 90.

Covert Farms Rosé 2019 ($25.80 for 450 cases). This is 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 10% Syrah, co-fermented after a 12-hour cold soak on the skins. The color vibrant deep plum (for which I applaud the winemaker). Aromas of cherry bound from the glass. There are flavours also of cherry and plum, with a hint of spice. The texture is soft and fleshy … perhaps a shade low on acidity … and the fruit flavours linger. 89.

Covert Farms Ancestral Sparkling Zinfandel 2019 ($32.80 for 120 cases). There is something untamed about this wine with its cloudy pink hue and its frothy bubbles; but then that is the point of making sparkling wine in the ancestral method. It has aromas and flavours of apples and berries. The finish is crisp and dry. 88.

Covert Farms Grand Reserve Pinot Noir 2017 ($40.80 for 160 cases). This is a dark, bold and concentrated wine. Only 1.6 tons of fruit was on the vines. And the wine was matured 21 months in French oak, almost double the current industry practice. The wine is rich in aroma and flavours of plum, cherry and chocolate. The oak flavours add to the masculinity of this wine. 91.

Covert Farms Grand Reserve Zinfandel 2017 ($53.80 for 140 cases). This is a dark wine with aromas of blackberries and dried cherries with a touch of spice. On the palate, there are flavours of plum, fig, raisins and mocha chocolate. The texture is firm, with long ripe tannins. The wine was aged 20 months in French and American oak. 91