Culmina's Unicus and friends

 Photo: Culmina winery and vineyard

Culmina Family Estate Winery was so named because it is the culmination of a career in wine for Donald and Elaine Triggs.

Donald was one of the founders of Vincor International, which was taken over in 2006 by Constellation Brands. Donald and Elaine then founded Culmina in 2007 on property south of Oliver. It was a solidly established winery when they sold it in 2019 to Arterra Wines Canada. A few years earlier, Arterra had acquired the Vincor Canadian assets when Constellation decided to leave this market.

When Donald and Elaine decided to retired last year, the sale of Culmina to Arterra had considerable symmetry for the Triggs family. Arterra’s wineries include the Canadian wineries that once formed the heart of Vincor in Canada. Jay Wright, Arterra’s president, formerly was a right-hand man to Donald at Vincor.

The quality of the current releases indicate that it is business as usual at Culmina under new management.

Here are notes on the wines.

Culmina Unicus 2019 ($27). This winery was the first to release a Grüner Veltliner in the Okanagan; and it continues to produce one of the best. In making the wine, Culmina winemaker J-M Enixon has pulled out all the stops. Some 36% of the wine is fermented in a concrete egg; 28% in a concrete amphora, 26% in stainless steel and 10% in neutral French oak barrels. The wine delivers aromas of passion fruit, lemon, lime and peach. On the palate, there are layers of tropical fruit flavours wrapped around mineral notes. 91.

Culmina Decora Riesling 2018 ($21). This is a dry Riesling with racy acidity. The additional year in bottle took the edge off the acidity. The wine has aromas of lemon, lime and a hint of petrol. The palate delivers flavours of lemon, green apple and grapefruit with a spine of minerals. An elegant wine, it will age readily through this decade. 92.

Culmina Saignée 2019 ($24). This rosé is made by bleeding juice from tanks of red grapes shortly after pressing; hence, the colour is not too dark. This is an attractive wine in the glass. The blend is 32% Malbec, 31% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Franc and 11% Cabernet Sauvignon. It begins with aromas of strawberry, rhubarb and apple, leading to luscious flavours of strawberry and plum. The wine is full on the palate and the lingering finish is dry. 91.

Culmina R&D Dry-ish Riesling 2019 ($19.99). This an easy drinking Riesling while you wait on its companion to evolve in the cellar. The moderate residual sugar lifts the citrus aromas and gives flesh to the palate, with its flavours of citrus and apple. 90.

Culmina R&D Chardonnay 2019 ($20). This is a crisp, fruit forward Chardonnay – think Chablis – with aromas and flavours of apple and citrus and just a hint of butter. 91.

Culmina R&D Rosé 2019 ($19.99). This light-coloured rosé is a blend of juice from Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc, fermented cool in stainless steel. It begins with aromas of strawberry and delivers flavours of strawberry, cherry, apple and watermelon. The texture is generous and the finish is dry. 91.