Mayhem is spawned by Meyer Family Vineyards

Photo: Mayhem's Terry Meyer Stone

The current releases from Meyer Family Vineyards were accompanied by wines from Mayhem Wines, a relatively new label.

The explanation is provided with the specifications of the Mayhem wine.

 “Mayhem Wines is a fun collaboration between two established wine industry siblings – Terry Meyer Stone of Anarchist Mountain Vineyards and her broke, JAK Meyer of Meyer Family Vineyards, along with their respective spouses, Andrew Stone and Janice Stevens.

“The portfolio consists of aromatic white varietals and Bordeaux red varietals. We source our grapes from our home vineyards and from established growers of the Okanagan, with an eye for detail in the vineyard and producing quality grapes in a sustainable manner.”

Mayhem was profiled in the current Okanagan Wine Tour Guide, which was released this spring and is in book stores for $25. Mayhem is one of the 40 or some producers that are new since the previous Tour Guide was published in 2014.

Here is an excerpt.

This winery emerged from a small virtual winery called Anarchist Mountain Vineyards, which was established near Osoyoos after Terry Meyer and partner Andrew Stone bought a 1.8-hectare (4½-acre) mountainside vineyard. She is the sister of JAK Meyer, owner of Meyer Family Vineyards at Okanagan Falls. Terry and Andrew, both Albertans, set down roots in the Okanagan after coming to help her brother in 2008 as he entered the wine industry.

Terry, who had her own daily television show in Edmonton for seven years, has had an extensive career in marketing and public relations. That included running the wine club for Tinhorn Creek. Andrew was born in in 1972 in Fort Vermilion, Alberta. After a career working in the oil fields, he became a corporate systems analyst. He missed working outdoors, and after JAK invited him to the Okanagan, he took up viticulture and embraced the wine-industry lifestyle.

The Anarchist wines, a Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir, were made for them at the Meyer winery, which specialized in those very same varietals. “I was not really interested in supporting my sister to make more Chardonnay and Pinot Noir here, which was going to compete against us,” JAK says (right). “That is 
why we launched the Mayhem brand, doing anything but Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.” For copyright reasons, the Anarchist name was dropped in favour of Mayhem.

The business arrangement opens growth opportunities for both Meyer, which took over the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grown on the Anarchist vineyard, and for Mayhem, which is no longer limited to the 500 cases that Terry and Andrew’s vineyard could produce. Mayhem’s flagship red is Merlot. The other wines in the portfolio, including Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling, are made with grapes sourced from contract growers. “We are opportunistic,” Terry says.

Mayhem has continued to make its wines at the Meyer winery but may eventually establish itself on a Meyer-owned vineyard in Kaleden.

Here are notes on the current Meyer and Mayhem releases.

Meyer McLean Creek Road Gewürztraminer 2019 ($15.75 for 250 cases). This wine is astonishing good value. If boring Gewürztraminers have becoming tiresome, this wine resurrects the variety. It has intense aromas and flavours of spice, lychee and grapefruit. The crisp dry finish makes it an excellent wine with food. 91.

Meyer Rosé 2019 ($20.19 for 300 cases). This was made with Pinot Noir by the saignée method – the grapes were crushed and juice was drawn off after 12 hours. (Some batches were destemmed and allowed a two-day cold soak). The wine presents in the glass with appealing rose petal hues. Strawberry dominates the aroma. The wine is refreshing, with flavours of strawberry mingled with watermelon. 91.

Meyer Micro Cuvée Chardonnay 2018 Old Main Road Vineyard ($56.61 for 150 cases). The wine begins with buttery and citrus aromas. The palate delivers flavours mingling mandarin orange and apple with a hint of cloves and very subtle oak. This is an elegant and refined Chardonnay that began fermentation in stainless steel and finished in French oak (33% new). The wine was left on the lees for 11 months without stirring. 95.  

Meyer Micro Cuvée Pinot Noir 2018 McLean Creek Road Vineyard ($56.61 for 300 cases). The wine has been aged in French oak, including two new 500-litre puncheons from the Tronçais forest. The wine begins with toasty aromas mingled with cherry. On the palate, there are flavours of dark fruit with a hint of toasted oak. A touch of spice remains on the lingering finish. The texture is firm. This is a wine that can be cellared at least for 10 years. 94.

Mayhem 2019 Riesling 2019 ($18.26 for 128 cases). The wine begins with aromas of stone fruit and citrus. On the palate, there is bright acidity and flavours of lemon mingled with minerality. The finish is persistent. 90.

Mayhem Sauvignon Blanc 2019 ($15.65 for 270 cases). The wine begins with aromas of lime, guava, green apples and grass; the aromas spring from the glass. The wine is refreshing and bright on the palate, with notes of herbs, green apples and grapefruit. The finish is dry and very long. 90.

Mayhem Rosé 2019 ($20 for 169 cases). Made with Merlot, the wine is fashionably pale in the Provence style but, with 24 hours of skin contact, not excessively pale. It begins with aromas of strawberries. On the palate, there is strawberry, cherry and peach, with an herbal note on the dry finish. 90.

Mayhem Merlot Cabernet Franc 2018 ($21.74 for 785 cases). This wine, which is 84% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, was aged 11 months in oak. It begins with appealing aromas of cassis. The palate delivers luscious flavours of black currants, cherries and pomegranate, leading to a soft and spicy finish. 90.

Mayhem Cabernet Franc 2018 ($30.44 for 44 cases). This wine was fermented with indigenous yeast in stainless steel and then transferred to two French oak barrels (one new) for 11 months. The aromas of blackberry, blueberry jam and cassis are echoed in the palate. The long ripe tannins give the wine great length and a long finish. 91.