Laughing Stock hangs in with a natural wine

Photo: Winemaker Dave Carson

Laughing Stock Vineyards began using a clay amphora to make white wine in 2012, when David and Cynthia Enns still operated the winery.

They sold it to Arterra Wines Canada in 2017 and moved on 18 months later to their new project, 1 Mile Winery at Naramata.

To my surprise, Arterra has continued to make the amphora wine. Arterra is a big national wine producer, with excellent labels in its stable (Jackson Triggs, SunRock, Black Sage, See Ya Later Ranch, Inniskillin, Nk’Mip Cellars, Steller’s Jay, Sumac Ridge). There is nothing as edgy as an amphora wine in any of those portfolios.

In its technical note, Laughing Stock says: “Originally used in ancient Greek & Roman days, this approach embodies the desire to make wines more naturally with wild ferments and minimal intervention.”

The technique involves putting whole berries of Viognier and Roussanne into the three 500 litre clay amphorae that the winery owns. Each amphora is closed, left to ferment with wild yeast and then left in contact with the skins, for a total of 98 days. Nothing is added to the wine except a bit of sulphur. The wine is not fined or filtered before being bottled.

Natural wines have been having a moment in recent years. Several books have been written on the style. There is, I believe, an annual conference in Britain attended by aficionados of natural wine.

I have never attended it, nor do I plan to. The hair-shirt style of natural wines does not do it for me. I respect the honest intent with which they are made; and I get that there are lots of consumers with palates different than mine. Certainly enough to snap up all 100 cases of the Laughing Stock wine at the cellar door. Perhaps Arterra just decided to let Dave Carson, the winemaker in charge of the Laughing Stock cellar, continue to have as much fun as David Enns had.

Here are notes on the current releases, as well as on two wines from a previous release.

Laughing Stock Pinot Gris 2018 ($19.99). The rich texture of this wine reflects the complex winemaking, with 37% fermented in neutral French barrels, 3% in stainless steel and 27% in concrete eggs. The wine was aged sur lie for six months with weekly stirring. The wine has aromas and flavours of ripe pear and ripe apple. The finish lingers. 91.

Laughing Stock Amphora VR 2018 ($28.99). This is a blend of Viognier and Roussanne. It was aged 96 days on the skins in a 500 litre clay amphora – the way the Greeks and the Romans once made wines. This wine presents with a light gold hue and aromas of stone fruit. The flavours are quite complex, mingling apricot, orange and exotic tea flavours. The finish is bone dry. I would pair this wine with a deli platter of Italian meats. 89.

Laughing Stock Pinot Gris 2019 ($19.99 for 1,300 cases). Some 37% of this wine was fermented in neutral oak; 36% in stainless steel and 27% in concrete eggs. It begins with aromas of citrus, nectarine and peach. On the palate, the texture is rich (reflecting the impact of the concrete eggs). The fruit flavours are as exuberant as the aromas. 91.

Laughing Stock Amphora VR 2019 ($28.99 for 100 cases). This is Laughing Stock’s natural wine. Viognier (86%) and Roussanne (14%) are fermented in 500 litre terracotta amphorae. Whole berries go into the amphorae, are covered and left for 98 days. In the glass, the wine has an apricot hue, with a light haze. The aromas are quite complex – orange peel, stone fruit and tea. This is reflected on the palate, along with dried black tea and tannins. For my palate, this is a wine version of prosciutto, which would be my pairing. 88-90.

Laughing Stock Viognier 2019 ($24.99 for 460 cases). Forty percent of this was fermented in neutral oak; 36% in concrete eggs and 24% in stainless steel. The wine begins with floral aromatics and aromas of apricot and apple. It is rich on the palate, with flavours of apricot, ripe peach and ripe pineapple, with a spine of minerality. The 14.9% alcohol gives the wine some warmth on the finish. 90.

Laughing Stock Pinot Noir 2018 ($34.99 for 420 cases). The bold aromas of cherries mingle with notes of earth and leather. The flavours pick up from there, adding notes of spice and dark fruits. The texture is firm. There is also a hint of vanilla – the wine was aged 12 months in French oak barrels. 90.

Laughing Stock Portfolio 2017 ($49.99 for 2,708 cases). The blend is 48% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot. The wine was aged 20 months in French oak barrels (48% new). The wine begins with appealing aromas of cassis and vanilla. On the palate, there are flavours of black cherry, blueberry and blackberry and spice. The long ripe tannins give the wine a generous texture. 93.