Meyer pays tribute to Terry Threlfall

Photo: Winery owner JAK Meyer

The 2020 Okanagan vintage was strong, as is evident from the recent releases from Meyer Family Vineyards: elegant Chardonnays and concentrated Pinot Noirs that are some of the best wines yet from this Okanagan Falls winery.

The top-scoring Chardonnay, at least to my palate, is the 2020 Tribute Chardonnay. JAK and Janice Meyer have a practice every vintage of releasing a Chardonnay in tribute to someone of note. The 2020 Tribute honours the late Terry Threlfall, a sommelier and wine professional who died a year ago.

Just as that Chardonnay was being released, the BC Hospitality Association announced a scholarship in Terry’s name. Here is an excerpt from their press release:

Seed money comes from the Meyer Family Vineyards Tribute series program. The winery donated the funds to the Threlfall family, who have requested the donations be directed to the BC Hospitality Foundation. Born and raised in BC, Terry Threlfall was influential on the local, national, and international wine scenes. Career highlights included: • Developing a groundbreaking wine program as Wine Director at Hawksworth • Repeatedly holding the position of Festival Sommelier at the Vancouver International Wine Festival (VIWF), one of the biggest and oldest wine events in the world. • In 2012, being named Sommelier of the Year by Vancouver magazine, the VIWF, and California’s Sunset Magazine • Being the first Canadian Sommelier to be a regular Decanter panelist • Six years as Head Sommelier and Wine Buyer at London’s Michelin-starred Chez Bruce • Five years as Wine Buyer at London’s prestigious Selfridges

Terry passed away unexpectedly in October 2020, at the age of 43. He continues to be missed by his family, friends, and colleagues in the industry, who remember him as much for his warm personality, intelligence, and integrity as for his consummate professional skills and knowledge. The Terry Threlfall Scholarship is the result of a partnership between the BCHF, the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS), and the VIWF. The scholarship will be presented annually at the Vancouver International Wine Festival Awards Lunch. Thanks to Meyer Family Vineyards for generously providing the scholarship seed money with an initial $1000 donation.

The winery provided an additional note of biography: “Terry was raised in Belcarra, B.C., and attended Port Moody Secondary school where he excelled at sports and pursued his passion for film. In his senior year, he co-produced a short film detailing a Canadian soldier’s experience in WWII. [The film won him] a trip to Europe to join in Holland’s Liberation commemoration. That trip kindled a love of history and travel which stayed with him for the rest of his life.” Terry would have savoured the fine Tribute Chardonnay. Here are notes on all the recent releases.

Meyer Anarchist Mountain Deklava Chardonnay 2020 ($30.52 for 200 cases). The clone takes its name from Anthony Deklava, a miner who planted an unknown clone of Chardonnay in 1985. After a gentle press, the juice began a long, cool fermentation in stainless steel with wild yeast. Fermentation was completed in French oak barrels (25% new) and the wine was aged on the lees, without stirring, for 11 months. The result is a wine of impressive purity of aroma and flavour. The buttery, citrus aromas lead to flavours of peach and mandarin. The finish is long and silky. 92.

Meyer Stevens Block Chardonnay 2020 Old Main Road Vineyard ($26.17 for 220 cases). This wine began with a long, cool ferment with wild yeast in stainless steel. The wine was then transferred to neutral oak barrels where it aged on the fine lees for 10 months. The wine presents buttery aromas and flavours of stone fruit and mandarin orange. There is a hint of minerality on the long finish. 91.

Meyer McLean Creek Vineyard Chardonnay 2020 ($30.52 for 500 cases). Fermentation began in stainless steel and finished in French oak barrels (22% new). The wine remained on the lees in barrel, without stirring, for 11 months. This is a bright, fruit forward Chardonnay on a foundation of very subtle oak. The wine has flavours of citrus and apple. The lingering finish adds to the elegance of the wine. 92.

Meyer Tribute Chardonnay 2020 ($30.52 for 500 cases). The fruit for this wine is from the winery’s Old Main Road Vineyard in Naramata, which was originally planted in 1996. The wine began fermentation in stainless steel and finished in French oak (22% new), where it aged 11 months on the lees without stirring. The wine begins with quite lovely aromas of citrus and butter. The wine is rich on the palate with flavours of stone fruit, mandarin orange and vanilla. The finish is very long. This is a very sophisticated Chardonnay. 94.

Meyer “B” Field Blend Pinot Noir 2020 ($30.52 for 200 cases). The “B” block in the winery’s McLean Creek Vineyard was planted in 2017 with four clones. For this wine, the fruit was picked on the same day and co-fermented. The wine was aged 11 months in neutral French oak barrels. The wine begins with toasty aromas mingled with cherry and forest floor. On the palate, the wine is silky with flavours of cherry and plum. There is a touch of spice on the lingering finish. 92.

Meyer Okanagan Valley Pinot Noir 2020 ($22.71 for 1,944 cases). Fruit for this wine was sourced from six different vineyards in the south Okanagan. Cold soaking the crushed fruit and allowing extended maceration during ferment has given this a deep and appealing hue. It was aged eight months in older French oak barrels and puncheons. It begins with aromas of black cherry and plum. The palate is rich, with flavours of cherry and raspberry mingled with spice. The finish is long. 90.