Pentâge advances wine aroma technology

Photo: Paul Gardner and Julie Rennie

In its two vineyards totalling 35 acres just south of Penticton, Pentâge Winery grows 19 varietals. That speaks to the far-ranging viticultural curiosity of Paul Gardner, who owns the winery with his partner, Julie Rennie. I have never even considered asking Paul whether the Okanagan needs a “signature” grape variety. Other wine writers occasionally have argued the industry should focus on just a handful of varietals. It is obvious what Paul’s answer would be.

The Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys are quite unique winegrowing regions. The length and orientation of the valleys, as well as the complexity of the soils, has allowed growers to cultivate perhaps 100 different wine grapes. Usually, the varietals are spread out more area than Paul has done: Bordeaux and Rhône varietals in the hot south; Pinot Noir and Riesling in the cool north; and so on. Because of their terroirs, the Okanagan and Similkameen can and do support a number of interesting wines, both from familiar varietals and from obscure varietals. Two or three producers make very fine whites from Albariño, a Spanish white. Several make outstanding reds with Carménère, which happens to be a signature wine in Chile. One producer makes an excellent Touriga Nacional, a varietal associated with Portugal. There is even one producer with Tannat, an obscure varietal dominant in the vineyards of Uruguay. At Pentâge, Paul grows Petit Sirah and Grenache, among his other varietals. Both are rare in the Okanagan and both are important on some of the red blends here.

That tells me that our wineries can earn good reputations and followings with varietals that sit outside the mainstream in most wine regions. I am not sure it even matters that much: most British Columbia wines are consumed in British Columbia. A winery like Pentâge, which opened in 2003 and now makes about 5,000 cases a year, has developed a loyal following with wines that are aged between 12 and 26 months and then are released in reasonable prices. Like most Okanagan wineries, Pentâge also enjoys a good cellar-door trade, in part because visitors come to see the 5,000-square-foot cellar that Paul spent 10 years blasting from the rock.

Paul, a former marine engineer, has also been an early adopter of cellar technology. He is now chief operating officer of AromaLoc, a company that has spent almost a decade refining fermentation technology first created in 2012 by Dr. Dick Jones, a University of Alberta scientist who retired to the Okanagan. Some of the early trials of his technology, which captures the aromas usually lost during fermentation, were done at Pentâge.

Here are notes on current releases.

Pentâge Gewürztraminer 2018 ($16.52). This wine was fermented in stainless steel and left on the lees for two months. It begins with aromas of spice, apple, pear and grapefruit. The palate is off-dry and full-bodied, with flavours of grapefruit, lemon and apple. 88.

Pentâge Rosé 2020 ($20). There are 10 varietals in this blend. The beautiful deep ruby hue, the result of 30 hours of skin contact, reflects Paul’s independent approach to winemaking – that he does not make those washed-out rosés that are so fashionable. This wine makes a statement in the glass, not just with the colour but also with the concentrated aromas of strawberry, rhubarb and watermelon. (Paul used the patented AromaLoc technology to capture aromas at fermentation.) The flavours are equally assertive – cranberry, huckleberry, strawberry and raspberry. 91.

Pentâge Fizz Blanc 2020 ($20). This easy-drinking wine is a blend of Ehrenfelser and Gewürztraminer. The wine was fermented cold in stainless steel and handled carefully to preserve the dissolved CO2. The wine was finished with additional CO2 to create an active mousse. The fruity aroma leads to flavours of peach and citrus. The finish is slightly off-dry but well-balanced. 88.

Pentâge Pinot Noir 2018 ($N/A). This wine was aged 18 months in French oak (30% new). It begins with aromas of cherry and raspberry leading to flavours of cherry mingled with plum and hints of oak. The texture is silky. 88.

Pentâge Merlot 2016 ($24.35). This wine was matured 18 months in oak, 90% of which was French, 10% was American; and 30% of the barrels were new. The wine begins with an alluring cassis aroma, classic for mature Merlot, along with notes of spice and blueberry. On the palate, there are flavours of black currant, cherry and plum with a hint of leather on the finish. The berry flavours are sweet but the lingering finish is dry. This is an elegant wine. 91.

Pentâge Hiatus 2015 ($21.74). This underpriced blend is a walk through the Pentâge vineyards. The blend is 50% Petit Sirah, 22% Merlot, 10% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Franc, 4% Mourvedre and 4% Zinfandel. Each varietal was fermented and barrel-aged separately. After 18 months in French and American oak barrels, the Hiatus blend was assembled. Dark in colour, the wine begins with aromas of fig and dark cherry. The flavours are as complex as the blend indicates: fig, black cherry, blueberry. The tannins are long, lending a polished texture to the wine. 90.