SpearHead champions White Pinot Noir

Photo: SpearHead's Grant Stanley

You could count on the fingers of one hand the number of British Columbia wineries making white Pinot Noir. I know of maybe two. SpearHead Winery in East Kelowna has released a white Pinot Noir in the last three vintages. Emandare Vineyard on Vancouver Island has just released what it calls a “brand new white wine” called "From The Valley" Blanc De Noir 2021. Given that the wine has a pink hue, most consumers would consider it a rosé.

The SpearHead wine, on the other hand, is made deliberately to avoid having a pink tinge. Grant Stanley, SpearHead’s winemaker and general manager, explains: “The Pinot Noir is hand-harvested over the course of several passes through the vineyard. Our team hand selects the larger clusters to produce this wine. A gentle whole bunch press allows minimal skin contact, and the free run juice is captured while avoiding colour extraction.”

Grant initially made White Pinot Noir to use the grapes from young plantings. That fruit, because the vines were young, did not quite have the flavour intensity Grant wanted for SpearHead’s fine red Pinot Noirs. “I have a particular vineyard that I use now for the White Pinot,” he says. The fruit is “always big berries, with high acid!” “I am not making very much, as I want it to be a special wine in high demand at release, then gone,” Grant adds. “I don’t think anyone else is making it because it makes no sense financially. The price of growing or buying Pinot Noir is high and most Pinot Noirs reflect that in bottle prices above $40.” Grant also makes a Pinot Noir rosé. After his crew has picked grapes for the White Pinot Noir, another pass through the vineyard selects fruit for the rosé. Two days of cold soaking produce the flavours and the desired colour. I am pleased to note that Grant has not succumbed to the fashion of making anaemically pale rosé wines. This wine looks good in the glass.

The third wine in SpearHead’s spring release is a Riesling. I was reminded of a comment Grant made to me some years ago. “I spent 80% of my time thinking about Pinot Noir,” he said. I replied that the rest of his wines never seemed neglected. At the time, he was working at Quails’ Gate Winery, which had a large portfolio. Grant joined SpearHead in 2017. Perhaps it is his dream assignment because Pinot Noir dominates a portfolio that is fleshed out with just Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris.

Here are notes on the wines.

SpearHead White Pinot Noir 2021 ($28 for 252 cases). This wine begins with aromas of apples, pears, lime and gooseberry. This are echoed on the palate in a delightful fruit salad of flavours. Racy acidity gives this wine a crisp and tangy finish. 92.

SpearHead Pinot Noir Rosé 2021 ($25 for 500 cases). This wine begins with aromas of strawberry and cherry, leading to flavours of strawberry, raspberry and cranberry. There is almost a crunchy texture, with racy acidity and a dry finish. 91.

SpearHead Riesling 2021 ($22 for 419 cases). Half of the fruit was pressed directly. The other half was whole bunch pressed and – unusual for Riesling – stomped by foot to add texture and, as the winery explains, “to increase the complexity of aromas.” The wine is juicy on the palate, with aromas and flavours of lemon, lime and grapefruit. The bright acidity will support cellaring this wine for a few years. 92.