Red Rooster is closed due to a grape shortage

Photo: Red Rooster's elegant winery, now shuttered

If you dig deep into the website of Red Rooster Winery, you will be surprised to read that this Naramata Road winery is closed permanently. The closure was announced to the staff in August but not to the public. The wine shop and tasting room remained opened through the Thanksgiving weekend. The remaining portfolio is still available on line.

The reason for the closure is simple: the Okanagan’s vine-killing winter of 2022-23 caused a major shortage of grapes for the 2023 vintage. Even though Andrew Peller Ltd., Red Rooster’s owner, has extensive vineyards and growers in both the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys, they did not produce a big enough harvest to support the winemaking capacity of all the Peller wineries. Because of winter damage, the total 2023 grape harvest is projected to average half of last year’s crop.

Unlike most of Peller’s BC wineries, Red Rooster, which Peller bought in 2005, is not attached to a large vineyard. The estate vineyard is just two acres of Malbec. Red Rooster have been supplied by Peller vineyards or growers elsewhere in the Okanagan and in the Similkameen. The wines needed for the future Red Rooster portfolio were made this fall at the Sandhill/Calona winery in Kelowna. “We are still evaluating our options for next season, hoping to find the best path forward but we will certainly keep the brand alive and supported,” a Peller spokesperson said. That is fortunate. Since Elaine Vickers became the winemaker in 2019, Red Rooster has been on the path of becoming one of the most innovative of Peller wineries.

What will become of the Red Rooster buildings has yet to be determined. Built in 2004, the winery was designed by Robert Mackenzie, the Okanagan’s leading winery architect.

Here are notes on the current wines.

b>Red Rooster Sparkling Rosé NV ($35 for 177 cases). The blend for this traditional method sparkling wine is primarily Malbec with a dash (less than two percent) of Pinot Noir and Syrah. The wine was en tirage for a year. The wine presents with an appealing rose petal hue and active mousse. Fruity aromas lead to flavours of strawberry and raspberry. Total production was 6,500 bottles, with some held back for further year of aging. 92.

Red Rooster Brut Traditional Method ($35). This is 52% Pinot Noir and 48% Chardonnay, predominantly from the 2018 vintage. The grapes were whole-cluster pressed. The varietals were fermented separately in stainless steel before the base wine was blended, with the addition of 3.5% of the 2017 vintage. The wine then did its second fermentation in bottle and stayed on the lees for 36 months before being disgorged. There is a touch of brioche in the aroma and on the palate, propelled by the active bubbles. There are aromas and flavours of apples; the finish is crisp. This is as elegant as a Champagne but half the price. 92.

Red Rooster Pinot 3 2021 ($25 for 1,115 cases). This is a blend of 29% Pinot Noir, 36% Pinot Gris and 35% Pinot Blanc. The wine begins with aromas of melon and stone fruits, leading to flavours of nectarine and orange. 90.

Red Rooster Pinot Noir 2021 ($29). The fruit for this wine is from two Oliver area vineyards and one Similkameen vineyard. The three batches were all fermented separately on the skins for two weeks. The Oliver wines were aged in French oak (4% new) while the Similkameen wine was aged in concrete. The wine has aromas and flavours of cherry, red currant and spice, with a hint of earthiness on the finish. The texture is silky. 90.

Red Rooster Golden Egg 2018 ($50 for 362 cases). This is the winery’s icon red, a blend of 45% Mourvedre, 33% Syrah and 22% Grenache. A medium-bodied Rhône-inspired wine with a polished texture, it begins with aromas of pepper and dark fruits, with figs and pepper on the palate. 93.