Church & State masters multiple terroirs

Photo: winemaker Arnaud Thierry

Church & State Wines was founded in 2004 at Brentwood Bay on Vancouver Island. That location, with a small vineyard, is now where the winery makes and cellars its sparkling wines. Traditional method sparkling wines found their way into the portfolio because the Brentwood Bay terroir is best suited to wines of that style. As well, Arnaud Thierry, Church & State’s winemaker since 2017, was trained in Champagne. He began making a traditional method sparkling wine in Canada soon after joining Church & State.

Born in Normandy, Arnaud had extensive experience in both Champagne and Bordeaux before coming to the Okanagan with his wife, Caroline Schaller, now the winemaker at Uppercase Winery. Church & State has 85 acres of vineyard in the south Okanagan and 10 acres at Brentwood Bay on Vancouver Island, where the winery originated in 2002 as Victoria Estate Winery. It was acquired two years later by lawyer Kim Pullen, who renamed it. At the recommendation of his consulting winemaker at the time, Californian Bill Dyer, he moved production to the south Okanagan a few years later rather than transporting grapes to Vancouver Island. The Brentwood Bay vineyard now produces Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris grapes just for sparkling wines, a very sensible use for grapes from this cool site. (Kim Pullen sold the winery in 2017 to Sunocean Wineries and Estate, a Vancouver company owned by a low-profile Chinese businessman.)

Arnaud says that his approach to winemaking is simple and traditional. “I am very attracted by tradition, and the respect of the fruit,” he says. Winemaking is very classic: a good expression of the fruit and freshness in the whites; and volume, fruit and spice in the reds. “I want to have the varietal specificity of the grapes each time.”

Here are notes on current releases.

Church & State Blanc de Gris 2019 ($25.75 for 770 cases). This traditional method sparkling wine was aged at least 12 months on the lees before being disgorged. Made with Pinot Gris fruit from the Brentwood Bay vineyard, this wine’s active mousse propels aromas of brioche and fruit. The palate is packed with flavours, including pear and citrus, which linger on the refreshing finish. 92.

Church & State Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature 2018 ($33.75 for 1,019 cases). This wine is made with Chardonnay grown, the winery says, in a Black Sage Road “terroir that ripens Chardonnay perfectly for this method of winemaking.” The wine was aged 30 months in bottle on the lees “at our sparkling wine house in Brentwood Bay.” This wine begins with an active mousse and aromas of brioche and citrus. On the palate, the flavours are clean and fresh, with citrus and apple mingled subtly with brioche. The finish is crisp. 92.

Church & State Gris de Noirs 2020 ($33.75 for 102 cases). The wine is a blend of Pinot Noir from Vancouver Island and Osoyoos East Bench, fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged on the lees for 12 months. The delicate pink hue gives eye appeal to the wine, which has a lively mousse and fruity aromas. There are hints of strawberry on the palate. The finish is crisp and tart. 91.

Church & State Trebella 2020 ($24.25 for 300 cases). This Rhône-inspired white is a blend of 33% Roussanne, 33% Marsanne and 34% Viognier. The wine was fermented for three weeks in barrel and then aged eight months in French oak. The texture is rich. The wine has aromas and flavours of guava, apricot and vanilla with a very long finish. 90.

Church & State Estate Series Syrah 2019 ($35 for 660 cases). The grapes were fermented and macerated in stainless steel for 20 days. The wine was aged 12 months in French oak barrels. The wine has aromas and flavours of dark fruits, deli meats and pepper. 91.

Church & State Estate Series Cabernet Franc ($32.50 for 1,000 cases). Fruit for this wine is from vineyards on the Osoyoos West Bench and on the Black Sage Bench. The grapes were fermented and macerated 20 days in stainless steel. The wine was then aged 12 months in French oak barrels (25% new). The wine begins with the classic brambly aromas that gives Cabernet Franc such easy appeal. The blackberry aromas lead to flavours of cherry, raspberry and spice. 92.