40 Knots Winery: meet Kurt Wallander

Photo: Winery owners Brenda Hetman and Layne Craig

Ten years ago, when my wife and I were in Sweden, I discovered that there are a number of wineries near the country’s south coast – among the world’s most northerly wineries.

To visit some of the wineries, we based ourselves in the small port city of Ystad, the setting for nine novels and two television series about a fictional detective named Kurt Wallander. As an aside, both are excellent television. One is in English and stars Kenneth Branagh. The other is in Swedish with subtitles, starring Krister Henricksson, who is the better of the two screen Wallanders, at least in my judgment.

What brought Ystad and the nearby wineries to mind was a recent tasting I did of wines from 40 Knots Winery in Comox. Like Ystad, Courtenay and Comox are small but attractive communities – and not places where one expects to find wineries. Comox is Latitude 50 and Ystad is even further north, at Latitude 55. It makes a difference: the Swedish vineyards were still struggling to find grape varietals that would ripen in the short, if intense, summers. The Swedish wines were eminently drinkable but not in the same league as Vancouver Island wines.

But I don’t know that anyone has set a good detective story in Comox. There have to be plot elements, given that there is a Canadian Forces base at Comox; and the Snowbirds aerobatic team spends part of the year there – within sight and sound of 40 Knots and its 24-acre vineyard. It is just as unexpected to find a vineyard here near the ocean as it was the find vineyards not far from the sea in Sweden. 40 Knots has settled on varietals well-suited to its location, as these reviews show. With climate warming, the diligent Swedes will catch up.

I want to prod Knowledge Network (and sponsors): 40 Knots would be a great setting for a television series. Even a travelogue but better, one featuring a dashing Snowbirds pilot moonlighting as a detective. I have yet to run the idea past Brenda Hetman and Layne Craig, the winery owners, but they are high-energy personalities who would throw themselves into such a project. Here are my notes:

40 Knots White Seas 2024 ($27.50). This is a blend of 59.2% Pinot Gris and 40.8% Chardonnay. It was fermented cool in stainless steel. It begins with aromas of green apples and lime, leading to a crisp, bright palate dominated by citrus flavours wrapped around a backbone of minerality. The finish lingers. 89.

40 Knots Auxerrois 2024 ($32 for 188 cases). This is a varietal identified with Alsace. According to Jancis Robinson, it is a “low-acid variety useful in cool climates.” In other words, well suited to Vancouver Island. The fruit here was fermented cool in stainless steel and aged on the lees for eight months with weekly stirring. The wine begins with aromas of peach leading to flavours of orchard fruits. The finish is crisp and long-lasting. 90.

40 Knots Soleil Rosé 2022 ($45 for 416 cases). This is a traditional method sparkling wine. The blend is 59% Chardonnay, 21% Epicure and 19% Pinot Noir. The primary fermentation was in stainless steel, with secondary fermentation in bottle. The wine was disgorged 12 months later, with a dosage of Pinot Noir to create the delicate pink hue. There are hints of brioche in the aroma and on the palate, along with hints of apple and strawberry. 91.

40 Knots Rose 2024 ($29.50 for 511 cases). The blend is 75.3% Pinot Noir and 24.7% Gamay Noir. The destemmed grapes rested 24 hours on the skins before being pressed into stainless steel for fermentation and 10 months aging. The wine presents with a delicate golden pink hue and aromas of watermelon. The palate delivers flavours of strawberry and watermelon. The wine has a bright and refreshing finish. 89.

40 Knots Gamay Noir 2024 ($42 for 281 cases). The grapes, after a cold soak of four to seven days, were fermented in bins with daily punch downs. The wine was aged in stainless steel “in the presence of light medium-toasted oak.” The wine presents in the glass with a brilliant ruby hue. Hints of pepper mingled with dark cherry give the wine unexpected and delicious complexity. 92.

40 Knots Pinot Noir Coastal 2024 ($47.50 for 584 cases). The fruit was given a five-day cold soak and was then fermented in bins, with twice daily punch downs until the cap fell. The wine was then racked into stainless steel before being moved into amphora for aging. This is an expressive wine with aromas of cherry and strawberry leading to spicy flavours The tannins are silky and the texture has good structure. 92.