Township 7 champions Chardonnay

Photo: Winemaker Mary McDermott

Consumers appear to have gotten over the “anything but Chardonnay” phobia that began in the 1990s in apparent reaction to over-oaked Chardonnays. I have no independent market data to back up my assertion. I am basing it simply on the quality of Chardonnays being made by British Columbia wineries. No one would invest so much in viticulture and winemaking as most producers do if consumers were not buying the wines. Township 7 Vineyards & Winery is one of those producers that has made an effort to produce great Chardonnays. The case in point is the winery’s 2020 Reserve Chardonnay.

Mary McDermott, the winemaker, began by combining fruit from three vineyards – the estate vineyard just outside of Penticton and two south of Oliver, the winery’s Hidden Terrace Vineyard and the Becker Vineyard, which is farmed by Phantom Creek Estates. The point of combining fruit, Mary explains, was to achieve “layers of complexity” in the wine. After the fruit was crushed, the juice went into French oak barrels (15% new), where fermentation was done with indigenous yeast. The wine in the barrels was hand-stirred for eight weeks, increasing lees contact and adding flesh to the texture. “The battonage process, as well as the partial malolactic fermentation, softened any harsh acids [and produced] a rich and textured mouthfeel,” Mary writes. This is a lot of work for a wine that retails for $31.97 (and is available only the Township 7 wine club). The quality is on a par with the superb Chardonnays from CheckMate Artisanal Winery – which sell for three times as much. I wonder if Township 7’s club members realize how lucky they are.

Those who have not joined the club can sample Mary’s skill with Chardonnay by buying the winery’s Provenance Series Chardonnay 2019 at $22.97. It is available at either of Township 7’s wineries, at the winery’s online store and at select private wine stores. The two Chardonnays, which were released this spring, total about 1,000 cases. I bet both are sold out by this summer now that Chardonnay is back in fashion.

Here are notes on those wines and two other releases.

Township 7 Benchmark Series Gewürztraminer 2019 ($26.97 for 348 cases). A portion of the fruit for this wine was fermented spontaneously in neutral French oak barrels while another portion was fermented over four weeks at about 12◦C in stainless steel. The object is to craft a wine in the style of Alsace. This wine begins with aromas of honey mingled with orange peel, spice and lychee. On the palate, there are hints of ginger and orange. The finish is dry with a touch of bitterness. 89.

Township 7 Provenance Series Chardonnay 2019 ($22.97 for 598 cases). This wine was fermented 50% in French oak barriques and 50% in stainless steel. Only the former was allowed malolactic fermentation. The result is a crisp wine with bright acidity and just a hint of butteriness. The wine begins with aromas of apple and citrus which are echoed on the palate. 90.

Township 7 Benchmark Series Reserve Chardonnay 2020 ($31.97 for 326 cases). This is an exceptional Chardonnay from an exceptional vintage. The wine was fermented with indigenous yeast in French oak barrels (15% new). The wine was stirred on the lees in barrel for eight weeks and allowed partial malolactic fermentation. The texture is rich and creamy. The wine has aromas of butter, apple and ripe apricots. On the palate, stone fruit flavours mingle with guava, mango, pineapple and vanilla. The finish simply does not quit. 94.

Township 7 Provenance Merlot 2019 ($26.97 for 798 cases). This is a bold red, benefitting from two to three weeks of maceration on the skins. The wine was aged 18 months in American and French oak barrels. It begins with aromas of cassis, cherry and plum, all of which is echoed in the layers of fruit on the palate. Decanting brings out additional complexity. 91.

Hester Creek's ample cooperage yields great white wines

Photo: Hester Creek's winery on the Golden Mile

Over the years, Hester Creek Estate Winery has invested in a lot of stainless steel cooperage. Those tanks certainly paid off in the 2021 vintage, judging from all of the wines just released which are brimming with clean, fresh fruit flavours. The 2021 season was one of the hottest in the past 20 years, with the vines actually pausing the development of fruit during the intense heat dome in early July. That had two consequences, one good, one not quite so.

The negative was the low yield. Nearly every grower has reported a reduction in the quantity of fruit produced in the vineyards. On average, the crop was down 25%-30%, and the berries were small. The positive is that the small crop and the small berries has resulted in vivid flavours. The 2021 grapes, aside from the few that suffered smoke taint, invariably show intense aromas and flavours. Hester Creek grows fruit on some of the oldest vines in the Okanagan, which adds to the intensity of flavours.

And that brings me to the stainless steel tanks. The wines reviewed here all were fermented in stainless steel at cold temperatures (often 10◦ C) for about a month. That technique preserves fresh aromas and flavours. It also ties up a lot of cooperage. Happily, Hester Creek has a lot. These are among the most delicious wines from any Okanagan winery this spring.

Here are my notes.

Hester Creek Character White 2021 ($16.99). This is a blend of 66% Pinot Gris and 34% Gewürztraminer. The wine has aromas and flavours of pear, apple and spice, leaving the impression of tropical fruits on the palate. The texture is juicy but the finish is dry. 90.

Hester Creek Pinot Gris 2021 ($17.99). A long, cool fermentation in stainless steel captured the varietal’s bright fruit. The wine begins with aromas of quince, pear and apple, leading to flavours of pear, apple and citrus with a lovely hint of anise on the finish. 92.

Hester Creek Old Vine Pinot Blanc 2021 ($17.99). The wine shows the intensity of aroma and flavour that old vines can deliver. The grapes were fermented cool for 27 days in stainless steel. The wine begins with aromas of honeydew melon and apple, leading to flavours of apple, melon and stone fruits wrapped around a spine of minerality. The finish is crisp. 92.

Hester Creek Cabernet Franc Rosé 2021 ($18.99). This wine presents in the glass with a vibrant hue, the result of giving the whole grapes four days of cold soaking before pressing. A long (22-day) fermentation at a cool temperature preserved the fresh flavours and aromas – there are aromas of cherry, red plum and strawberry, leading to flavours of strawberry, raspberry and tart cherries. 92.

Hester Creek Pinot Gris Viognier 2021 ($19.99). This wine is available in selected Save-On Food stores. The blend is 67% Pinot Gris and 33% Viognier. The grapes were fermented cold for 29 days in stainless steel. The wine is brimming with aromas of apples and citrus fruits. On the palate, there are flavours of apple, pear and lime. The finish is crisp. 91.

Hester Creek Old Vine Trebbiano 2021 ($23.99). This wine, made with the Italian varietal first planted in the vineyard in 1968, is always the white that steals the scene in Hester Creek’s spring release. This wine is intensely fruity, in part because the juice was fermented cold for 32 days. The wine begins with aromas of pear, nectarine and grapefruit. The palate is a fruit bowl laden with flavours of grapefruit, apple and peach. The texture is generous and the finish lingers. 93.

Bordertown champions Cabernet Franc

Photo: Bordertown's Mohan Gill

Cabernet Franc is the fourth-most planted red varietal in British Columbia, at 12% of all the reds compared with the leader, Merlot, at 28%. With many wineries, Cabernet Franc has played a supporting role in blends with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, in common with the practices of French and American vintners.

But Bordertown Vineyards and Estate Winery in Osoyoos has hung its hat on Cabernet Franc. Proprietor Mohan Gill has 35 acres of Cabernet Franc, representing 38% of Bordertown’s total vineyards. The first plantings were done in 2009, with additional acreage added through to 2020. The winery produced 7,000 cases of this varietal in 2021.

“Mohan chose Cabernet Franc as the flagship red and cornerstone product for the winery due to the perceived growing demand for this varietal at the time, and the fact that it grows exceptionally well in the south Okanagan,” explains Paul Jordan, Bordertown’s wine representative in Vancouver. “He appears to have chosen wisely, as this product is highly recognized and a best seller.” Bordertown is one of the Okanagan’s largest producers of single varietal Cabernet Franc and likely has a competitive edge as consumer interest in this wine has grown.

“It certainly was the wine that I keyed in on when I first took on agency representation of the winery,” Paul says. “I knew that it would be the basis upon which we would grow the business. I felt that the winery needed at least one recognizable wine that consumers would associate as being of high quality, which would then spread by reputation to the other wines available.” The Bordertown Cabernet Franc is listed by the Liquor Distribution Branch and is available in more than 125 stores. Here are notes on that wine and other recent releases from Bordertown.

Bordertown Dry Riesling 2021 ($18). The wine begins with aromas of lemon and guava. On the palate, it delivers lemon and grapefruit flavours around a spine of minerals. The finish is dry but also tangy and refreshing. 89.

Bordertown Rosé 2021 ($23). This is a Cabernet Franc rosé made in what the winery calls the “classic French Provence style” – which means delicately pale. The wine begins with aromas of wild strawberry. Given the pale hue, the flavours take one by surprise – luscious in texture, tasting of strawberry and watermelon. 90.

Bordertown Desert Sage Big Red 2020 ($20). This is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. This is a juicy, easy drinking red with aromas and flavours dark cherry, black currant and plum. There is a long finish with a touch of spice. 90.

Bordertown Cabernet Franc 2019 ($25 for 4,988 cases). This wine is packed full of the classic brambly characters of Cabernet Franc. The wine begins with aromas of cherry, cassis and spice. On the palate, there are flavours of blackberry, cherry and raspberry, with a hint of coffee, licorice and oak. 93.

Bordertown Living Desert Red 2018 ($27 for 995 cases). This concentrated, cellar-worthy wine is a blend of six red varietals: 28% Syrah, 22% Cabernet Franc, 22% Malbec, 12% Petit Verdot, 9% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine has aromas of plum, fig, coffee and dark chocolate. Decanting is recommended to bring out the black cherry and black currant notes. 92.

Bordertown Cabernet Franc Reserve 2019 ($50). This wine benefits from being decanted. It begins with aromas of blackberry, dark cherry and spice. Rich and concentrated on the palate, it delivers flavours of black currant and black cherry mingled with vanilla and a hint of pepper. 93.

Quails' Gate releases 2021 wines from sustainable vineyards

Photo: Quails' Gate president Tony Stewart

Quails’ Gate Estate Winery coupled the release of wines from the 2021 vintage with the announcement that its vineyards have received sustainability certification from Sustainability Winegrowing BC. “We are honoured to be recognized alongside grapegrowers and wineries across the province who are dedicated to making wine production sustainable now and for the future,” the winery said.

The certification is hardly a surprise. The Stewart family, who operate Quails’ Gate, has a long and distinguished farming history in the Okanagan, from early in the Twentieth Century. Richard Stewart, who died in 2020 at the age of 94, first planted grapes in West Kelowna in 1963. He is reputed to have planted the first Pinot Noir in the Okanagan. He also partnered with the Capozzi family in developing Pacific Vineyards on Black Sage Road. He was also a founding member in 1961 of the Association of British Columbia Grape Growers and later was chair of the Grape Growers Marketing Board. At his encouragement, his sons, Ben and Tony, started Quails’ Gate winery in 1989. Tony took over as winery president when his brother decided on a career in politics.

One of the Okanagan’s most successful wineries, Quails’ Gate has vineyards in East Kelowna and Osoyoos as well as at the founding site on the slope of Mt. Boucherie in West Kelowna. As well, the Stewarts also have wineries in Sonoma in California. The decision to get sustainable certification is in keeping with recent trends in B.C. wine industry. A substantial number, likely a majority, of vineyards now follow organic or biodynamic or sustainable practices.

Here are notes on the current releases.

Quails’ Gate Chasselas Pinot Gris Pinot Blanc 2021 ($19.99). This is BC’s leading white vinifera blend and with good reason. It begins with aromas of melon, pear and citrus with an elusive hint of blossoms. On the palate, the wine is refreshing and fruity with flavours of citrus and melon. The finish is dry. 90.

Quails’ Gate Chenin Blanc 2121 ($24.99) The blend is 93% Chenin Blanc and 7% Viognier. The Chenin Blanc grapes were fermented 90% in stainless steel, 10% in neutral French oak, while the Viognier was fermented entirely in neutral French oak. The wine begins with glorious aromas of tropical fruits, including peach, guava and Asian pear. The palate delivers flavours of green apples, peached and lemon. The texture is full and yet crisp, thanks to bright acidity. The finish goes on and on. 93.

Quails’ Gate Dry Riesling 2121 ($19.99). Made with fruit from 30-year-old vines, this wine shows the mineral backbone that mature wines deliver. It has aromas of lime and stone fruit. On the palate, there are notes of green apple, lemon and lime. The wine is too young to have developed the classic petrol notes, but it has the acidity and structure to support cellar aging. 90.

Quails’ Gate Gewürztraminer 2121 ($19.99). The wine begins with aromas of spice, herbs, guava and lychee, leading to flavours of peach and citrus mingled with spice. The slight amount of residual sugar gives the wine a fleshy texture without taking away from the lingering dry finish. 90.

Quails’ Gate Rosé 2121 ($19.99). This is one of the top-selling rosé wines from BC. It is made with Gamay and Pinot Noir grapes. Four hours of skin contact has given it a delicate but attractive pink hue. It has aromas of wild strawberries, watermelon and raspberries. It delivers mouth-filling flavours that mirror the aromas. The finish is crisp and refreshing. 91.

1 Mill Road releases 2020 Pinot Noirs

Photo: Naramata General Store partners Geoffrey Moss (left), Mike Bernardo and David Enns (right). Photo courtesy of NGS.

Two excellent Pinot Noirs mark the 20th anniversary of winemaking by David Enns, the founder (with wife Cynthia) of Laughing Stock Vineyards on Naramata Road in 2003. After selling Laughing Stock in 2017, they started 1 Mill Road, a boutique winery at a property just north of the village of Naramata. They had planted one and a half acres of Pinot Noir in 2013 on what is now called the Home Block. Block Two is a small vineyard close by. Both are managed by Cynthia, as wine grower, and both are planted to Dijon Clone 115.

“When we sold Laughing Stock, we knew we wanted to keep working with this little vineyard,” Cynthia says. “We stare at that vineyard from our dining room table. It is very immediate, more so than at Laughing Stock, the way we experience the vineyard. It is small enough that I have been able to tackle the farming without too much difficulty.” One would think it would have been quite an adjustment, stepping away from a winery that was producing 12,500 cases a year for 1 Mill Road, which produced a total of 481 cases from the 2020 vintage. Those wines are being offered on May 9 to consumers who bought earlier vintages, with a second offering on May 16 (if there are any left).

It is not as if the couple will have nothing to do for the rest of summer except look after the vineyards. David and Cynthia recently became owners of the Naramata General Store, in partnership with restaurateur Mike Bernardo and his wife, Carole Morton. They are reinvigorating the store, which was founded in 1979 to provide the community with groceries, beer and wine. Over the years, hard-to-get Naramata wines, from producers without tasting rooms such as Foxtrot and Coolshanagh, were stocked in the store. The new owners are taking it up a notch or two by engaging Geoffrey Moss, a Master of Wine, to expand the wine program. He will select top-notch international wines and add them to a broader selection of British Columbia wines. Two wine clubs are being launched by the store. The Best of BC Club will offer not just Naramata Bench wines but also wines from new and upcoming producers from British Columbia. The International Gems Club offers premium wines from around the globe. Moss and Bernardo are curating the wines being offered to club members.

Clearly, David and Cynthia will have plenty to keep themselves busy with the 2020 Pinot Noirs are sold out. Cynthia wrote recently: “We have been busy learning about running a general store and all that it entails (Canada Post, Lotto, dog licenses … pretty much everything).”

Here are notes on the wines.

1 Mill Road Pinot Noir 2020 Block Two ($40 for 194 cases). With a concentrated texture, this wine has aromas and flavours of cherry, spice and chocolate. Think of Black Forest cake. 92.

1 Mill Road Pinot Noir 2020 Home Block ($55 for 287 cases). This is a rich, concentrated wine. It has aromas and flavours of dark cherry and ripe raspberry, with notes of spice, including cloves and a hint of chocolate. 93.