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Last week, it was all Chardonnay. This week, it's all other stuff: recently received white wines from half a dozen different white-grape varieties.
Pascual Toso Sauvignon Blanc 2007 ($13.99) is part of the big Argentina promotion at B.C. Liquor Stores for the month of June. More than a dozen different labels have been singled out; not surprisingly, most of the wines are red, with a heavy emphasis on the country's proudest achievement, Malbec. But this little number is fresh and heady, with a big-fruit nose, almost like a Chardonnay. The first drop to hit the tongue tells it like it is—that's Sauvignon, all right.
Somewhat on the hard side, it's steely and flinty and all those qualities we associate with Chablis. It's not one for solo sipping, but will work well with a wide range of spring-into-summer foods, and the price is very appealing.
Of course, when we get into Mission Hill's Reserve line, we're getting into high-end wine—in terms of quality, as well as pricewise. The Sauvignon Blanc 2006 ($21.99) is a zesty and elegant food wine, smooth and supple, with a long, fruity finish that, to quote the label, shows “a hint of praline and a lime-mandarin burst”. Got the burst part, but their idea of praline and mine are two different buckets of ichthyology. But thanks for all the mnemonics. Never cheap, these Reserves, but always worth the extra.
When I last judged the Okanagan Wine Festival, five years ago, we awarded all sorts of medals to Lake Breeze wines; haven't seen or tasted much of them since. The Pinot Gris 2007 ($16.99) is just delightful and delicious—fruity and spicy, and very nice when it's good and cold. This one you would want to sip on its own, but don't disdain it for lightly sauced fish, pasta salads, smoked salmon and fresh dill potato salad, oiled greens, or grilled cheese sandwiches.
Bollini Pinot Grigio Trentino 2006 ($18.99) struck the tasters as too costly for what it delivered: green-grassy aromas, a roasty mouth-feel, a hard finish, and distant fruit. It reminded us more of a Sauvignon Blanc, and was still around after most of the others had long emptied.
In last week's column, we took our first look at Twisted Tree wines from the South Okanagan. The Chardonnay was a hit, and so is this unusual blend: Viognier-Roussanne 2007 ($21.90). Composed of nearly equal volumes of both varieties, it gets a slight flavour lift from eight percent Marsanne as well. A little bit of the wine was fermented in American oak, but most of it got the stainless-steel treatment. Starting with a lovely, fresh, green scent, something like sorrel comes through. It's lighter than many Okanagan Viogniers, and is quite subtle and well balanced. The surprise is the 14.2 percent alcohol, but it doesn't hurt, for once. Great flavours all around; an impressive debut from Twisted Tree. We'll look at some reds later.
Simonsig Chenin Blanc 2006 ($13.99), from South Africa, has been a favourite ever since it arrived here, and this vintage is no different. It has a great, deep-golden colour; easy, natural sweetness; and lots of depth. Good for anything from consommé to a ploughman's lunch to salmon Wellington. An easy-drinking, pleasant, all-afternoon wine.
Another new name from the Okanagan is 8th Generation Vineyards in Okanagan Falls. According to the Web site, 2006 was the first vintage of white wines released (there's a 2005 Merlot in the portfolio too), and the 2006 Riesling ($19.50) is an appealing, somewhat unusual version of this variety. Despite the family's German origins, we found this wine to be more Alsatian in style, with a very pale green colour and fresh, tart fruit—ripe, but showing very little characteristic sweetness. It's one to throw into a Riesling tasting and see who can identify its origins. The wines from this operation bear watching.
Yes, another expression of Joie—Riesling 2007 ($20.40), and a small cheer right off, before even tasting it, at the modest 11.2 percent alcohol. See, it can be done. The subtitle on the label says it all, “a delicate balance”, and it's all here—stunning colour and clarity, a hint of golden raisins around the aroma edge, gorgeous fruit, and a near-mythical finish. Quite over the moon, pointwise. If there's any remaining for sale at the winery, do your ordering before you finish reading this, just to make sure.
A batch of new releases from Hillside Estate occupied much of last weekend, and this is the first of the bunch: Gewürztraminer 2007 ($17.99). There is huge competition for fine Gewürztraminer in the Okanagan, so you have to have all of your components in order; I'm happy to say the Hillsiders did just that. Having said this, there's something quite odd about this wine—not unpleasant at all, just odd. The label writer directs us to fragrances of rose petal and grapefruit, some of which we found, especially the rose petal on the palate—front, middle, back, every which way. But we also found saltwater taffy—and I have to think that's the first time that one has bounced off the flavour wheel. It's one to stymie any Gewürzophile you know.
And finally, the answer to your question is yes—we'll cover a batch of new barbecue reds, if not next week then certainly the week after.
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