The DRC of British Columbia?

Can’t act. Slightly bald. Also dances. Such is the slogan adorning the back label of all 10,000 bottles or so put out every year at Foxtrot Vineyards on the Naramata Bench in British Columbia. It’s fitting for winemaker and vineyard manager, Gustav Allander, a laid back guy who’s quietly crafting some of the best wines in Canada, if not the best.

Gustav was kind enough to meet us on short notice, but then again it appears he didn’t have far to go as he lives on site. A steep hillside property planted to three acres of pinot noir surrounds the house and the largely undergound winery. His crush pad doubles as a patio for 11 months of the year, but unfortunately the uniquely designed destemmer is unable to serve as a water slide. After a chat outside he opens the door to the cave where many wonders behold.

The vineyard and crush pad

After visiting three wineries which create upwards of 20 different bottlings, it was very refreshing to learn that Gustav makes two wines per year: a chardonnay and a pinot noir. Such is often the blight of ambitious young wine regions; and all too often it seems the focus is placed on quantity more than quality. This is not the case at Foxtrot, where quality is everything. Gustav didn’t hold back any secrets, he told us exactly how the wine is made, and it only whetted my appetite for the tasting to come.

The 2009 Foxtrot Vineyards Chardonnay Okanagan Valley was poured first, out of a freshly opened bottle which had only been sealed one week prior. If this wine was going through bottle shock I am dying to know what it will taste like when it’s back in its full form. Were it not for the brand new and technologically advanced winery, I could have felt as though I were tasting in Montrachet. The acid is still potent, the oak is noticeable but pleasant, and all aspects are in perfect harmony. This is easily one of the best three chardonnays I’ve ever tasted, and it certainly has potential to vie for the top spot.

The excitement had now fully built for the 2007 Foxtrot Vineyards Pinot Noir Okanagan Valley, and it didn’t let me down. Now, I won’t claim to be an expert on pinot noir — living in Walla Walla tends to limit exposure to the noble variety, but drinking this wine makes me fully understand the following this grape has. The soils of the Okanagan slopes become finer as one approaches lake level, and this particular estate has a range from windblown loess to a clay-based soil. Perhaps it’s this range of terroir within the three acres, or maybe it’s due to the use of 33% whole clusters, but it’s likely a combination of these and other factors which provide a stunning complexity to these wines. The wine is aged in 100% new French oak from a single cooper, but I would have never guessed that as the oak does not take center stage, but rather plays a supporting role.

I fully believe that if this wine were created in Oregon or on the Sonoma Coast it would sell for $100 per bottle. Luckily for anyone who makes the trip to British Columbia, the wine is only $55. This still isn’t cheap, but in the world of high end pinot things can get out of hand pretty quickly. We followed up the 2007 with a few barrel samples from the 2009 vintage which received the same treatment except for yeast strain. It’s amazing to see the differences this causes, although I wouldn’t discount the fact that these wines were also likely from different vineyard blocks or different clones.

The tasting finished with Gustav generously opening his first vintage of pinot from 2004. Until 2007 the wine was made at Lake Breeze, but this didn’t seem to hurt it. While showing some browning in color, the wine could give most Burgundies a run for their money. How long until the rest of the world realizes the potential for pinot noir in the Okanagan? Hopefully it’s still some ways off, as it just means more for all of us who have discovered it already. As for Gustav and Foxtrot Vineyards, I’d say the slogan is too modest, for he has a full head of hair and his wine doesn’t just dance; it gets jiggy.

Dazed and Canadian

Across the 49th parallel in British Columbia lies the Okanagan Valley; and while in proximity to Washington, in actuality it is worlds apart (separate ways). The Valley is tall and skinny, stretching from the relatively warm south to the cooler north on the banks of Okanagan Lake. Besides the natural beauty of the valley, there are over 120 wineries from which to chose. Unfortunately I only had two days in the area, so I fell a few short of the total.

The Naramata Bench

The normally sun-drenched Okanagan was wet for much of the trip, as most of the Pacific Northwest has been since seemingly eternity. Mudslides aside, I spent most of day one on the Naramata bench, a gradual west facing slope on the south east bank of the lake. The Naramata bench is it’s own subregion of the Okanagan Valley and there are certainly a lot of wineries to choose from.

The morning highlight was the stellar 2008 Lake Breeze Seven Poplars Chardonnay. This came as a relief after some underwhelming wines earlier in the day, and it was mostly uphill from there. The other two winos in my party had heard of a place called Foxtrot, which is as elusive as it sounds. Their dedication paid off, however, and we got an appointment after lunch. This was the highlight of the trip, and it deserves its own blog post, so I’m giving it such.

Tantalus

A drive up the west side of the lake brings one to the largest city in the valley, Kelowna. Probably most famous for the filming location of 2006 zombie movie Fido (not to be confused with its prog musician homonym, Phideaux), Kelowna is also home to its own group of wineries. Where there’s wine there’s food, and a dinner at RauDZ in downtown was worth the wait (it was quite a popular place). Besides the great food they had a high end selection of local wines available by the glass; but unfortunately no enslaved zombies to speak of.

The bar staff told tales of a stellar riesling being created by Tantalus Vineyards, and this seemed worth seeking out. A short drive from the city lies the estate with 40 planted acres. A very modern white building dominates the center, and it feels very much like something out of the movie Sleeper, only there is no orgasmatron inside.

New Zealand borne winemaker David Paterson (in a good mood after their football team managed a draw) was serving as the tasting room host, and this proved to be the other highlight of the trip. Besides his 2009 Tantalus Vineyards Dry Riesling, which can easily compete with the top Rieslings of Washington (if not smash them), he also had created a duo of pinot noirs worth noting. At $30 the 2008 Tantalus Vineyards Pinot Noir is one of the most fairly priced pinot noirs I’ve ever come across. Oh, oh, and it turns out there is an orgasmatron inside, only it’s disguised as a Canadian riesling.

Blue Mountain Vineyard

After Tantalus I was feeling some pain in the pocket book, but one more stop had to be made. About a 60 minute drive from Kelowna landed me in one of the most stunning settings I’ve ever seen. This is Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars, another appointment only stop but worth the effort just for the view. Their wines were impressive, too, and the pinot noir solidified my belief that this is the grape of the future for the Okanagan.

The region as a whole is still learning, and with time they will figure out their ideal grape varieties, much as Walla Walla is still doing. So far it seems pinot noir, chardonnay, and riesling have the lead. Unfortunately NAFTA doesn’t apply when it comes to wine, so it makes sense that the southern end of the valley is creating California style Bordeaux reds to satisfy that market.

The Okanagan Valley just may be the most beautiful wine region in North America, and the wines should not be overlooked either. Unfortunately the wines are basically impossible to find in the US, but knowing what can be done with pinot north of the border will surely bring me back in the future — or maybe I’ll just move to Canada as I so often threaten. I wouldn’t mind having a pet zombie, afterall.

The Terroirists Show: Old World Winery tasting part 2

Sonoma Spring Break: Part 3 – Scribe

Overlooking the Vineyard

Not often in a young man’s life does one have the opportunity to accidentally eat a caterpillar. This happened to me at Scribe, and I loved every minute of it. Scribe is a new Sonoma winery which was featured in this month’s Food and Wine magazine. My experience at Scribe is something that wine bloggers and politicians alike could only conceive under the most powerful of hallucinogenics.

The experience started out well with greens freshly picked from the organic garden to accompany amazing olive oil and Cow Girl Creamery triple cream cheese with bread from Petaluma. This lunch was great on its own, but combined with the view of the vineyard and surrounding mountains it took on stellar proportions.

Chardonnay and Salad

This land is believed to be the first in the United States to be planted to Riesling back in 1858 – and in recognition of this the Scribe crew have planted Riesling and Sylvaner as a homage to Alsace. Currently 40 acres are planted and being farmed organically, and at sometime between 1858 and now the land was host to large chicken coupes. (or maybe turkey – I forget)

The rest of the land is planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but the first crop is still over a year in the future. These guys might be young, but winemaker Andrew Mariani knows what he is doing. Not only is his Chard top notch, but his Pinot could win Eric over. The Syrah isn’t too shabby either, and their Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is exactly what a California cab should be – herbaceous, fruity, and full of goodness.

The Hacienda

After tasting through the wines and saving the life of a caterpillar, Andrew showed me the grounds. There exists a 100 year old house which is pretty much completely empty, but would be and is currently a killer location for awesome wine parties. I now realize that my next Sonoma trip will have to coincide with a Scribe party, and if anyone gives them a visit they would likely say the same thing. I can live with a caterpillar in my salad, but I can’t live without Scribe.

A Reputation Destroyed

I’m not sure if it’s been mentioned before on this blog, but Eric hates Pinot Noir. It was not my plan to sneak a Pinot on him tonight, but when the wine I had chosen originally wound up being corked I found little choice. With that background, I present tonight’s Council of Variable Members.

2006 Kim Crawford Malborough Pinot Noir

Throughout the duration of this tasting I found myself waiting to see Eric’s face show great signs of distress. It never came. The wine is dark for a Pinot, and upon sniffing it is quite a pleasant experience. Aroma descriptions prove quite varied on this wine, including but not limited to: cherry cola, lemon iced tea, cinnamon rolls, and a butcher’s shop. Eric and I both agree that the wine lacks some body, and the mid-palate is more like Italian Pinot Grigio than any Pinot Noir (which means it tastes like water). Despite its downfalls its exotic nose bumped it into decently high score range, and the $15-$20 price point makes it an attractive purchase — if you’re into that sort of thing.

Eric’s score: 88 (reputation destroyed)
Scott’s score: 88
Mike’s score: 87
Steven’s score: 84 (unblind)

Council of Variable Members score: 87

Time to drink some beer and watch Canada continue its onslaught versus Slovakia. I look forward to Jason reading this entry and the awkward moment that will ensue with him and Eric during Monday morning’s science of winemaking class. The curse is lifted; now to get Eric to speak to me again.