Crushing the Competition

What is an Okanagan Crush Pad and why should I visit the place? It's a question I get a lot from curious wine travellers who can't quite seem to wrap their heads around the Summerland-based winery, or is that a consulting winery business?

Okanagan Crush Pad is British Columbia's first custom crush winemaking facility. It is set up like many others around the world -- to help aspiring vineyard owners make the dream jump to owning their own winery. OCP advertises itself as "a team of industry-leading consultants that offers diverse services to the wine industry." In fact, OCP clients choose from a list of services ranging from vineyard management and winemaking, to branding, packaging, marketing, communications, media relations and sales distribution.

It's a fabulous deal if you have money and no expertise, and let me stress, it is a fabulous deal even if you have money and expertise. I can think of many successful local producers who would be years ahead of their time had they been privy to the expertise OCP is offering its newbies. The packaging advice alone will make you hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales. And you won't have to redo your logo and a bunch of stuff in five years.

In 2012, the team at OCP helped launch four new wineries, while this fall three additional proprietors have received winery manufacturing licences: Harper's Trail, Jentsch Cellars and Sage Hills. No one is happier to see her clients graduate than co-owner Christine Coletta who is big on getting each prospect to the self-sufficiency stage.

"This is what OCP is here to do," she says. "We point people in the right direction, help them eliminate costly mistakes and help them launch with a quality portfolio that can set the stage for market acceptance."

The company really took off while they were developing and launching their own brand, Haywire. Haywire started in 2009 with an online presence only, and Coletta says: "We discovered that there was a shockingly low level of written information, trade industry support, or people to help us wade through the legal requirements, licensing and red tape. Arms of government do not always talk to one another and it can be overwhelming trying to figure out who to go to for information along the way."

Harper's Trail co-owner Vicki Collett perhaps says it best, "We have opened with confidence (in Kamloops) and quality wine, and know doing this would not have been possible without getting our start at Okanagan Crush Pad. It was the perfect solution for us. We're getting many visitors to the tasting room and receiving very positive response on all the wines and our operation here."

Amazingly, since Okanagan Crush Pad opened its doors in September 2011 the winery has more than doubled production, and is now at capacity with several clients (including house brands Haywire and Bartier Scholefield) producing 34,000 cases annually.

Coletta and husband Steve Lornie are the principal partners, while veteran winemaker Michael Bartier steers the back end with plenty of perspective from the likes of David Scholefield, the former fine wine buyer for the BCLDB, internationally acclaimed Italian consulting winemaker Alberto Antonini, and Chilean terroir specialist Pedro Parra. It's an exciting team of highly seasoned wine folks determined to move the Okanagan wine needle.

So should you visit the Okanagan Crush Pad? Definitely, and be prepared to taste several different wines at the facility that lies a couple of kilometres south of the Summerland cut-off.

Santa Rita 120 Carmenère 2012, Region del Valle Central, Chile

Price: $13 | Score: 85/100

UPC: 08919007268

If you are a carmenère fan this juicy, brambly, crush dried leaf affair should appeal to you. A sappy smoky, spicy, red with a hint of vanilla it slides down easily and cries out for anything grilled be it chicken or meat. Ready to drink. Good value.

Doña Paula Los Cardos Malbec 2012, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina

Price: $14 | Score: 86/100

UPC: 836905000018

Typically soft and smoky with fresh, raspberry fruit aromas. The attack is warm and spicy with more cedary fruit flavours and a touch of acidity poking through the finish. A smooth easy sipping style for the classic flank steak off the grill.

Crios de Susana Balbo Malbec 2012, Salta, Argentina

Price: $18 | Score: 88/100

UPC: 7798068480393

The 2012 is a 95/5 mix of malbec and bonarda from vineyards in Luján de Cuyo, Tunuyán and San Carlos all above 1,100 metres. The attack is smooth, the palate fresh with earthy, coffee, cherry, savoury and tobacco flavours. Good fruit and balance with just a bit of acidity leaking through in the finish. Roast beef sandwiches or hamburgers would be a fine match.

Fontanafredda Briccotondo Barbera 2012, Piedmont, Italy

Price: $18 | Score: 87/100

UPC: 008000174160021

Briccotondo always over delivers. The nose is fresh with peppery, licorice, black cherry, tobacco aromas. The attack is smooth and juicy with spicy, tobacco, black cherry, herbal, savoury flavours. A terrific restaurant wine. Love the elegant, juicy, consistent quality and value here. Modern Piemonte red that respects the tradition of the region.

M. Chapoutier Belleruche Côtes du Rhône 2011, Rhone Valley, France

Price: $20 | Score: 88/100

UPC: 0339118111034

A classy little Rhone red with the typical savoury, peppery, black cherry notes of grenache/syrah blends. Smooth and juicy black cherry, black raspberry, licorice flavours preview an elegant, juicy forward style red. The perfect dinner wine for game or meat.

Yalumba Bush Vine Grenache Barossa 2011, Barossa Valley, South Australia

Price: $25 | Score: 89/100

UPC: 009311789081847

Yalumba does a great job with grenache taming the spice, black raspberry, black cherry jam aromas and fitting them into a smooth, fresh, elegant palate. Expect bright juicy black raspberry, black plum and peppery flavours flecked with chocolate, orange peel and poultry spice. A hedonistic red but with balanced. Try it with duck or lamb dishes. The initial ferment begins with indigenous yeast some batches are left on skins post ferment.