Okanagan Aromatics

and at this time of the year as the weather warms up, it's the fresh, aromatic flavours of the vineyard we reach for. In Spain it is rosado, in Italy it can be frascati or pinot grigio, in the south of France it's rosÈ, and in B.C. it's a group of wines that have come to be known as the aromatics. Aromatic, delicate wines are a specialty of cool climate regions, so as you might expect, there is no shortage of these in B.C. Not all the labels will be familiar to you if you seldom stray from your favourite merlot or chardonnay. But at the right time in the right place, chenin blanc, chasselas, gew¸rztraminer and ehrenfelser -- to name but a few peripheral varietals -- could delight your taste buds. There are no mouth-drying tannins, and little or no wood character, and that makes tasting these ultimate summer sippers as pleasurable as a wine experience gets. For those of you ready to make the leap, here are some sippers, sorted by varietal, that should help to energize your summer. What follows are some suggestions to get you started -- you need only add sunshine, a patio and some light bites to complete the picture. EHRENFELSER Ehrenfelser is a riesling-sylvaner cross developed in Germany and named after Schloss Ehrenfels, a castle on the Rhine. It ripens earlier than riesling (a big advantage in the cool Okanagan), and can be used for both dry and dessert wines. Its perfumed, flowery aroma mixes apples and apricots, while its flavour is often distinctively peachy. The best of this affordable varietal includes: CedarCreek ($12.95; #306332) Gehringer ($10.25; #171512) Gray Monk ($11.95; #136986) Lake Breeze ($12.90; #500306) GEWURZTRAMINER There is little doubt as to the singular nature of the gew¸rztraminer grape. The best gewurzes share a floral, spicy aroma laced with citrus, rose petal, peach and nectarine nuances. It is the melange of fruit flavour coupled with and earthy undercurrent that makes it such a show-stopper. Why B.C. gew¸rztraminer does not appear on more Asian restaurants' wine lists continues to baffle me. Here's a short list of labels to look for. Calona Artist Series ($11.95; #237453) CedarCreek ($13.95; #240978) Gray Monk ($12.95; #321588) Hawthorne Mountain ($12.95; #440685) Mt. Boucherie ($13.90; #602086) Pinot Reach ($12.95; #716928) Red Rooster ($12.95; #498832) THE BEST OF THE REST Diversity is always considered a good thing in the wine business, so it should come as no surprise that B.C. wineries still offer an eclectic variety of grapes, and in some cases blends that meet the cool/fresh/tasty requirements. Calona's fruity Artist Series Sovereign Opal ($9.95; #364265) has been pleasing palates for a decade. Bacchus is another obscure variety that on occasion rises above its flabby characteristics to offer cool apple-citrus flavours. One of the best local examples is the Domaine de Chaberton Bacchus Dry ($11.25; #965541), grown in Langley. Chenin Blanc meets the summer sipper profile, and Quails' Gate Limited Release ($14.95; #391854) is good one, although the price is less friendly than the wine. The other Quails' Gate offering turning heads (at a sensible price) is the Limited Release Chasselas Pinot Blanc ($12.95; #585737). Perhaps the most underappreciated variety in the valley is sauvignon blanc, which is responsible for two excellent grassy-citrus style whites that work well with a variety of shellfish: Mission Hill ($12.95; #118893) and Sumac Ridge Private Reserve ($15.95; #593087).