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After 15 years of serious grape-growing and winemaking in B.C., it might be time to start asking which grapes are going to win a permanent home in local vineyards and which are likely to put us on the world wine map for good.
The red grape saga is led by merlot, merlot-dominated blends, pinot noir and syrah. Each appears capable of making high-quality wine, although the pattern of decidedly warmer growing seasons would need to continue to ensure the disappearance of those pesky herbal flavours.
The real excitement is in the white wine sector, where some of the sauvignon blanc and semillon blends are as good as it gets and where pinot gris has the potential to become a benchmark for the world. Certainly, the current 2003 crop of pinot gris is the best I've tasted since Gray Monk owners George and Trudy Heiss took delivery of their first 50 pinot gris vines, via Alsace, back in 1976.
That same summer, Dr. Helmut Becker, the director of grape breeding at Germany's Geisenheim Institute, visited the Okanagan Valley and offered George Heiss a selection of vines from Geisenheim research plots. Heiss suggested that the vines be made available to all growers and pinot gris spread from one end of the valley to other.
Twenty-eight years later, the grape that was synonymous with Gray Monk during its formative years is blossoming into B.C.'s signature grape variety. In 2002, pinot gris passed pinot blanc as the second most widely planted white grape and now represents 15 per cent of all the white varietal wine made in B.C.
If you haven't noticed, we are beginning to hone in on two consistent styles. Perhaps the best is our fresh, un-wooded, fruity/mineral offerings, although a bit of barrel fermentation in older oak is also helping to make some impressive leesy, earthy, complex gris.
Growers like pinot gris because it ripens early; consumers like it because it tastes good. In fact, it pairs so well with such a wide variety of food that it's difficult to peg it to any one dish. Salmon is a natural but some say it should only be grilled; others insist it must be poached. I like it with local goat cheese, but halibut, scallops and prawns are a fine match too.
Here's brief look at six stellar offerings, five from the excellent 2003 vintage.
Arrowleaf, a new-ish Okanagan Centre winery not far from pinot gris' original home at Gray Monk, has turned out a delicious Arrowleaf Pinot Gris 2003. What a treat to smell ripe apple, pear and melon fruit with a touch of earthy mineral. You will be knocked out by this elegant spicy, floral, mineral, green apple/pear flavoured wine that is round and elegant in the mouth. Try it with some hamachi or grilled scallops.
The Sandhill Pinot Gris King Family Vineyard 2003 comes out of Naramata. Its aromas mix mineral, slate and pear with floral streaks of lime rind. It is dry, round and fresh on the palate with a buttery, mineral, lime rind and green apple flavours and some oily textures in the finish. It's a touch austere at the moment, so serve it with food. It will mellow over the next six to 12 months in bottle.
Each year, the Burrowing Owl Pinot Gris 2003 has been considered a leader and in 2003 it doesn't disappoint. Spicy clover, honey and mineral, green apple skin aromas mix with floral/lime rind undertones. The fruit is very ripe with juicy apple, mineral, smoky honey, baked pear flavours and a dry, chalky, citrus finish. Grilled halibut with a mango salsa would be a fine accompaniment to the wine.
Similarly consistent and inviting is the Tinhorn Creek Pinot Gris 2003. Mineral, spicy, almond, green apple skin aromas mix effortlessly with ripe pear and honey notes. It is soft and supple on the palate with mineral, spicy, pear flavours with a ripe citrus finish.
An elegant style, although like most 2003s there tends to be a bit more weight and alcohol than in previous editions. Delicious nonetheless.
Just released is an impressive Mission Hill Pinot Gris Reserve 2003 that, like the Burrowing Owl, boasts that mineral, honey, clover nose of ripe pinot gris mixed with grapefruit rind, pear and canned fruit. It too is ripe and round with touch of grapefruit rind, honey, spicy, mineral and sweet pear flavours streaked with fresh passion fruit and orange. A juicy, attractive style that will be on many local wine lists.
No tasting would be complete without a Gray Monk label, and in this case it's the Gray Monk Odyssey Pinot Gris 2002. Odyssey, a reserve edition, has a floral, grapefruit rind, nectarine, mineral nose with just a hint of sausage meat. Look for ripe red apple, grapefruit, slate, mineral, leesy flavours with a touch of apricot. Fresh, crisp and balanced with a touch of oiliness on the palate, this is very fine gris.
Weekend Wine Tasting:
Wine Arrowleaf Pinot Gris 2003,
Price $14.50*
UPC 626990024255
Score 88/100
Remarks Elegant buttery, mineral, green apple and pear flavours. Try with grilled scallops.
Wine Sandhill Pinot Gris King Family Vineyard 2003, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Price $15.49
UPC 058976350629
Score 87/100
Remarks Dry, round and fresh with buttery, mineral, lime rind, green apple flavours.
Wine Burrowing Owl Pinot Gris 2003, Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Price $20.00*
UPC 626990004448
Score 90/100
Remarks Juicy apple, smoky mineral, spicy honey, baked pear flavours.
Wine Tinhorn Creek Pinot Gris 2003,
Price $15.50
UPC 624802981024
Score 88/100
Remarks Spicy, pear flavours with a ripe citrus finish.
Wine Mission Hill Pinot Gris Reserve 2003,
Price $16.99
UPC 776545991034
Score 89/100
Remarks Fresh fruity and balanced with a touch of sweetness.
Wine Gray Monk Odyssey Pinot Gris 2002, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Price $19.99*
UPC 778829000463
Score 88/100
Remarks Ripe red apple, grapefruit, slate, with a touch of apricot.
*VQA and selected private wine shops
