Make your holidays merry and bright with our winter whites and reds.
Support local and enjoy some outstanding new releases this winter — both from our Benchmark Series — the 2018 Syrah and 2019 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc. The elegant 2018 Syrah was made with fruit from Fool’s Gold vineyard, which is nicely western sloping for the grapes to fully benefit from afternoon sun. The sandy clay loam soil of this property contains abundant rocks and gravel, providing excellent drainage. All vineyard work is carefully tended by hand in their small plot. We employed a 15-day fermentation of the fruit with pump overs and punch downs twice a day, allowing for balanced maceration. Barrel aging for 24 months in a new French Foudre and 15 months in French and American neutral oak barriques for enhanced tannins and fruit. This vintage has enticing black pepper, plum, liquorice and clove aromas. The deep and unctuous palate displays ripe blackberries, complimented by spice and earthy notes. A finely textured wine with a beautiful expression of place. A club exclusive, just under 650 cases made.
The 2019 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc is a white Meritage inspired wine, crafted with Sauvignon Blanc from our estate Blue Terrace vineyard in north Oliver, along with just under 15% Sémillon, sourced from Robert Cleaves’ Desert Wolf vineyard on Black Sage Road in Oliver. The wine is 100% barrel fermented and aged, with the fermentation in 15% new and 85% neutral French oak barrels to round out the mouthfeel. The Sémillon was an indigenous ferment that imparts a softer, creamier style. A club exclusive, only 388 cases made. It scored several 90+ points from wine critics across Canada, including Anthony Gismondi of The Vancouver Sun who wrote, “The Benchmark Series Reserve Sauvignon Blanc is a stylish new release for club members on the allocation list, and lucky them. It’s almost all Blue Terrace Vineyard fruit grown in Oliver. The style is fresh and dry with high mineral content. Lemons, almonds, this is a reasonably rich, barrel-fermented blanc. Serve this with a wide variety of seafood and white meat dishes. Impressive.”
Make your wine purchasing easy with one of our Holiday Bundles, a reds (plus sparkling wine) six pack for only $199 (seven stars Polaris, Ironman T3, Pinot Noir, Merlot, NBO, Reserve 7) or whites six pack for $153 (seven Stars Polaris, Unoaked Chardonnay, Chardonnay, Ironman Homecoming, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier)!
Doing some last minute holiday shopping for Christmas or New Year’s? Our Naramata Bench and Langley wineries are open Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve 11 am to 3 pm. Come by and enjoy complimentary tastings of our seven stars Polaris sparkling wine. Or order online with free delivery to most of Canada or stop in for safe, socially distanced pickup at both our wine shops.
