Day 9 – Estate Series Pinot Blanc 2022

Today’s wine keeps us close to home: our estate-grown Pinot Blanc and one of the “underrated” grapes of the Okanagan! You will find lots of single varietal Pinot Blanc from producers throughout the valley. Most are made in a fresh, light, fruit-forward style using stainless steel tanks. Some of those wines are amazing. But to really make this grape shine and showcase the depth and richness it’s capable of, you need to show it some love.  We ferment our Pinot Blanc in French oak barrels, most of which are neutral or on their 3rd fill. As with most of our barrel-fermented whites, I’m not looking for the flavours and aromas from the oak…it’s all about texture. Have a taste and let us know what you think.

As we close in on Christmas we’re going to introduce a series of smaller dishes, great as appetizers and relatively simple and quick to pull off. But just because they are simple to prepare, doesn’t mean they aren’t delicious!  For today we are suggesting crispy crab cakes with a mustard artichoke aioli. This dish pairs perfectly with our Pinot Blanc…there’s enough weight in the wine to stand up against the richness of the crab, and the fresh fruity flavours balance the tanginess of the aioli. We hope you enjoy it!

Winemaking Notes

The 2022 Estate Series Pinot Blanc is made with grapes from our Conviction Ridge vineyard in Kaleden. With naturally low yields the grapes show incredible depth of flavour and aroma. Hand-harvested early in the morning to preserve the acidity, the grapes were lightly whole-cluster pressed and then the juice was fermented in neutral barrels. After fermentation, the wine was aged 9 months in barrel, with batonnage (stirring of the lees) twice a month to build body and texture.

Tasting Notes
This wine has aromas of white peach, green apple and floral notes. Soft and round on the entry, this wine has a striking acidity that keeps it lively and fresh on the palate. White peach, pear, pineapple and citrus lead off, followed by lemon curd and poached pear. The long finish shows notes of lemon peel and raw almond.  The rich texture is beautifully balanced between the lively acidity and the creaminess and length of the finish.

Food Pairings
This is a highly versatile wine on the table. The textural complexity, medium body and crisp acidity enables our Pinot Blanc to pair well with many different dishes. Try it with a warm artisan brie cheese, or with Potato-Crusted Salmon.

Wine Specs

Vintage 2022
Appellation Okanagan Valley VQA
Vineyards Kaleden
Acid 7.5g/L
pH 3.2
Residual Sugar 4.7g/L
Alcohol % 12.1
Production: 110 cases