John Schreiner: Okanagan Wine Tour Guide

Vineyards Surround Lake Okanagan

Wine Of The People, By The People, For The People

Schreiner's 3rd Edition is out May 1st 2010, Updated and Revised

Just in time for the Okanagan's Spring Wine Festival, John Schreiner's 3^rd edition of John Schreiner's Okanagan Wine Tour Guide, is out in book stores May 1^st 2010.

Schreiner's guides to wine offer an approachable and friendly introduction to the region's winegrowers, winemakers and proprietors of the ever-expanding Okanagan Valley wine community in addition to the wines themselves.

In the book's Intro, Schreiner tells you upfront that he didn't write the book for “technicians,” but rather for people who enjoy drinking wine and for the people who make the wine that we enjoy drinking.

“Wine is not a clinical product to be separated from the people who grow it. The art in wine is what attracts both consumers and wine growers,” writes Schreiner in his Introduction to the book's 3^rd edition. The first edition was published in 2006 and already there are a good many new additions to the Okanagan winery fold, with more wineries planned and building underway.

“In most of the tasting rooms I have visited, everyone is having fun, especially during wine festival time,” writes Schreiner, reminiscing, “During the Okanagan's Spring Wine Festival 2005, I was lounging on the deck at Jeff and Niva Martin's La Frenz winery, savouring a glass of Shiraz...”.

This is the context, a context of place, time and people in which John Schreiner uniquely can immerse you when it comes to the distinctive regions and wines of the Okanagan. His perspective dates back 35 years when he first began touring the region in search of good wines. The Okanagan's current vibrant wine industry really only dates back to the late 80's/early 90's so Schreiner's insight is one that lends itself to developing right alongside with the then-nascent wine industry of the region itself.

The book delves into the various regions of the Okanagan. The Okanagan Lake itself is 135 km. stretching more or less N-S from Penticton up to Salmon Arm. The wine growing regions are dotted all along there and stretch down, past Skaha Lake, into the Golden Mile and Black Sage Bench areas of Oliver and then down into Osoyoos, around Lake Osoyoos which spans the U.S./ Canada Border, and then a bit West over into Keremeos and Cawston, known as the Similkameen Valley.

Wonderful Lake Okanagan wineries and vineyards, British Columbia

His book beguiles you with the charms of Naramata Bench, a wine-growing region overlooking the expansive, beautiful and pristine Lake Okanagan; delves into the people with a dream some of whom are just selling their first '09 vintages in time for Spring Wine Festival 2010, kicking off today in the Okanagan. He gives you a brief background on valley influentials such as Elias Phiniotis, Ron Taylor, and Howard Soon. He also takes you into the past with historical anecdotes about B.C.'s oldest continually operating winery (since 1932), Calona Vineyards, and forward into the future sharing with you certain family's plans to plant on the northern perches of Salmon Arm, where the nearest vineyard at Larch Hills is at B.C.'s highest elevation of 700 meters/ 2,300 feet.

Winner 2009, VPIWF, Spirited Industry Professional

Most importantly, however, Schreiner will introduce you to the people who have chosen to build their lives around the vine, to make the best of the hand that Mother Nature deals them season after season. With this kind of an introduction to a region's wine, you can't help but fall in love with the ones that please your palate, and keep returning year after year to see what magic has been bottled in this year's new vintage.

*Note Book's Wine Speak Glossary at the end is very helpful and is sure to make you sound like you know what you're talking about when you're in the Tasting Rooms.

John Schreiner's Okanagan Wine Tour Guide (2010), 161 pgs.

Available in Bookstores and Online Now

For More On Schreiner visit: John Schreiner's Blog

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Celebrity Wine Festival - Osoyoos June 2010

Host and Presenter, Jason Priestley

The Osoyoos Celebrity Wine Festival (OCWF) is presented by Destination Osoyoos, in tandem with presenting sponsor Black Hills Estate Winery, Hotel Sponsors Walnut Beach Resort, Spirit Ridge Resort, Watermark Beach Resort and the business community of Osoyoos.

The Vinos 

Co-host and Presenter, Steven Page

 

Celebrity Wine Fest's Commercial Competition. Win wine!!!

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The Osoyoos Celebrity Wine Festival takes place from June 10 to 13, 2010. It’s a great weekend of food and wine pairing events from regional chefs and winemakers, and lets participants rub shoulders with film and television A-listers while enjoying the region’s best cuisine and wine. So far, the following celebrities have confirmed their attendance: Jason Priestley (Beverley Hills 9020, Hollywood & Vines1), Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek, National Treasure), Ned Bell (Food Network), and Chad Oakes (Emmy award-winning producer). Other celebrity actors, chefs and winemakers are being invited.

• Thursday, June 10, 8:00 pm at the Watermark Resort: The Vinos - a wine commercial film festival for amateurs. Tickets $29.
• Friday, June 11, 9 am to noon: Ride with a Winemaker. Join local winemakers as they enjoy a bike ride and picnic lunch in the South Okanagan. $70.
• Friday, June 11, 6:00-10:00 pm at Walnut Beach Resort: Osoyoos VIP Reception and Beach Party. $99.
• Saturday, June 12, 12 noon to 3 pm at Black Hills Estate Winery: Nota Bene Release Party. $149
• Saturday, June 12, 7 pm to 11 pm at Spirit Ridge Resort: Celebrity Wine Auction with proceeds benefiting children’s charities. Participants taste an array of South Okanagan wines with appetizers from local restaurants, and can bid on rare wine from great Canadian wineries in silent and live auctions. Last year, $55,000 was raised for the Providence Children’s Centre and Osoyoos Child Care. The evening features a live performance by Steven Page, formerly of the Bare Naked Ladies. $249.

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Burrowing Owl Estate Winemaker Bertus Albertyn

Bertus Albertyn, Burrowing Owl Estate Winemaker, Photo Courtesy Gord Wylie

Burrowing Owl, the 140-acre property that sits at the crown of the Okanagan's Black Sage Bench's Road 22, has a new winemaker. His name is Bertus Albertyn.

Bertus is a South African native married to a Canadian physician who took his post at the South Okanagan property, owned and run by Chris Wyse, in January earlier this year. There he will make the wine from the 125 acres of vineyards under cultivation that produce approximately 30,000 cases each year. Mind you, even at this volume of production, relatively large for the Okanagan, you're likely only to be able to find a bottle of Burrowing Owl, nearly any variety, any vintage, at the winery's wineshop itself or at select restaurants in B.C. There's just too much demand for it to be able to keep the VQA liquor stores continually stocked.

Burrowing Owl Vineyard Management, Photo by Randy Lincks

“It's a breath of fresh air to come here to Canada,” says Bertus. “Here in B.C. we can't produce enough grapes to fulfill B.C. Consumption.”

It's a good insight into British Columbia's young wine industry, if a relatively modest one. Recently we asked Bertus what the secret is to making great wines:

“Winemaking itself is generally a simple process. If you have good quality grapes you are going to make a good wine. The key is to take yourself out of the equation as much as possible.”

Since we're thinking there might be just a little bit more to winemaking than that, we cajoled Bertus into talking to us a bit longer to see what gives.

“It's important to know when to take the grapes off the vine. And temperature control,” he conceded. He hastened to add that the practices he's following at Burrowing Owl Winery since coming on board in January have been in place there from the beginning. “With a cellar producing such a great product for so long, the systems that have produced the wines are to be treated as such. These practices are not something new for the cellar.”

Burrowing Owl Long-timer,  Fernando Bottoni,  Photo Courtesy Gord Wylie

Fernando Bottoni (long time cellar worker), Bertus Albertyn, Joey Matias (long time cellar worker), Emmerick Keller (Plant Manager) and Scott Stefishen (Assistant Winemaker). Missing is Pat Johnson. Photo by Gord Wylie.

South African Roots

Bertus Albertyn looks – and is – still young but has a lifetime of grape growing under his belt. He has a degree in Viticulture and Oenology. He worked at two vineyards in South Africa, the Wellington Cellars, a large operation that bears the same name to the Wellington Wine Growing Region in South Africa and which “produces as much grapes there as in all of Canada;” and the Avondale where he learned organic winemaking and vineyard management “approved by Mother Nature” at this small family-owned winery.

International Vintages

While working in South Africa he did a vintage in Sonoma, a vintage in Italy outside of Venice, and two in France, one in Crozes-Hermitage at Alain Graillot, and the other in the South of France, Domaine Des Anges. “I did the harvest in France, Italy and America while I was working South Africa. I would do a crush every 2 years in a different part of the world to broaden my knowledge of winemaking. This also helped me to broaden my vision and taste,” Bertus told us. So the fact that the seasons in Canada are inverted to the seasonal changes in South Africa doesn't phase him; it's something he's learned to work to his advantage.

The Winemaking Touch

Bertus's approach to wine is a tactile one: “I'm fond of smelling wine. But at the end of the day you have to drink the wine. It's about the enjoyment of the palate, the fullness and softness of the wine.”

He said it's the post-fermentation maceration that yields a softer, rounder wine and this can also help with the age-ability of the wine. He'll also tell you that the sooner you can interject oak into the wine, the better. Then he “ages it at least 18 months.”

Of course, it really all begins during the harvesting and then the crush. “We're lucky here because of the cold nights. The grapes go into the cellar cold. When you can start at a low enough temperature then they can't peak very high. It's important not to let the temperature go up to 35 c. - that can kill your yeast. If you can increase your temperature during fermentation, you double your ability to extract,” he explained.

Not everyone in the Okanagan uses a sorting table. In fact, it's a very distinctive choice that a winemaker makes. Bertus uses a sorting table. When asked if this goes counter to his philosophy of “taking yourself out of the equation,” he responded:

“We're not changing anything. We're just taking out the debris. We're just doing a better job. Leaves are a very bad thing because they're green. We're destemming. But we're not totally crushing. And of course we use only ripe grapes. No green grapes,” he said with a laugh.

For his white wines he's also fond of a more “old-world” style of wine making. He's quick to point out that South Africa has a long heritage of grape growing. One of the wineries where he worked dates itself back to 1693 when it was established.

“Our whites are whole-bunch wines. We do no de-stemming,” explained Bertus. “The stems are actually used as a filtration system to yield cleaner wine. Our pinot gris and chardonnay are all more old-world, lightly settled and have a 'darker ferment.' With a dirtier juice you have more flexibility in fermentation. More glycerines give more body in the wine. New world wines, for example, are all de-stemmed. That creates up-front fruit flavors.” Bertus went on to explain that the whole bunch press delivers a juice with a lower solid content; cleaner juice, in fact, than destemming.

Jim & Midge Wyse – Proprietors of Burrowing Owl Estate Winery;         Photo by Gord Wylie

Burrowing Owl Vineyards is also known as a green winery. Named after the regionally endangered species of Burrowing Owl, when Midge and Jim Wyse purchased the vineyards in '93, they created a custom of donating $2 for each tasting at the winery. That $2 goes towards South Okanagan Rehabilitation Center For Owls and to the Burrowing Owl Conservation Society of B.C. They've donated more than $250,000 to date.

Jim and Midge Wyse, Proprietors, Kerri Wyse McNolty (center) and Chris Wyse, President (r) Burrowing Owl Estate Winery; Photo by Gord Wylie

Re-use: All wine bottles used in the wine shop and in the restaurant operations are cleaned out and re-used at the winery. They use an alternative pest control system. And The Sonora Room, the on-site restaurant, adheres to a less than 100-km local food supply philosophy, a philosophy and a tradition at the Sonora Room that their new Executive Chef team will continue on beginning May 1^st when they re-open for full time summer season hours.

Black Sage Road, Oliver, B.C., Canada www.burrowingowlwine.ca

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Culinaria's Road To Joy

Joy And Food Enthusiasm

During the South Okanagan Winery Association's Banee' Celebration of Spring's Wine releases this year, a whole bushelful of the Okanagan's triumphantly artisanal culinarians offered samplings of their tastiest morsels.

Event was generously sponsored by the Watermark Beach Resort who made available their entire 2nd floor conference hall for the approximately400 assembled guests and exhibitors. Location overlooking Lake Osoyoos is a spectacular choice for weddings and other celebrations and gatherings. Culinaria was co-ordinated and produced by Anthony Buree' of ABDM Design and Perseus Winery and Vineyards.

There were Spirit Truffles by Osoyoos' Barbara Scheuren whose rich, creamy truffles dusted in powdery cacao have a spicy kick, like a Mexican hot chocolate, that only reveals itself once the chocolate has coated the back of your throat.

Blue Icing Bakery from Penticton featured their mini chocolate cupcakes dolloped with their signature heavy-on-the-butter, heavy-on-the-cream whipped frosting in ice-blue.  Rich, chocolatey and not too sweet, their cakes and cupcakes are a favorite with brides-to-be when they are planning their receptions.

Poplar Cheese from out on the Naramata Bench was giving away generous slices of their renowned blue cheese. It's mild and creamy without melting out the blue-cheese bite that fromage lovers crave. There are barely a handful of artisanal cheesemakers in the Valley, but even if there was one on every corner, Poplar is still worthy of the visit, whether you're going wine tasting out on the Naramata Bench or not.

Sezmu Meats sliced off thick, juicy, med-rare cooked hunks of just roasted beef.  Janice, the daughter of the founder who now runs the operation, was encouraging attendees to get their Freezer Pack orders in now for summer barbecuing and entertaining. A Freezer Pack consists of:  4 ribeyes or tenderloins, 4 flat iron steaks, 8 sirloin steaks, 10 lbs. of stewing meat, 20 lbs. of ground beef, 1 brisket and 3 roasts.  She's also coming out with lean ground burgers, just in time for the hot summer nights.  A Pack costs $435 total and it's a good idea to get your orders in now.

Wineries offering tastings included Road 13, Quinta Ferreira and Desert Hills among many others.  The Iron Chef contest was Emceed by Terry David Mulligan and judged by local food and wine celebrationists Jay Drysdale, Rhys Pender and Kelly Robson.

JoyRoad Catering's Dana and Cam conducted their Culinaria Cooking Demonstration with their signature Food Enthusiasm.

Fun to hear them speak about their month-long sojourn in Spain and how they can so easily recreate those dishes using the Okanagan's local food crops such as fresh farm eggs, garlic, and ripe local tomatoes.

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South Okanagan Winery Association Banee' 2010

 Speed Dating For Wine Lovers

New and fresh at this year's Banee', sponsored and organized by the South OkanaganWinery Association, was “Speed Dating Wine Tasting,” an event that took place on a sunny Saturday afternoon at the Walnut Beach Resort in Osoyoos.

Fortified with a light lunch that included Farmed Fresh Bacon, cut thick and griddle-fried, Lettuce and Tomato sandwiches along with a dessert accent of wild, organic blueberry mousse prepared by Walnut Beach Resort Head Chef, Justin Paakunainen, a group of about twenty of us wine-taster-speed-daters were ushered into the afternoon of speed- dating-wine-tasting with the SOWA wineries.

I happened to get placed next to Anthony Gismondi in the circular round of 18 Wine Tasting “stations” that event organizers dubbed “the ladies,” and we tasters were the “men” who were given 5 minutes at each of the 18 wineries represented. With Gismondi, who is described as B.C.'s premier wine taster, - along with John Schreiner, Sid Cross and Tim Pawsey - it was fortunate placement. Since Gismondi, who has had a “bit of a hand” (quoting him here) in the organizing of the Playhouse International Wine Festival over the years in Vancouver, had hatched the idea of “Speed Dating Wine Tastings” which they've been promoting for months now, he was pleased to see that his brainchild had manifested and multiplied.

Banee is the annual celebration of Spring Releases by the South Okanagan Wineries Association.

Speed Dating Wine Tasting

My afternoon of “dating” began with Desert Hills where Winery Proprietor Randy Toor poured no less than seven wines. At his Black Sage Bench property earlier that morning, he had informed the group that in the hottest part of summer he waters only once a week for 7-8 hours. Considering that last summer temperatures in the region reached into the 40's c. we're talking stressed vines,which, as any seasoned winemaker will tell you, yields the better fruit.

The South Okanagan is known for their reds and a couple of stars, amongst distinguished contenders, to come out of the Golden Mile this year are Fairview Cellars' Cabernet Sauvignon '09 which Bill Eggert has aged 16 months in his Radoux French Oak. He'll tell you that his best wine comes from one row of grapes, uniquely yielding because of the “pure sand seam that goes right across my vineyard,” and the “alluvial fan” that characterizes the land his vineyard sits on there in the Golden Mile. This is what he's pulled this vintage from. Put your orders in now. He had just bottled it hours before pouring it at the Speed Dating Wine Tasting this past weekend. Price is $120 per bottle, a Valley first.

It's All About The Terroir?

Remarkable to note is that both Randy's (Desert Hills) and Bill's (Fairview) properties are right next to one another there on the Black Sage Bench. As you follow along Road 22, both are nestled in the same “alluvial fan” and both have similar sandy, silty-with-very-little-topsoil ground to play with. And yet the wines are richly and distinctly different catering almost to not just a different mood or dish but almost even altogether different palates. Desert Hills' Gewurztraminer '09 reflects this dynamic of thirst-quenching freshness, and keeping with the theme of summertime and bbq'ing, the Desert Hills Gamay can go down chilled though not to be missed is their '07 Malbec Proprietor's Reserve, their “pride.”

Steady And Strong

Wine choices that are “fool-proof” and “fail-safe” are Burrowing Owl's Merlot '07 – rich, ripe and red. As John Schreiner puts it, “it's just damned good.” Bertus, their new winemaker, says that in another six months it will be even better when it has a chance to open up. Their Meritage '07 also gives a full flavor profile though, again, Bertus says you can give it another year – or 10 or 15, too, even. The structure is that solid. I find these wines to be masculine. They're strong and vibrant and there's virility that trembles beneath the notes.

Hester Creek's Trebbiano and their Merlot '08. The Trebbiano comes from the only Italian vines planted in the Okanagan, which Hester Creek's owners brought from Italy 40 years ago. Rob, the winemaker's, expertise is in smoothing out the tannins in their full-bodied reds, so you get all of the flavor of a Merlot without the bite. Andrew Moon, Tinhorn Creek's Aussie winemaker of less than a year, explains something about the tannins of the region: The tannins in the Merlot here can “blow your head off,” he says, explaining the importance of tannin management for South Okanagan winemaking, adding that "we'll never get to the levels of a Bordeaux." Okanagan wine educator and consultant, Rhys Pender, explains that "No other place in the world has such a short, hot climate." Tinhorn Creek and Hester Creek wineries are next door neighbors on the Golden Mile.

Inniskillin's '07 Tempranillo. There are only 200 cases. This is only the 2nd vintage. Go. Buy. It. Now.

We kid you not. This is one of the most outstanding, not to mention smooth, hearty and amiable wines to come out of the region. And it's not a grape that anyone else in the valley plants. They've aged it in new French oak about 30% and then for the remainder 70% in 1 and 2 year old barrels. Bottled in May will be their '08 Malbec.

Cassini's '07 Pinot Noir Reserve is their first pinot noir vintage. They've only done 115 cases. Count yourself lucky if you score yourself a bottle before it's sold out. Their Nobilus is 100% Merlot, unusual these days when many of the winemakers are going towards blends. Casssini's Adrian Capeneata is just simply all about no-frills good, solid wine.

People know Road 13 well for their reds. 'Nough said. We'll tell you, watch for their Chenin Blanc '09. It's only been out two weeks now, it's got beautiful acidic balance. Bartier, Mick and Pam have created another big hit that's a phenomenal food wine. Don't forget, too, that '09 saw significant crop damage so only half the crop was harvested. That translates into get it while the gettin's good. [500 cases total]. Also, if you get your hands on a bottle of their '07 Jackpot Chardonnay, made from grapes that were, “in a word – perfect,” then pressed whole cluster, drink up!

Nk'Mip's new release is their '08 Pinot Noir grown on their Black Sage Bench vines, as opposed to their Osoyoos property. Assistant winemaker Justin describes the French Oak aging process altogether too humbly. We're fans, of course, of their Q2 Meritage '07 which we've already written about here.

Le Vieux Pin's Apogee Merlot and Epoque Merlot are too deserving of applause not to be mentioned here. They've been hitting it out of the ballpark since their first vintage in '05, and people keep talking about LVP's '06 vintage. New and not yet labeled is a Rose' coming from their Golden Mile vineyards. Shhhh...though. Some wines are just so good, they shouldn't even be legal to drink!

More on the Whites...

Stoneboat's Chorus '09. Winemaker Tim Martiniuk, a young man, has blended a proprietary signature vintage that no one in the Valley can duplicate. He credits their soil's calcerous deposits and heavy gravel for the juice he was able to get from his pinot blanc, pinot gris, Kerner and Viognier grapes which he used to make Chorus. This is the wine we enjoyed with our salmon and grilled vegetable dinner. A perfect pairing. Stoneboat's Pinot Blanc '09 was blessed with botrytis so the 25-year old vines give notes of honey and cloves; the nose, surprisingly, is sweeter than the taste.

Oliver Twist's '09 Viognier is 5 years aged, slight notes of tobacco. It's a nice contrast to their Chardonnay '08 which took B.C. Gold in the Fall Wine Fest.

Quinta Ferreira's Mistura Branca '08 is a Muskat Gewurz blend. Michael, by nature a reserved winemaker, showed uncharacteristic exuberance when pouring. And I'd have to agree, it's wine worth the enthusiasm.

Gehringer does white wines well. Their Auxerrois pinot blanc is fail-safe and as the genetic sister to the more commonly known pinot blanc, it won't throw your palate off. Private Reserve Riesling '09 has now been bottled from their stainless steel tanks and offers good value.

Jackson-Triggs '09 Grand Reserve Sauvignon Blanc offers a greener, acidic backbone; the fruit comes from the start of the Black Sage Bench Road, so the slight difference in temperatures is evident in the juice.

Let's Talk Rose'

Rose' is this year's “come-back kid.” Oft-dismissed as betwixt and between, when you get your hands on the right one, it most certainly stands on its own. Rose' beckons and celebrates summer. And we welcome summer!

Jackson-Triggs '09 Rose' makes a delightful showing this Spring. It's the first year Derek has made the wine with Merlot grapes rather than Cabernet Franc. He ferments it as you would a white and the yield is something altogether too easy to reach for - sip and savor.

Tinhorn Creek's Sandy will tell you that she was up 'til 4 a.m. the other night bottling her 2 Bench Rose'. She's blended 40% cabernet franc and merlot with pinot gris. They've done 103 cases and we recommend a try. Their Pinot Gris '09, at approximately 6,000 cases, makes their Rose' vintage a Proprietor's Reserve Blend.

Golden Beaver's “Heart of Gold,” '09 is a blend of Viognier, Auxerrois and Pinot Blanc. And lest your mind starts to wander down the more imaginative path, Bruno and Stella explain that they are both music lovers and enthusiasts, - their neighbors describe their living room walls as "covered" with guitars and music paraphernalia. Stella has named their next release, “Heartbreaker,” after one of her Led Zeppelin favorites, since Bruno named Heart of Gold after the Neil Young hit song. Their Late Harvest Pinot Blanc '08 has 20g. of sugar in it but really it tastes only medium sweet. It's worth a try and as a foodie it allows you to get creative with the pairing. It will be out in May.

Silver Sage has some unique offerings. Their Sunset '08 has the look and feel of a rose'. It's a blend of white wine and berries with aromas of cranberry and raspberry. This is a brunch with the girls wine; it's their “golfer's special,” and it's also great to have a few bottles on hand for the girlfriends' mani-pedi-spa day. Their Flame '09 is a dessert wine and it's spicy! These are cocktail wines.

Rustico Farm and Cellars is the new kid on the block and Bruce has crafted stories for each of his wines. He'd love to tell you all about his Gewurztraminer “Farmer's Daughter,” when you stop by the winery there in the South Okanagan for a sample.

Speed Dating Summary

Speed Dating for Wine Lovers offered fantastic insight into the complex variations of a region's wines and winemakers. One of the most informative take-homes was how grapes grown in the same soil, with the same sun, even on the same or neighboring alluvial fan, can yield such different vintages. The South Okanagan has, of course, the difference of the two sides, the “right bank” and “left bank” with significant variations of sun exposure and even slight temperature variation from the north part of the acreage to 20 km. or so to the south of the SOWA region. It does give you a glimpse into the tremendous input that a the winemaker has on the final outcome of a vintage.

We're definitely in keeping with the consensus of the other Speed Daters, Tim Pawsey, Sid Cross, Christina Burridge, Anthony Gismondi, John Schreiner, Terry David Mulligan and the rest: that it's a great way to taste nearly a hundred wines in just under an hour and a half and and that it's absolutely most effective when the wineries keep their selections to a range of no more than three wines.

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