Naramata Bench 2012 Spring Preview

The Naramata Bench Wineries Association recently made its annual Spring trip to the Lower Mainland to show-off the wares of its member wineries. The Spring release is always dominated by white wines for which the Naramata Bench is well known and for which 2011 was a trying, yet, successful year. A few soon-to-be-released reds, mostly from 2010 were also on offer with mixed results. Pinot Noir and blends have been the most promising reds that I've tasted from that vintage, but only a spattering have become available thus far.

As with many of BC's wine regions, the wineries will source grapes from beyond the borders of their viticultural area - there are no rules that say otherwise and many producers do reference the source of the fruit on the label. But, how do you know what you're drinking if it isn't mentioned on the label? Generally speaking, if you're enjoying a big red blend from a Naramata Bench winery, the fruit will have been sourced from a vineyard in Oliver or Osoyoos. If you're drinking a fine Pinot Noir or Sauvignon Blanc, then chances are the grapes are from Naramata. Think Burgundy and the Loire Valley and you'll likely pick a wine that will showcase the bench's unique terroir.

Many great wines are made on the bench and it's a lovely place to tour with fantastic views of Okanagan Lake. Most of the wines below will become available in the winery tasting rooms the first week of May when wineries begin to expand their operating hours for visitors. Although I ran out of time at the tasting before sampling all of the wines, here are a few highlights to source during your visit to the bench or from the growing number of wine shops carrying Naramata wines:

Best of BC: Pinot Blanc/Gris

Pinot Blanc could be the signature white varietal of BC if it was better known. Sadly, plantings have been reduced over the past 5 years with many producers focusing more attention on its mutant, genetic cousin, Pinot Gris.

$20 and below:

Fort Berens Estate Winery 2010 Pinot Gris - $18
Despite the winery's Lillooet address this wine is all Okanagan. Produced from West Kelowna grown fruit and fermented in stainless steel tanks, this Pinot Gris is fruit forward and terroir driven with excellent austere characters to balance the orchard fruit and lemon zest notes. Where to buy: Direct from winery.
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Stoneboat Vineyards 2010 Pinot Gris - $18
Wisely, winemaker Jay Martinuik has kept the alcohol level down (12.9%) leaving a touch of residual sugar to balance the abundant acid typical of the 2010 vintage. Where to buy: Direct from winery.
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Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2012 Pinot Gris - $19
Lush and juicy on the nose with ripe pear, apple and tangerine aromas and a hint of tropical fruit notes in the background. Light mineral and green apple notes also help contrast the rich fruit making for a refreshing and compelling Summer sipper.
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Cassini Cellars 2011 Mamma Mia Pinot Gris - $19
A fun, off-dry Pinot Gris with loads of apricot, apple and passionfruit flavours which is hard to miss on the shelves with its bold "Mamma Mia" branding and will pair nicely with your late summer BBQ fair or an early fall, spicy-Thai dinner.
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Young and Wyse Collection 2011 Pinot Gris - $20
Cool, crisp and masculine with lively stonefruit, lemon/lime, pink grapefruit and peach skin characters and a nice mineral backbone highlighted by a steely finish and a touch of lingering spice.
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Upper Bench Estate Winery 2011 Pinot Gris - $20
A taut, tart, tasty Pinot Gris produced in the Grigio style with no oak contact, no residual sugar and loads of fresh acidity. Definitely a Pinot Gris that offers a nice contrast to the oaked, full-bodied and nearly off-dry versions that have been popular in BC for years.
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Burrowing Owl Estate Winery 2010 Pinot Gris - $20
Intense on the sublime nose with rich orchard fruit, cantaloupe and floral aromas followed by a slightly off-dry palate bursting with lemon, grapefruit, pear, hay and honey flavours. Where to buy: Direct from winery.
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$30 and below:

Haywire Winery 2011 Switchback Vineyard Pinot Gris - $23
A complete and compelling texture and mouth feel - especially during a cool, acidic year like 2011. Add to the mix the classic BC Pinot Gris citrus, white peach and mineral flavours with the acid and lees character of a still Champagne and you have yourself a tasty treat.
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JoieFarm 2011 Pinot Blanc - $23
Sourced from established Kelowna and Naramata Bench vineyards, the fruit for this Pinot Blanc received a Chardonnay-like treatment of barrel fermentation resulting in a wine of equal complexity and intrigue.
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Mollydooker Delights

Mollydooker winemaker and co-proprietor, Sparky Marquis, visited Vancouver in March for a whirlwind tour of wine shops and choreographed press tastings, keeping alive the fine Australian tradition of a personal approach to selling their wines. That's not to say that the Aussies have cornered the market on communicating the story behind the bottle for consumers but they do it well and in a honest way: a well rehearsed-honesty to be sure, but honest just the same.

Sparky's charm is rooted in his storytelling ability, a common trait among the many Australian winemakers I've had the pleasure of meeting. The stories behind the Mollydooker wines are endless but tend to begin and end around the central theme - an Aussie term for a Left-Handed person - alternately used as a verb and adjective.

The winery aims to "wow" with big wines that, on occasion, announce as a scream their varietal character. There are three main tiers of 'Dookers with the entry-level wines being the "loudest" and the cellar-worthy, top-end wines having the most to say.