Red, White and Ros pretty much covers the selections for this week's article. Summer is just around the corner and BBQ season is not far behind. Each one of these wines has its own distinct characteristics and provides something a little different depending on your taste. The red Sledgehammer is a Zinfandel with a bit of a punch. The white wine is from the famed Loire region in France. And some great news! This French wine lists the grape varietal (Pinot Gris) on the label. Completing this week's selection is a gentle Ros from our beautiful Okanagan Valley. Enjoy!
SLEDGEHAMMER
ZINFANDEL (181313)
CALIFORNIA
$17.99
Sledgehammer's winemakers put a lot of humour behind the production of their wines. They want you to know that Sledgehammer wines are made to enjoy, not analyze. If you visit their website, the first words "No Sipping - No Swirling" are the first words you will read. This wine is definitely geared to male wine consumers. They are comparing grapes being crushed to crushing an opponent at the Poker table. The other view is there are certain things a man needs to know and knowing wines is one of them. They like to compare the intense ripeness and flavours to a manly sledgehammer hitting your taste buds. It is very bold and a medium to full bodied Zinfandel. The grapes were sourced from the Red Hills appellation, which is rich in volcanic soils perfect for growing the Zinfandel varietal. Not to mention the warm sunny days and cooler nights. By the time the fruits are being picked they have been able to ripen creating a very full bodied rich red. This red is not just for men though, I enjoyed it.. Ripe cherries and blackberry aromas are what come to mind while flavours of dark dried juicy fruits and hints of vanilla and pepper on the finish.
DOMAINE POIRON-DABIN
VAL DE LOIRE PINOT GRIS SDUCTION (189571)
FRANCE
$19.99
Who wouldn't want to try a white wine from France's famous Loire Valley? I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the wine for sure. The Chateau-Thbaud is where it all takes place on their 67 hectares of vineyards they call their own. Chateau-Thbaud is located on the banks of the Loire River about 15 kilometres from the city of Nantes. In the early days shortly after Jean Poiron married Threse Dabin, the winery was quite small with limited production. Today, the Chateau is still family owned and operated by the children and they take just as much pride in the vineyards as their parents did so many years ago. Of course, they have access to better technology than when their parents began in 1962. While the technology may have advanced, quality comes first. This white is 100 per cent Pinot Gris and the perfect time to try it now as the vintage is 2010. When I sipped this wine, I pictured myself sitting on a blanket enjoying a picnic in the warm sunshine or just relaxing reading a book. Either way this Pinot Gris does have an excess of residual sugars, don't let that scare you though. The balance of ripe peaches and citrus fruits rush your palate, the silkiness on the finish is very pleasing. Try pairing this with smoked honey ham sandwiches or even a creamy fruity desert.
QUAILS' GATE
ROS (170316)
BC
$14.99
Quails' Gate winery is located on Boucherie road in West Kelowna. Onsite at the winery is the oldest home in west Kelowna known as Allison house after Susan Allison, author and historian, who lived there in 1873. If you are at the winery at the end of May beginning of June you can experience the amazing smells coming from the blossoms of the Acacia trees that surround the old homestead. Today, it is used as a gift shop for many interesting things. The Stewart family Ben, Cynthia, and Andrea are responsible for the wine that is produced at Quails Gate with the guidance of their parents the founders of the Estate. The Quails' Gate winery is well worth visiting. It is committed 100% to sustainability by using eco-glass bottles, using organic fertilizers as well as partnering with the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Quails' Gate Ros is dry with fruit flavours front and center. The blend for this Ros is 85 epr cent Gamay Noir, 10 per cent Pinot Noir and 5 per cent Pinot Gris. Very summery but you can enjoy this Ros almost any season really. It does remind me of summer with the first sip for sure, ripe rich raspberry and strawberries burst your palate and linger on to the crisp finish. You decide what to try it with as it pairs well or on its own.
Kim Cabral is a product consultant at the B.C. Signature Liquor Store, Pine Centre. The bracketed numbers are the product codes for the B.C. liquor stores.
