Pinot Gris 2010
Released on: February 15, 2011
Colour: Deep golden straw.
Bouquet: Flinty, lemon marmalade, grapefruit with hints of
cotton candy.
Palate: Medium bodied, citrusy and crisp with hints of
spice, butter and vanilla.
Food Pairings: Prosciutto and melon, ahi poke, crab
risotto, fried chicken, beef satay with peanut sauce and aged cheddar.
2850
Cases Produced
0
Cases Remaining Online
Harvest Notes
The 2010 vintage will be known for a wet spring, an average summer and a good fall. Ripening was affected by a slow start to the growing season followed by a summer that did not bring the hot dry heat of the Okanagan Valley. The summer temperature was down by 10-15% of the average heat units. Many vineyard managers had the dilemma to drop fruit in late August. This would result in a lighter load for the vines to ripen. The alternative was to have faith in Mother Nature and hope for a warm dry fall.
We decided that our contract growers and Blasted Church Vineyards would not drop any fruit and that we would wait patiently. The Pinot Gris from our contract growers and BCV were two weeks late compared to previous vintages. The warm dry weather between September and early October allowed for the Pinot Gris to ripen slowly and develop the flavors we were seeking.
Winemaking
Each parcel of Pinot Gris was processed and fermented separately. 25% of the blend was whole cluster pressed. Whole cluster pressing allows for gentler, cleaner extraction of juice. The other lots of fruit were hand sorted on our incline sorter before being de-stemmed and pressed. The juice is then chilled, racked and warmed in preparation for fermentation. The juice underwent a cool fermentation (12-16C degrees) until it reached the desired sugar levels. The wine was then cold and protein stabilized before being blended. The previous two vintages of Pinot Gris contained 5-6% of barrel fermented Viognier. The 2010 edition has 8.5% of Viognier added for complexity and fun.
Gold - All Canadian Wine Championships 2005
Silver - All Canadian Wine Championships 2011
Silver - OWFS Fall 2006
Silver - All Canadian Wine Championships 2004
Silver - OWFS Fall 2004
Judge's Choice - International Value Wine Awards 2008
Highly Recommended - OWFS Spring 2006
Bronze - Canadian Wine Awards 2010
Bronze - OWFS Fall 2010
Bronze - OWFS Fall 2009
Bronze - OWFS Fall 2008
Bronze - Canadian Wine Awards 2006
Bronze - Canadian Wine Awards 2005
Bronze - OWFS Fall 2005
Bronze - Canadian Wine Awards 2004
Bronze - OWFS Spring 2003
Bronze - Canadian Wine Awards 2003
Bronze - LA County Fair 2003
