Haywire and Okanagan Crushpad
Part 3 of a series on the Okanagan Valley, a
remarkable wine region in British Columbia, Canada
In my time in the Valley, I made a couple of
visits to
the super-cool Okanagan Crush Pad winery in Summerland. This is
owned by Christine Coletta and Steve Lornie, and David Scholefield,
who was driving me around, has a role here, too. It’s home to
Haywire, which is their wine brand, and also the wines of several
clients, who get to use the superb winemaking facilities here, as
well as the expertise of winemakers Michael Bartier and Matt Dumayne,
and the marketing skills of Christine. The winery, built by Steve,
is just a few years old (2011) and is really well kitted out,
including some stylish concrete fermenters and Nomblot-style eggs
made by Sonoma Cast Stone.
Alberto Antonini consults here, as does terroir expert Pedro Parra.
The home vineyard is the 10 acre Switchback Vineyard
(above), which is planted to a single clone of Pinot
Gris. Pedro Parra did an electro conductivity survey of the
vineyard, producing a map, and on the
basis of this decided to dig 32 different
pits to look more closely at the subsoil. He then split the vineyard
into five more-or-less homogeneous blocks, which are harvested
separately and kept separate in the winery. On the basis of the soil
properties Parra was able to predict what each of the wines would be
like, and even the final blends, before the wine was made.
We also visited a new vineyard site, Garnet Valley Ranch
(above). It’s a pristine 312 acre ranch at altitude,
and previously the only agricultural activity here was a small patch
of alfalfa. They have already planted the first 10 acres, to Pinot
Noir. The vineyard will be run biodynamically, and as well as vines
there will be cows and other crops such as hops (five varieties have
been planted as a trial).
The next plantings will be two clones of Chardonnay and some
Riesling. It will top out at around 40 acres when everything is
completed. Pedro Parra was involved from the start, and when they
were considering this property he was very excited by what was under
the ground. As with the rest of the Okanagan, there’s insufficient
rainfall here for vines to be grown without irrigation (around 250
mm rain per year), but if you irrigate the right way the roots do go
deep enough to interrogate the subsoil.
Pedro’s Parra’s stance is that if a wine is going to show where it
comes from, it has to be from the subsoil. The top soils have lots
of commonality. Where the real fingerprint comes from is down deep.
‘In the Okanagan Valley we have a suite of soils that are unique,’
says Michael Bartier. ‘Okanagan subsoils are young: they aren’t
eroded from parent rock, but they were revealed in the last ice age,
moving from northern BC by glaciation. 10 000 years ago this was
under a kilometre of ice, and it has left us with silt benches.
There’s a high degree of mineralization in glacial till, with lots
of potassium. It makes for challenges with pH.’
THE WINES
Haywire Baby Bub NV Okanagan Valley, Canada
Bright pink in colour, this is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot
with a Syrah dosage. ?It’s lively, fresh
and vivid with a hint of cherry and some spice and citrus, as well
as appley notes. 88/100
Haywire Bub 2011 Okanagan Valley, Canada
Traditional method Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Fresh citrus and
toast notes with some spice. Good purity allied with richness.
90/100
Haywire Sauvignon Blanc 2013 Okanagan valley, Canada
This is a wild ferment from a contracted vineyard that in time
will be a vineyard designate. Winemaker Mike Bartier says that it
has a character he picks up as celery salt, that he thinks is part
of the terroir. It’s quite mineral on the nose with lovely
precision: smoky, mineral and herby. The palate has a mineral edge
with textured pear and citrus fruit. Textured and detailed. 91/100
Haywire Canyonview Chardonnay 2012 Okanagan valley, Canada
Herbal, slightly plastic edge to the nose, with citrus fruits to
the fore. The palate is textured and slightly herbal with some
richness and notes of grapefruit pith. Taut and textural. 89/100
Haywire Canyonview Chardonnay 2013 Okanagan valley, Canada
(sample from concrete)
Very lively, spicy nose, with lovely texture and some spicy,
mineral notes. Rich with a hint of sweetness. 90–92/100
Haywire Switchback Vineyard Pinot Gris 2011 Okanagan valley,
Canada
Mineral, smoky, spicy nose leads to a palate of grapefruit,
lemons and herbs, with some tangerine, too. Very attractive fresh
style that’s beginning to open up. A bit pithy. 89/100
Haywire Switchback Vineyard Pinot Gris 2012 Okanagan valley,
Canada
Mineral, herby, citrus nose. Textured palate is precise and
nicely complex with some grapes and fresh apple notes. 91/100
Haywire Switchback Vineyard Pinot Gris 2013 Okanagan valley,
Canada (sample from concrete)
Textured and fresh with some grapey richness and savoury smoky
notes, as well as some spiciness. Lovely balance between the
freshness and richness. 91–93/100
Haywire Switchback Vineyard ‘Wild Ferment’ Pinot Gris 2012
Okanagan valley, Canada
So lovely: open and textured but still fresh, with mineral,
smoky complexity and hints of grape, truffle and tangerine. Nice
mouthfeel and texture, but it doesn’t sacrifice any freshness. This
wine has an extra layer to it. 93/100
Haywire Canyonview Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011 Okanagan valley,
Canada
Sweet, pretty and juicy with a bright cherry nose and hints of
sour cherry. Bright palate is vibrant and berryish showing herbs,
spice and some warmth. Juicy sweet and sour character. 90/100
Haywire Canyonview Vineyard Pinot Noir 2012 Okanagan valley,
Canada (sample from concrete)
Supple, fresh and elegant with light berry fruit. Fine herbs and
a touch of spice. Well balanced cherry and berry fruits with a
savoury edge. 90–92/100
Haywire Canyonview Vineyard Pinot Noir 2013 Okanagan valley,
Canada (sample from concrete)
Sweet liqueur-like cherry fruit with a hint of wildness, and
some plum, spice and meat characters. Savoury with a hint of
gaminess, and a bit of aromatic lift. 88–90/100
SEE: a more recent review of
Haywire/Okanagan Crushpad
OKANAGAN VALLEY
 Introduction
Mission
Hill
Haywire
Tantalus
TH Wines
Cedar
Creek
Blue
Mountain
Synchromesh
Painted
Rock
50th
Parallel
Okanagan
Crush Pad
Culmina
See
also:
Visiting
Ontario's wine regions, Canada (series)
Wines
tasted 06/14
Find these wines with wine-searcher.com
Back
to top
|
