2023 Pinot Gris

Tasting Notes

Boasting notes of tropical fruits, the palate is laced with pineapple, kiwi, and citrus zest with hints of green apple. It is bright and crisp, yet it has a soft palate with roundness and body from the lees contact and time in seasoned puncheons. Finishing with a touch of creaminess and Caribbean based spice notes, this bone-dry Pinot Gris is the perfect companion for the summer months.

Vineyard Notes

The 2023 vintage was defined by the extremes. An extremely cold winter led to bud damage and reduced yields, while the summer was threatened by wildfires in the north and south. While temperatures exceeded 40°C on several occasions in the South Okanagan, the summer felt cooler than previous years. Temperatures between 33°C and 38°C are optimal growing conditions for our Bordeaux blends and aromatic whites. Due to fewer clusters and full canopies, this led to an earlier start for harvest beginning on September 18^th with our Rosé pick. Even though tonnages were lower than previous vintages, overall, the fruit quality across the board was excellent. The flavour profile and the phenolic development shone through resulting in electric flavourful fruit for the white varieties and concentrated, structured reds.

21-year-old vines in Kaleden, BC produced this year’s Pinot Gris, a single vineyard blend from Belich Vineyard. The Pinot Gris was the last fruit to come in on October 1^st. Whole bunch pressed, followed by a long, cool 10-week fermentation in stainless steel, before 17% was transferred to seasoned puncheons to finish fermentation. The wine then spent 5 months resting on its fine lees before being blended and bottled. It is a wine that is very grounded and approachable.