Quails’ Gate releases a killer rosé and four good summer white wines
By John Schreiner
July 10, 2007
Last fall, Quails’ Gate winemaker Grant Stanley found himself confronted with several tons of Gamay Noir grapes from a new vineyard that Quails’ Gate had taken control over.
The winery’s flagship red variety is Pinot Noir. Stanley makes both an accessible “limited release” Pinot Noir and reserve level one (the 2005 Family Reserve Quails’ Gate Pinot Noir, currently on the market, is one of the Okanagan’s very best). There was no point, Stanley decided, in making another red wine from a variety somewhat similar to Pinot Noir.
Digging into his knowledge from his previous experience making rosé in New Zealand, he turned the Gamay into Quails’ Gate’s first rosé. The winery has released 2,500 cases of one of the most delicious pink wines ever made in the Okanagan. It sells for $14.99 and is widely available.
If you have not yet climbed on the bandwagon that is developing for rosé, this is the place to start. The style, Stanley explains, is to make a rosé that “smells sweet but tastes dry.” In fact, the wine smells like a bowl full of cherries and strawberries with a touch of spice. and has a lovely mouth-filling texture. With a beautiful jewel-like colour, it looks as great as it tastes. I rate this awesome wine 90 points.
The four white wines released for summer by Quails’ Gate are also very tasty, starting with the Chasselas Pinot Blanc 2006 ($15.99), a blend of 65% Chasselas and 35% Pinot Blanc. About 3,600 cases have been released.
Chasselas is the predominant white variety in Switzerland. Quails’ Gate has grown the variety for more than 40 years because a nursery shipped Chasselas in error. It was a very lucky mistake because the white that had been ordered was a labrusca cross and would never have made good wine.
A 100% Chasselas wine tends to be light and a little neutral. The Pinot Blanc in this blend provides backbone and texture as well as flavour. This is a vibrant white, tasting of lime, pink grapefruit and apples. The fruit flavours are so abundant that it seems sweet on the palate – but it is a dry white that finishes with a refreshing crispness. 88
Another fine white is the winery’s Chenin Blanc 2006 ($18.99), of which 3,300 cases have been released. This wine has 14% Sauvignon Blanc in the blend, no doubt adding to the zesty freshness of the aromas and flavours.
The wine jumps from the glass with aromas of honey, honeydew melon and citrus. The palate is exuberant, with flavours of green apples, melons, lime and minerals. The wine’s racy acidity gives it a crisp, zesty and lingering finish. 89
The winery’s Gewürztraminer 2006 ($16.99), of which 5,800 cases were released, is not the typical spice jar wine but rather is brimming with tropical fruit flavours. There is a touch of spice, to be sure, but the dominant aromas and flavours are papaya, peach and mango. The texture is nice and juicy and the finish is quite long. There is a touch of sweetness. 89
In contrast, the Dry Riesling 2006 ($16.99, with a production of 3,600 cases) is so dry as to be almost austere. The wine happens to have seven grams of residual sugar but all that does is balance the racy acidity. The aromas recall citrus and honeysuckle, followed by flavours of lemon and minerals. This is the white to set aside for a year while enjoying the other releases. There is a good deal of complexity here that age will bring out. 87.
Overall, this is an impressive line-up of wines and they are all fairly priced.
goodgrog@shaw.ca
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