Chris and Beata Tolley, the owners of Twisted Tree – a boutique winery on the eastern edge of Osoyoos – planted varieties seldom seen in the Okanagan when they developed their vineyard several years ago. They reasoned that, since they could buy mainstream varieties like Chardonnay, they would focus their six acres on other varieties. It sounds like a good strategy for making wines that create a buzz.

Judging from this white, the first release from their own vineyard, the strategy is going to work. This is an intriguing and sophisticated wine. The Tolleys fermented each variety on its own and then assembled the blend. Only 20% of the wine has been fermented in barrel, just enough to polish the texture without hiding all those luscious honeyed apricot and peach aromas and flavours. The wine is full on the palate, with some minerals in its backbone. Yet it has a crisp, dry and refreshing finish.

This is an excellent example of what can be done in the Okanagan with well-grown Rhone varietals and impeccable winemaking. 90