Summer is less than a month away and if you are looking for some summer wines to have on repeat these two will fit the bill nicely.
Fort Berens Estate Winery recently released their Alluvium Series wines. Fort Berens is located in Lillooet, BC and their vineyards are positioned on unique benches formed by alluvial fans which consist of silt, sand and gravel, shaped over thousands of years. This unique terroir helps to produce some truly delicious wines.
Alluvium White 2022 $19.99
This white blend is said to be predominantly Riesling and Pinot Gris. The juice was pressed off the grapes, settled and then cold fermented in stainless steel tanks prior to blending. The wine was further aged on lees for five months before bottling.
Aromas of crushed gravel, yellow grapefruit pith, honeysuckle, apricots and peaches. This a dry, medium bodied wine with medium+ acidity. The palate offers peach, honey, kiwi, pineapple, grapefruit pith and minerality with a medium finish.
I paired this wine with fish cakes and caper mayonnaise, but it would also work well with salty snacks on a hot summer’s day.
Alluvium Red 2022 $24.99
The Alluvium Red is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. These three grape varieties were blended after fermentation, followed by malolactic fermentation in French oak barrels.
Aromas of dried cherries, dried strawberries, black plums, liquorice and sweet spice. This is a dry wine, medium+ in body with medium+ acidity and medium+, grippy tannins. The fruity palate balances the acidity and tannins, offering notes of sweet, black cherries, ripe strawberries, mocha, black plums, blackberries, thyme, liquorice and sweet spice with a medium+ finish.
I enjoyed this wine on its own (it was even better several days after the bottle was opened) but it would pair well with grilled meats and pizza.