Hillside was the very first winery on the Naramata Bench. In 1989 they banded together with Lang Vineyards and Wild Goose Vineyards to lobby the Provincial Government for the Farmgate Winery Policy, which helped to transform the BC wine industry. Stay tuned for more on the history of Hillside Winery as well as reviews on some of their red wines, coming this fall. For now, here’s a look at a couple of their fantastic whites and a great recipe from their new Executive Chef, Evan Robertson.
2020 Hillside Unoaked Pinot Gris $23.00
The grapes for this wine were sourced from vineyards along the Naramata Bench. Some blocks of fruit were allowed 2-8 hours of skin contact, which added flavour and body to the wine, as well as colour. Fermentation was slow and cool, preserving the fresh fruit aromas.
This Pinot Gris is pale salmon in colour with a fairly pronounced nose of peach, pear, ginger, grapefruit and honeydew melon. It is dry, medium bodied and has high acidity. The crisp palate offers peach, pear, ginger and grapefruit with a medium finish.
This is my second time reviewing a vintage of this wine and it is easily amongst my top three Pinot Gris from British Columbia. It pairs very well with Chef Evan Robertson’s recipe for Peach Honey Glazed Chicken (recipe below).
2020 Hillside Gewürztraminer (Available for $18.00 at select BC Liquor Stores)
The grapes for this wine were sourced from four vineyards in Naramata; the vineyards ranging in age from 10 to 45 years. Overnight skin contact was used to achieve aromatics, flavour and complexity. Fermentation took place in stainless steel.
The 2020 Hillside Gewürztraminer has aromas of rose, poached peaches, lychee, melon and pear. This wine is off-dry, medium- in body and high in acidity. The palate offers flavours of peach, pear, pink grapefruit, rose and ginger with a medium+ finish.
This Gewürztraminer is delicious on its own, but it would also make a great accompaniment for turkey dinner at Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Peach Honey Glazed Chicken
By Chef Evan Robertson
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
3 Tbsp butter (unsalted)
3 ribs of celery
2 fresh peaches, halved, pitted and pureed
2 fluid ounces of honey
4 fluid ounces of butter
Directions:
- Preheat oven (or barbeque) to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare chicken for roasting: rinse, clean and pat dry.
- Season generously inside and out with salt and pepper.
- Place 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter in the chicken cavity.
- Cut the celery into 3 or 4 pieces and place in the chicken cavity.
- Secure legs. Twist wing tips under the back. Place chicken, breast side up, in roasting pan.
- Bake covered with foil for 45 minutes in the preheated oven (or barbeque).
- In a small sauce pan, melt butter.
- Whisk in peach puree and honey, remove from heat.
- Remove the foil from the chicken and for the last ½ hour of cooking time, baste chicken with glaze every 5 minutes. Repeat basting until the chicken is a shiny, golden brown and the internal thermometer reads 180 degrees Fahrenheit. (Cooking times may vary. I had to roast the chicken for about a half hour longer to achieve the desired temperature. I increased the oven temperature at the end to brown and crisp the skin.)
- Allow chicken to rest somewhere warm for 10-15 minutes before serving.