If, like me, you are unable to visit the Okanagan this year, there are some wineries that are offering virtual tastings that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home.
Little Engine offers two virtual tastings: a Silver Level Tasting and a Gold Level Tasting. I recently experienced the Gold Tasting and enjoyed trying the wines virtually with Scott Robinson, who has a masters in Oenology and is Little Engine’s talented Winemaker.
If you have several wine loving friends, invite them over to enjoy a full-sized bottle version of the virtual tasting and whip-up one of the food pairings from Little Engine’s new publication The Grape and the Gourmet. Each recipe is expertly paired with a Little Engine wine by chefs from across Canada.
2018 Gold Chardonnay $57.00
These grapes were estate grown at 3-3.5 tons per acre and hand harvested. This wine is 100% barrel fermented in French oak with a variety of yeasts to enhance complexity. The wine then spent 16 months in both barrels and puncheons (48% new oak). While in barrel, lees stirring enhanced the wine’s weight and partial malolactic fermentation provided buttery notes.
The 2018 Chardonnay has a fairly pronounced nose of buttered arrowroot biscuits, dried apricot, lemon, melon, pineapple and clove. This is a creamy, full bodied Chardonnay with high acidity. The palate is indeed ripe and intense, offering notes of butter, butterscotch, lemon, peach, pineapple and clove with a lingering finish.
Suggested pairing: Ricotta Gnocchi and Arctic Char
2018 Gold Pinot Noir $67.00
These grapes were estate grown at 2-2.5 tons per acre and hand harvested. The 2018 Gold Pinot Noir consists of Dijon clone 667, 777 and 115 as well as a Mount Eden Clone. The grapes were destemmed followed by a 7 day cold soak prior to fermentation. The grapes then underwent natural fermentation with hand plunging; total maceration of approximately three weeks. Spontaneous malolactic fermentation occurred and the wine spent 15 months in barriques and puncheons (73% new French oak). Bottled unfined and unfiltered.
The 2018 Pinot Noir has aromas of pine forest, strawberry, Italian prune plums, cherry, blackberry, bramble, star anise and clove. This wine is medium+ in body with medium+ acidity and medium tannins. The palate offers strawberry, ripe cherry, black plums and clove with a long finish.
Suggested pairing: Beef Wellington
2018 Gold Merlot $62.00
These grapes were estate grown at 3-3.5 tons per acre and hand harvested in late October. The 2018 Gold Merlot consists of clone 181 and 343. The grapes were destemmed and underwent a seven day cold soak with hand plunging to keep the cap moist. The grapes then underwent both natural fermentation and inoculation in order to achieve specific fruit characteristics. The total maceration was approximately 3 weeks. This Merlot underwent spontaneous malolactic fermentation and matured in puncheons and barrels for 16 months (56% new oak).
2018 Merlot has aromas of ripe, almost stewed fruit. Black cherries, blackberries, blueberry, violet and clove. This wine is full bodied with high acidity and medium+ tannins. The palate is rich and concentrated, offering black cherries, blackcurrant, baked, wild blueberries, clove and savory, dried herbs with a lingering finish.
Suggested pairing: Savoury Bread Pudding with Duck Breast
If you are lucky enough to visit the Naramata Bench this year, be sure to book a tasting experience at Little Engine Wines. They have recently added onto the winery a gravity designed crushpad as well as a brand new cellar. They have also built a fantastic lakeside patio – the perfect place to enjoy their beautiful wines and the stunning views!