In March I had the opportunity to attend a virtual wine tasting with Poplar Grove Winery. The tasting was led by Chris Holler (son of Poplar Grove proprietor, Tony Holler) and winemaker, Stefan Arnason, who has been with the winery since 2008. I had the pleasure of tasting through several new spring releases and learning more about this family run, estate winery.
Tony Holler and his wife, Barbara, purchased majority holdings in Poplar Grove in 2007. They wanted to establish a winery that was a sustainable business so that it could be passed down from generation to generation. Creating a sustainable business meant increasing production while continuing to produce quality wines. In order to produce quality wines, the Holler’s wanted to start with quality fruit, so they purchased nearly 100 acres of land, half in Naramata and half on the Osoyoos East Bench. This initial investment has enabled Poplar Grove to make wine using 100% estate grown fruit.
Since 2007, Poplar Grove has truly become a family affair. All four of Barbara and Tony’s sons (Andrew, Chris, Eric and Matt) are now involved with the winery. The Holler family sees themselves as caretakers of the land for the next generation. They are an intergenerational winery, committed to making quality wines. They are not afraid to make investments in the winery that will translate into an increase in wine quality for the future.
It was exciting to hear about the Holler family’s commitment to their winery. Tasting the calibre of their wines today, it is compelling to imagine where the family will take their wines in the decades to come.
Last weekend I paired two of my favorite wines from the Poplar Grove spring release with some delicious takeout from Annora Restaurant located in Langley, BC. We ordered a pear and blue cheese salad with a balsamic dressing and roasted pepitas; pork belly gnocchi with pesto cream, tomato and parmesan; and crab cakes with spicy aioli and cucumber salsa. I look forward to when Annora can open their dining room once again, but until then, they do have a small amount of seating on their patio and takeout is always an option.
2020 Pinot Gris $19.99
Year-after-year, this is one of my favourite Pinot Gris. It is such a versatile wine and it went particularly well with the crab cakes from Annora Restaurant.
At Poplar Grove the Pinot Gris is allowed to hang on the vines until early fall to assist in developing aromatics. As Pinot Gris can be susceptible to botrytis, this long hang-time can make some winemakers nervous.
This wine is made from 100% Pinot Gris. The grapes were pressed after three hours of skin contact to extract additional aromatics and fermented cold to preserve the fruit flavours. The must was inoculated with three different yeasts, with the intention of developing complexity and mouth-feel in the wine.
The 2020 Poplar Grove Pinot Gris has a fairly pronounced nose of pear, canned peaches, pineapple, grapefruit pith and blossoms. This is a dry, medium bodied wine with medium+ acidity. The palate offers pear, ginger, nectarine and pineapple with mango on the lingering finish. This wine is meant to be enjoyed now, or carefully cellared for up to three years.
2020 Rosé $21.64
Poplar Grove has made a Rosé every year since 2010. It is a collaborative wine, meaning that for each vintage, the final blend is voted on by staff.
The 2020 Poplar Grove Rosé is a blend of Merlot, Malbec, and Syrah. The grapes were handpicked and sorted in the vineyard. The must was left on the skins for four hours, then cold settled and fermented at 15 °C to preserve the bright fruit flavors. A small amount of Pinot Gris and Muscat were added to the final blend.
This Rosé has aromas of strawberries, melon, sweet lemon curd and crushed gravel. This is a dry, medium bodied Rosé with medium+ acidity. The palate offers strawberries, melon, grapefruit and minerality with a medium, savory, saline finish. This Rosé is intended to be enjoyed now and into 2022.
Poplar Grove is currently open for wine sales from 12pm – 5pm daily and they are open for tastings with a reservation.
Poplar Grove 425 Middle Bench Rd N, Penticton, BC V2A 8S5