I have mentioned before that one of the things I love most about Whispering Horse Winery is that they are not trying to be the Okanagan or Napa Valley. Whispering Horse is located in Yarrow, BC and they are focussed on showcasing the uniqueness of Fraser Valley terroir using 100% estate grown grapes. Proprietors Melissa Giesbrecht and Laurent Fadanni conducted a lot research and trials before deciding which varietals they would plant in their vineyard. Ultimately, they picked varietals that grow well in the Fraser Valley with minimal intervention. One of the grape varietals they chose is L’Acadie Blanc, which was created in Niagara, Ontario and is a hybrid of Cascade and Seyve-Villard.[1]
Whispering Horse 2019 L’Acadie $22.99
The 2019 L’Acadie has aromas of stones, gooseberries, yellow grapefruit pith and hints of something herbaceous, like green pepper. This is a dry, medium bodied wine with bright and refreshing, high acidity. The palate offers lemon, yellow grapefruit pith, grassy notes and minerality with a lingering finish.
This wine begs for fresh seafood, but I could not help using it as an excuse to collaborate with Amanda from Scapegoat Grazing, whom I met through a wine tasting at Whispering Horse. As a business, Scapegoat Grazing emerged from a love of fresh, local, BC food and a desire to share it through beautiful charcuterie arrangements.
I asked Amanda to create a charcuterie box for me that would pair with the 2019 L’Acadie. She chose a mild cow and goat cheese from The Farm House Natural Cheeses. Both paired well with L’Acadie, the goat cheese in particular, bringing out the herbaceous quality in the wine. The box also included two different salamis, mustard from SaltSpring Kitchen Co., savory crackers, olives, fruit, and white chocolate with rose petals and grapefruit from chocolaTas.
I highly recommend checking out Scapegoat Grazing for any of your charcuterie needs, whether it’s for two people or for the whole neighbourhood, they’ve got you covered.
[1] Quinn, L. (May 4, 2020). Savvy Sauvignon Blanc Substitutes. Retrieved from: https://winefolly.com/tips/savvy-sauvignon-blanc-substitutes/