The Okanagan Crush Pad is another winery celebrating ten years. Christine Coletta and her husband, Steve Lornie, opened the Crush Pad in Summerland in 2011. Their holdings now include 380 acres, 100 acres of which are planted to organic vineyards.
The Okanagan Crush Pad produces four labels: Haywire, Narrative, Free Form and Bizou + Yukon, so there is something for everyone. In addition to their own labels they also offer a custom crush business model, hence don’t be surprised when you learn that one of your favourite BC wines was crafted there by winemaker Matt Dumayne. The Okanagan Crush Pad has been recognized for their innovative winemaking, sustainable initiatives, trials with yeast and concrete, as well as their transition to organic and regenerative farming.
During construction of the Okanagan Crush Pad, Christine Coletta encouraged the team to include a mural on the exterior of the new building. Scott Sueme, a Vancouver abstract painter from Vancouver, was commissioned for the mural, which was inspired by a pattern used to camouflage war ships in the early 1900’s.
To commemorate their 10th anniversary, the Okanagan Crush Pad has commissioned Scott to update his original mural and add a new section on a wall opposite the vineyard. From August 24th-29th visitors to the winery can watch artist, Scott Sueme in action. Visitors can reserve a table on the patio and enjoy some wine or a signature cocktail as Scott does what he does best. If you will be in the area, you can book your wine tasting experience here.
Over the weekend I paired a trio of wines from the Okanagan Crush Pad with one of my favourite pasta dishes this summer, spaghetti puttanesca. Puttanesca is a sauce made from tomatoes, anchovies, garlic, capers and olives. It is easy to make and very tasty. Pictured here is the recipe from Food & Wine Magazine, which can be found here. Although none of the wines went poorly with this dish, for me, the 2018 Haywire Garnet Valley Ranch Pinot Noir was the best wine pairing.
2018 Haywire Garnet Valley Ranch Pinot Noir $39.90
Garnet Valley Ranch was purchased in 2012 and consists of 320 acres located in Summerland. Vineyard blocks were planted beginning in 2014 and are between 600 and 680 meters above sea level.
“Grapes were destemmed with our revolutionary Oscillys and placed in concrete and open top stainless tanks for native yeast fermentation. Gentle punchdowns twice daily allow the soft sensual tannins to evolve delicately. After four weeks on skins the wine is basket pressed and gravity induced to concrete tanks for aging on lees for 10 months before being bottled unfiltered.” (Okanagan Crush Pad)
After six hours in the decanter the 2018 Haywire Pinot Noir opens with aromas of warm clay, white pepper, cherry, plum, dill and some hints of sweet spice. This is a dry, medium bodied wine with high acidity and medium tannins. The palate also offers notes of warm clay, cherry, cranberry and white pepper with a saline, mouthwatering finish that lingers.
This is definitely a food wine and it went best with the pasta puttanesca, which accentuated and sweetened the fruity elements in the wine.
2019 Free Form Cabernet Franc $44.90
The grapes for this wine were sourced from the Sekhon Vineyard located in Osoyoos, which has been a certified organic vineyard since 2012.
“Cabernet Franc from Sekhon’s Organic Vineyard was destemmed to open top stainless steel fermenters and then aged in concrete, the wine was spontaneously fermented with native yeasts and malolactic. After 11 months the wine was settled naturally and bottle mid-August 2020.” (Okanagan Crush Pad)
The 2019 Cabernet Franc has aromas of cranberry, cherry, black plum, blackberry, dried herbs, white pepper and a hint of black liquroice. This is a dry medium bodied wine with medium+ acidity and medium- tannins. The palate is bright, offering notes of cranberry, cherry, plum, white pepper and dried herbs with a medium finish.
2018 Narrative Malbec $34.90
“This Malbec was sourced from the Cabana Vineyard on the Osoyoos lakefront. Fermented in Nico Velo concrete tanks and aged on its lees in concrete for 10 months has led to this minimal intervened wine.”(Okanagan Crush Pad)
Of the trio, pairing aside, this was my favorite wine. The 2018 Narrative Malbec has aromas of ripe concord grapes, black pepper, warm, ripe blackberries, baked blueberries and hints of sweet spice. This is a dry, red wine that is medium+ in body with moderate acidity and tannins. The palate offers more concord grapes, ripe blackberry, prune, dried fig, violet and black pepper with a lingering finish that consists of notes of blueberry and minerality.