From the winery, “Mayhem Wines is a collaboration between two established wine industry siblings – Terry Meyer Stone of Anarchist Mountain Vineyards and her brother JAK Meyer of Meyer Family Vineyards, along with their respective spouses Andrew Stone and Janice Stevens. We source our grapes from our home vineyards and established growers of the Okanagan, with an eye for detail in the vineyard and producing quality grapes in a sustainable manner.”
It was a beautiful sunny fall day and I was heading south to Okanagan Falls and Mayhem Wines. More people need to venture out to wine country in September. The weather was very comfortable with a gentle cool breeze that kept things from getting too hot.
Mayhem shares a property with Meyer Family Vineyards, keeping it all in the family. They are located on McClean Creek Road and nestled under the impressive Peach Cliff Bluff.
The day was billed as a “Sneak Peek Party” and was intended as the grand opening of their new tasting room. It was slated to be finished in June, but due to a variety of factors, things didn’t work out as planned which is easy to understand as it has been a challenging couple of years. So, what did Mayhem do? They decided to go ahead with the party and hold another one in the spring when things are all finished. Brilliant!
Terry Meyer Stone and her husband, Andrew greeted guests with a refreshing glass of Meyer Family Vineyards Methode Traditionnelle Extra Brut. This sparkler is a blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir and pressed as whole clusters. The slow press (4hrs!) allowed for maximum quality and minimized astringent phenolics. The juice was then fermented in stainless steel and then aged for 18-24 months prior to blending. Aged on its lees for 28 months before being disgorged and bottled with no dosage, unfiltered and unfined. Only 500 cases were produced. Drink through 2026. Fresh, clean, and well-structured. Full flavoured with a lingering finish.
Later, Terry welcomed all the guests and pointed out all the necessary items – location of the washrooms, the food truck, the tasting area, and where wines, by the glass or by the bottle, could be purchased. She then introduced Caleb Hart, the entertainer for the afternoon. Caleb’s music shows a reggae influence. It was impressive to watch him ‘build’ a song, layering one sound on top of another and then singing along to his base track.
Terry, Andrew, Janice and JAK along with winemaker Ajay Chavan and sales coordinator Monica Horning wandered the grounds chatting with guests and making sure everything ran smoothly.
TAK-OH food truck did a steady business, keeping everyone well fed.
The grounds were in full bloom and beautiful. Chairs and tents were set out for everyone’s enjoyment.
A fire pit is used for fall events that might include wiener roasts and making smores, though I wouldn’t be surprised if it gets used a lot for staff functions too.
The vineyards looked healthy and well-maintained. Grapes on the vine were looking close to ripeness with good colour, good sugar, flavour and crunchy brown seeds.
So many critters love ripe grapes – bears, deer, birds, and wasps to name a few. Many sections were netted for protection from the birds and Yellow Jacket traps were evident.
The tasting room, planned for completion in June was only at the gyproc stage.
Karen Graham (Wine Drops), Zola Dore (Covert Farms), and Kate (Maverick Wines) as well as many others in the wine industry had come to help celebrate the day.
Ange Grant, sales rep, poured samples of Mayhem wines. Here is what I tasted:
2021 Rosé
Made from 100% Oliver grown Merlot. Cherry, strawberry, herbs, orange peel, and wildflowers. Well balanced with good body. The flavours follow the nose. A medium-long finish. Scrumptious.
2021 Riesling
Made from 18-year-old Naramata grapes. Lime, minerality, apple, stone fruit, wet stones, good balance, slightly off-dry. Very good balance, lots of fruit on the palate, sweet ripe, juicy fruit on the palate, melon, apricot, nectarine, sweet spice, medium-long finish. A definite crowd pleaser.
2021 Gewürztraminer
I took a quick sip before smelling it and thought, wow, flavour bomb. Then Terry asked, “What do you think about the smoke?” I stuck my nose in the glass and yes, there it was. Oddly enough, it seemed to integrate with the fruit on the palate. I sampled it with some smoked salmon on a crostino and it fit like a glove. My mind raced with other pairing possibilities – charcuterie with smoked Gouda, and dried salami or smoked meats, smoky seafood chowder with chunks of thick bacon, or smoked meat sandwiches. This is fun! Do NOT buy this wine, until you have tried it. Some will not like it at all. Others, especially foodies, are going to love getting creative with ways to match this wine with their favourite meal.
2020 Cabernet Merlot
This blend of 89% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc was aged in second-fill French oak barrels for five months, blended and then aged for another six months. Unfined and unfiltered. Garnet red with medium-deep intensity. The nose is rich and layered with aromas of plum, cherry, red and black berries, blueberries, plum, mint, spice, beetroot, and a hint of leather. Well balanced with ripe, firm (not grippy) tannins. Big flavours on the palate, echo the nose followed by a medium-long finish with flavours lingering. Very impressive and certainly cellar-worthy. If opening soon, be sure to allow lots of time to decant. Great now, but I’m holding on to mine for another 3-5+ years. This wine is a bargain.
(All photos – Sam Hauck)
