“In this series we bring you our #FavouriteThings Holiday Gift Suggestions which we personally recommend”
Welcome to the wines of Niche joining #FavouriteThings Holiday Gift Suggestions this year. In the words of our intrepid wine critic “Their wines always have good structure which makes them so very food friendly. These are clearly wines made with passion.” Sam Hauck aka @Sam_WineTeacher
Here are the recommendations:
2020 Farm Fresh White
HARVEST NOTES
Our small blocks of Gewurztraminer and Riesling live side by side so they’ve basically grown up together and blending them just felt right. An incredible growing season was followed by a shortfall season and a lighting round of harvest, resulting in a blend that is classically proportioned and rich with complexity (aka: delicious).
WINEMAKER’S NOTES
The bold acidity of the Riesling and the freshness of the Gewürztraminer join forces in the fight against monotony. The fruit was just the right amount of ripe making it easy to work with (we just love it when the grapes can get along). The secret sauce? 30% aromatic Riesling, 70% of our glorious Gew.
TASTING NOTES
This easy-sipping wine is perfectly layered, showcasing the true characteristics of each varietal. From nose to palate, enjoy notes of peach, floral, lemon, and spice. This three varietal blend creates the perfect wine to pair with an Okanagan beach. And if you’re hungry take out the barbecue, and serve it with a grilled peach and burrata salad, or Hawaiian chicken burgers on a brioche bun.
2020 Small Batch Bubbles
HARVEST NOTES
When making sparkling wine, an early harvest is a must. The 2020 harvest began halfway through September and the grapes were hand-picked on two beautiful sun-soaked days by willing friends and family. The grapes were then basket pressed and the juice was bucketed into stainless tanks.
WINEMAKING NOTES
We fermented the wine in stainless steel drums and after the ferment, the wine was left to sit on the lees. The wine was stirred weekly for five months and then moved into tanks. Stirring the lees gives the wine a creamy, buttery kind of flavour and we love that.
TASTING NOTES
In victory and defeat Beautiful bubbles, bright acidity, and an off-dry finish make this the kind of wine that’s celebration-ready. Pair it with a birthday cake and a fist-full of balloons. Also pairs well with a good party or a late breakfast. Your call.
2019 Merlot
HARVEST NOTES
This Merlot was sourced from a vineyard located in the heart of the South Okanagan between Oliver and Osoyoos. The grapes are situated on the western side of the valley and 100 meters south west of lake water. This unique microclimate is home to some serious heat with vineyard temperatures hitting 40°C on the regular. These grapes were cared for with the same sustainable practices as our estate Farm and were harvested on a beautiful sunny morning in the second week of October.
WINEMAKER’S NOTES
Once the grapes hit the crush pad they were fermented in small, ½ ton lots and cold soaked for 10 days. They were punched down three times a day and then gently basket pressed and aged in 25% new French Oak for 11 months. This wine was given a lot of attention (think gravity flow and little-to-no pumps).
TASTING NOTES
Fruit forward is almost an understatement. This Merlot is all raspberry jam and black cherry on the nose and delivers even more raspberry and a blast of plum on the palate. The balanced acidity of this wine makes it super food-friendly and we love it with pizza, pork and pasta of any kind.
FARMHOUSE SERIES
The quality of these wines in no accident. The reality is, when we say, ‘small batch, big love’, we really mean it. We have always been passionate about quality. Our grapes are picked by hand, basket pressed, and bottled with care. The small batch nature of our production can be challenging but it also helps us ensure quality at every step of the process.
2020 Pinot Noir
HARVEST NOTES
For us, making Pinot noir is truly a labour of love. All of our Pinot is produced exclusively with grapes grown by family-owned and operated Hugh & Mary Vineyard. The hot summer days and cool nights make this vineyard prime Pinot growing country, The vines range from 13 to 24 years of age and are a mix of clone 667 and 115. The grapes were hand-picked on a beautiful weekend in October by close friends and family.
WINEMAKER’S NOTES
Once the grapes hit the crush pad they were fermented in small, ½ ton lots and cold-soaked for 10 days. They were punched down three times a day and then gently basket pressed and aged in 25% new French Oak for 10 months. These barrels were then given lot of attention (think gravity flow and little-to-no pumps)
TASTING NOTES
Fruit forward, balanced, and bright—this Pinot’s got it all! This Pinot noir was made in the vineyard and once harvested was made with minimal intervention and maximum farming effort. This pinot delivers loads of raspberry on the nose with hints of tobacco and pepper. The palate is all kinds of cherry, spice, and well, everything nice.
FARMHOUSE SERIES
The quality of these wines is no accident. The reality is, when we say, ‘smallbatch, big love’, we really mean it. We have always been passionate about quality. Our grapes are picked by hand, basket pressed and bottled with care. The small-batch nature of our production can be challenging but it also helps us ensure quality at every step of the process.
FROM OUR FARM TO YOUR GLASS
Our family-owned and operated winery, nestled in the hills of West Kelowna, produces complex, aromatic wines that showcase the nuances of the north Okanagan. We hope you love them as much as we loved making them.
Notes and descriptions courtesy of the winery. Images MyVanCity.ca I received complimentary wine to facilitate this feature.
