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Deciphering The Expressive “Stag’s Hollow” Grenache 2013

Dwight-Sick-Stags-Hollow

by Treve Ring | Quietly tucked away in sleepy, picturesque Okanagan Falls, winemaker Dwight Sick and winery owners Larry Gerelus and Linda Pruegger have been planting experimental plots of European grapes not typically (or ever) seen before in BC. Ballsy a bit, brave a lot, the team realized the high potential of their site’s soils, climate and terroir and started searching other wine regions for similar conditions. They’ve since planted and successfully produced limited wines/blends including tempranillo, dolcetto, teroldego, marsanne and albariño.

And grenache; a beautiful, kickass grenache, to be exact – one that references the Rhone and the south of France while tipping its hat to Australia and Spain. And yet it somehow feels firmly rooted in the Okanagan. Canada’s first commercial grenache should pave the way for many more. Now in its second vintage, it’s even better than the highly promising inaugural 2012. Expressive pepper at first whiff, warm cedar spice, ripe red cherry, cranberry, strawberry jam and a huge whack of savoury and cracked pepper spice on the bright finish. Impressive, exciting, alluring – we want more of this in BC! I recently asked Dwight about its Message In A Bottle

Stag’s Hollow Grenache 2013 | Okanagan Valley, BC | $30 +35501

Straight up – why did you make this wine? I’m a Granachista. I love everything about this pure, delicious grape. I started conceptualizing this wine 10 years ago and planted the vineyard in 2006. It has been my special wine child ever since. Grenache is everything pinot noir wishes it could be and it is only a matter of time before everyone discovers its wonders.

Where are the grapes from? The vast majority of the fruit (70%) was grown at Kiln House Vineyard which is on the West Bench of Penticton. It is a special site with a warm, southern sloping aspect and it remains frost-free late into the fall (long after most of the rest of the Valley’s vineyards have been frosted out). I personally planted this site in 2006 and have managed the vineyard ever since. The balance of the fruit is grown at Hearle Vineyard on the East Bench of Osoyoos. It is a stunning growing site and the grenache vines planted there in 2010 are showing great potential for the future.

Your ideal pairing with this wine would be…? Duck confit is my favourite. I have a recipe that uses blood orange, Chinese five spice and anise in the glaze. It is a heavenly match.

Favourite BC wine, other than yours? Tough call, as there are several. I’m going to single out some wines from a fresh face in the Okanagan, Dylan Roche. The single vineyard merlots he has produced for Intersection Winery are honest and delicious wines. Additionally, he and his wife have also started a new winery label of their own called Roche Wines and the Pinot Gris is unlike any other in the Valley (in a good way).

What do you drink when you’re not drinking BC wine? Wines: grenache (red, white, rosé and blends) from Rhone, Roussillon and Spain, Syrah from Washington State. Beers: I’ve been enjoying various wet hopped IPAs this fall and love Surrey-based Four Winds Brewing’s Wild Flower Saison.

MORE MESSAGES IN OTHER BOTTLES