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Okanagan Crush Pad Launches First Exclusive Wine For VQA Stores, “Route 97”

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The GOODS from Okanagan Crush Pad

Kelowna, BC | Okanagan Crush Pad winery is pleased to announce the release of two wines under a new Route 97 label which will be sold exclusively at BC VQA stores commencing Thursday, November 27. The colourful labels depict iconic symbols of the Okanagan while the wines celebrate the diverse offerings of our land; a delicate aromatic cool climate white from the north and a fruit forward, robust red from the south. Route 97 wines are crafted by Matt Dumayne at Okanagan Crush Pad in Summerland, BC. Located around the province, BC VQA flagship wine shops promote excellence and celebrate our talented winemakers and the diversity of our unique cool climate wine region.

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“While our team has created many wine labels in the past, it was an interesting exercise to create something exclusively for BC VQA stores that would fill a void in their current product offering. The store owners wanted wines that over delivered in quality and had an eye-catching, colourful label that celebrated the great attributes of the Okanagan,” noted Okanagan Crush Pad owner Christine Coletta. “The label style is reminiscent of the old road side diner placemats I remember colouring as a child. The end result is something our team and the store owners are very excited about. The BC VQA stores are a very important channel for local wineries as they are a showcase for what our region has to offer. We hope this will be the first of many more exclusive products for the BC VQA stores.”

The Route 97 Meandering White 2013 is a blend of Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Viognier. Fresh, lifted aromatics of flowers and tropical fruit mingle with a round fruit density while retaining delicacy and freshness. The wine will be priced at $17.99. The Route 97 Big Adventure Red 2013 is a blend of Gamay Noir, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Syrah. The wine showcases bright red berries and jam layered over subtle French oak toastiness. Lifted floral and perfume notes highlight the vibrancy and freshness of the Okanagan. The red wine will be priced at $18.99.

Jeff Wong, proprietor of Swirl Wine Stores around BC, comments, “This new wine creation was an exciting process and working with everyone at Okanagan Crush Pad was really a blast. The label creation was almost as much fun as creating the wine blends! The label takes you on a BC Wine country journey down Route 97. With the continued trend of wine consumers looking for an approachable red and white blend, we worked with Matt and Christine to create these wines without compromising quality. These wines are great examples of quality BC wines for under $20.00.”

Details

16576 Fosbery Road, Summerland, BC | V0H 1Z0
Winery phone: 250-494-4445 | Order wine: 604-800-3738 [email protected]
Web: www.okanagancrushpad.com | Facebook | Twitter

Gallery

  • Crush Pad
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  • Tasting Room
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  • OCP Tasting_room1
  • OCP | Coletta & Lornie
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  • Tasting Room
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  • OCP | Echo on barrel
  • OCP
  • OCP | Lionel Trudel photo
  • OCP Patio | Lionel Trudel photo
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The People

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Christine Coletta, Owner
Steve Lornie, Owner
Michael Bartier, Chief Winemaker
Matt Dumayne, Associate Winemaker
Julian Scholefield, Operations Manager
David Scholefield, Wine advisor
Alberto Antonini, Consulting viticulturist & winemaker
Leeann Froese, Marketing and Communications
Alison Scholefield, Brand Manager
Whitney Law, order desk and THE Club @ Crush Pad

About Okanagan Crush Pad

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Okanagan Crush Pad Winery, is based in beautiful Summerland, British Columbia, overlooking the 10-acre Switchback Vineyard site and Lake Okanagan. The winery is home to Haywire and Bartier Scholefield, as well as other brands that have been made at the custom crush facility. With a team of dedicated industry leaders, OCP’s mantra has been to improve the quality of Okanagan wines through shared space and ideas. Since September 2011, the winery has opened its doors to provide home to smaller producers and growers within the Okanagan Valley, while focusing on their own boutique line of hand crafted wines. Keeping with the philosophy that less is more, grapes are handled with minimal intervention with an eye on pure fruit expression that accentuates the Okanagan’s distinctive terroir. Aided by six concrete egg fermenters by Sonoma Cast Stone, Okanagan Crush Pad is the first Canadian winery to introduce these modern vessels to the market.

Okanagan Crush Pad boasts an impressive state of the art facility, but owners Christine Coletta and Steve Lornie stress that it is their winery team that remains the hallmark of their success. Respected winemaker, Michael Bartier is an Okanagan native that has a refined understanding of the valley. Coupled with the global experience of internationally acclaimed wine consultant Alberto Antonini and OCP’s wine advisor David Scholefield, the team strives to create distinctive, quality driven BC wines. The winery is responsible for the boutique labels Haywire and Bartier Scholefield but is equally committed to bringing small producers from field to market.

The winery is not open regularly to the public but is designed to be a shared working space for winemakers to work closely together. Tastings and visits to the winery can be made by appointment through Alison Scholefield at [email protected].

Accolades

Lunch

Bartier Scholefield Rosé

Review on Tim Pawsey’s www.HiredBelly.com | “Bartier Scholefield 2010 Rosé gets better every time we taste it. Looks pretty too. Lovely salmon colour in the glass, raspberry earthy notes on top.”

Recommendation in Georgia Straight by Jurgen Gothe | This one delivers hints of ripe strawberries as well as truffles—no mean feat!—for an intriguing—guess the grapes, Uncle Frank!—dinner companion. Not-quite-salmon-but-beyond-apricot is the colour. Think I could sell that to Sherwin-Williams? Great, crisp finish.

Bartier Scholefield White

Review by Christopher Waters in The London Free Press, 24 Hours Edmonton, 24 Hours Vancovuer, Fort MacMurray Today | It boasts terrific integration and focused peach/apricot character that makes real the cliché that a blended wine is better than the sum of its parts. Made in a unoaked, old school way to amplify the flavours that came with the fruit, you could say it’s a “no B-S white.”

Haywire Pinot Gris

One of Julianna Hayes Top Wine Picks for 2011 – Okanagan Saturday | “Intense aromas of pear, golden apple, yellow grapefruit and lemon meringue pie. Delivers all that character on the palate with mineral and mouthwatering acidity. Stylish.

Reviewed by Kasey Wilson in The Globe and Mail | It’s a deliciously pure, fresh white that displays citrus and delicate mineral nuances highlighting our lighter West Coast cuisine. Influential Tuscan-born winemaker Alberto Antonini acts as a consultant to Haywire, helping craft terroir-driven wines like this one.

Review in Tidings by Harry Herstscheg, 89 points | Fragrant orchard blossoms tease the nose, while ripe pear flavour rides lemony acidity along a crisp, lively palate. Generous lees contact gives a rounder mouthfeel. Flinty minerality lingers.

Haywire Rosé

Reviewed in the Okanagan Sunday | “Haywire 2010 Rose ($25) – Cranberry, cherry, blood orange with some earthy notes. Refreshing.”

Review in Tidings by Harry Herstscheg, 88 points | “Attractive salmon pink colour. Delightful scents of all manner of red fruit. Bright cherry and cranberry flavour upfront set up lean, lingering mineral notes.

Haywire Pinot Noir

Reviewed in Vines magazine | On the nose this has pleasing strawberry and pepper notes. The palate keeps that same delicious peppery character, with the addition of cherry and some subtle herbaceous hints. Some slight grip from fine tannins adds structure and great acidity on the finish rounds out this truly enjoyable wine.”