The GOODS from Okanagan Crush Pad

Summerland, BC | Okanagan Crush Pad, located in Summerland, BC, can now add the words “craft distillery” to its name with the purchase of a still and the license to make spirits. The spirits program will be under the direction of chief winemaker, Matt Dumayne. He has years of experience distilling in his native land, New Zealand, and recently completed a distilling course in preparation for the launch of spirit products under the Narrative label.

Okanagan Crush Pad will release a grape based spirit called “Distilled Small Batch” on October 1st to officially launch the spirits program. The Distilled Small Batch was created from a blend of red and white wines. Dumayne conducted dozens of trials to achieve the right balance.

“For our inaugural release we wanted to represent the different growing regions of the Okanagan as each variety added a new layer of complexity to the base product,’ noted Dumayne. “This is a brandy made in a vodka style, with a lot of refinement. The end result is very clean and fresh with a hint of spice and fruit notes. It is intended to be consumed with mix or my own favourite, with tonic and ice. This really enhances the botanical aspects of this batch.”

The impetus for obtaining a still and distillery license came about as the winery was looking for high quality grape-based spirits for a fortified wine. “We came to the conclusion that we didn’t want to add anything to our wine that we had not personally crafted and started what became a two year process to obtain the still and the license to run it,” noted Okanagan Crush Pad owner, Christine Coletta. “We are on a path to use exclusively organic grapes by the 2017 harvest and use zero or minimal winemaking additives, hence the need to control any spirit that would be used for fortification.”

For his next trial, Dumayne will continue with Okanagan grown grapes as a base and will age the spirit in old Pinot Noir barrels. The winery has also distilled additional products and will offer it to other wineries wishing to fortify wines with grape-based spirits.

NARRATIVE DISTILLED SMALL BATCH $39.90 | Alc 40.0% | Release Date: Early October

A blend of seven different grape varietals from vineyards in Oliver and Summerland. Each variety provides a unique profile arriving at a spirit with complexity. This small batch has a lush, sweet texture with a hint of botanicals and spice: the end result is a vodka-esq grappa, Okanagan Style. Clean with a glacial freshness.

Okanagan Crush Pad was established in 2011 in Summerland, BC on Switchback Organic Vineyard which offers sweeping views of Okanagan Lake. Owners Christine Coletta and Steve Lornie are committed to creating pure, natural wines that tell the story of a very special place. It is here they craft Haywire and Narrative wines along with offering custom wine services for other winemakers.

Narrative wines showcase what the Okanagan is best at: cool climate, aromatic, crisp, and lively. Our region is one of the rarest wine growing terroirs in the world offering both an arid desert landscape and snow, with an intense short growing season. Wines from this region are benchmarks for cool climate style and Narrative aims to tell this story through winemaker Matt Dumayne’s creation of unique blends and premium small offerings.

Details

16576 Fosbery Road, Summerland, BC | V0H 1Z6
Winery phone: 250-494-4445 | Order wine: 604-800-3738 [email protected]
Web: www.okanagancrushpad.com | Facebook | Twitter
Order wine: 604-800-0601 | [email protected]

Gallery

The People

Christine Coletta, Owner
Steve Lornie, Owner
Matt Dumayne, Chief Winemaker
Jordan Kubek, Sparkling 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

Okanagan Crush Pad, producer of Haywire and Narrative wines, is quickly building a reputation as one of the premium producers in the Okanagan. The winemaking team includes world renowned Tuscan-based consultant Alberto Antonini, wine expert David Scholefield, and winemaker Matt Dumayne.

Located in beautiful Summerland, BC, the winery overlooks Switchback vineyard, an organic site that is also home to roaming sheep and chickens. Okanagan Crush Pad crafts wines that are symbolic of the region’s unique high mountain/northern desert setting which has an intensely hot, short growing season with hallmark cool evenings.

The winery is the first in Canada to extensively use concrete tanks and wines that are fermented and aged in concrete carry the Raised in Concrete™ designation. Visitors to the guest center, built right into the heart of the production facility, get a rare glance into the art of winemaking.

Tasting Lounge & Wine Shop Hours of Operation

April – May | Open Thursday – Sunday from 10:30am to 5:30pm
June – October | Open daily from 10:30am to 5:30pm
October 15 – December 15 | Open Tuesday – Saturday from 12:00pm to 5:00pm

Off Season | Outside the above noted times our wine shop is always open for purchases by appointment.
Please call ahead so that we can be sure someone is available to assist you: (250) 494-4445 ext 1

Accolades

Haywire Gamay Noir Rosé 2013 | Vancouver Magazine Top 100 Category Award Wine for Best Rosé Wine. “Okanagan Crush Pad is at the forefront of innovation in B.C., with superstar consultants Alberto Antonini and terroir expert Pedro Parra helping define new directions. Light, crisp, and bone dry, our best rosé combines the juicy berry fruit of gamay and savoury, herbal aromas of the Okanagan. Seriously structured and ageable, it is a lovely expression of our unique climate. Its tart finish is perfect for Dungeness crab cakes or melty grilled cheese sandwiches.”

Haywire Canyonview Pinot Noir 2011 | Lieutenant Governor’s Award Winner 2014 for Excellence in BC Wines. 91 points by Tim Pawsey. “One of just 12 wines awarded in this year’s B.C. Lieutenant Governor’s Awards, from low yield, with judicious use of used French oak, dark cherry notes with some mineral hints, well-structured but very approachable (91 points, $35 from the winery (haywirewinery here.com). – See more.

Haywire Wild Ferment Pinot Gris 2012 | 92 points by John Schreiner. “Haywire Switchback Vineyard Wild Ferment ($29.90). This is 100% Pinot Gris but the varietal has been omitted from the label. The winery is trying to establish its organic Switchback Vineyard as a stand-alone brand. Think Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, which does not put the varietal on its label either. This is a richly textured wine with aromas of honeysuckle and herbs and flavours of pear and citrus. The finish lingers.”