by Treve Ring | What does it mean to be free form? Is it to be unharnessed, wild, or un-pigeonhole-able? If any of those hit the definitive mark, then Haywire Winery is more than a little free form itself, breaking the cookie cutter for what a BC winery should do, and pioneering the custom crush facility (with concrete eggs no less) at a time when many of their contemporaries were putting more cash into toasty (pricy) French oak barrels.

“Haywire” is an old Canadian farmer’s word that describes the chaotic wiring of bales of hay. It’s kind of apt for Christine and Steve Coletta’s steep learning curve of opening a winery in an unchartered way.

This new release, Free Form, is true to their uncluttered vision and true to name; the wine was pretty much just left on its own. Summerland chardonnay and sauvignon blanc was fermented with wild yeast, blended and bottled without enzymes or SO2, and allowed to chart its own timeline in the winery (enjoying a leisurely 8 months on the skins before pressing).

The result is a snapshot of nut, straw, citrus and green apple / apple peel aromas. The textured palate carries through into hay, salted lemon peel, wet stone, quiet pear blossom, bitter herbal flowers and a quince compote spiciness and struck flint finish. Delicate and sharp at once, this wine keeps you going back to look for more. Challenging, interesting, and yes, un-pigeonhole-able. In other words: free form. Pour just slightly chilled with aged hard cheeses or herb roasted chicken thighs and potatoes.

I asked winemaker Matt Dumayne about the Message In A Bottle of Haywire Free Form 2013.

Haywire Free Form 2013 | Summerland, Okanagan Valley, BC | $30 | +867242

Straight up – why did you make this wine? It’s a style I have been interested in for a long time. Skin contact whites were one of the original methods of winemaking, and now I finally have a facility with owners who share my vision for clean, natural wines with an open mind for experimentation.

Where are the grapes from? 100% Summerland fruit. 50% Chardonnay, 50% Sauvignon Blanc.

Your ideal pairing with this wine would be…? Xmas turkey went well, something savoury and exotic. Slow roasted duck/poultry with Ginger/Hoisin. Duck a l’órange would match the citrus tones beautifully.

Favourite BC wine, other than yours? TH wines are making great expressions of the vineyard and following a natural regime [link].

What do you drink when you’re not drinking BC wine? Scotch is my winter choice, with a dash of stones. Something craftish, relatively high on the bitter scale goes down well in the hot Okanagan summers.

MORE MESSAGES IN OTHER BOTTLES