October Wine Club Feature: BC Wine Studio
To usher in the Fall season, we have worked with a delightful boutique winery in the Okanagan Valley to select a tantalizing and autumnal array of wines for our special wine club members this month. BC Wine Studio is the brainchild of winemaker Mark Simpson, and is located in Okanagan Falls, BC. Wine Club packages this month will feature a sumptuous Viognier, an aromatic Sauvignon Blanc Semillon blend, a nod to Bordeaux-style blends called Harmonious, and a Syrah that will really impress you - among others! Sign up by Sunday, Oct. 15 at midnight to secure your package. BC Wine Studio produces their wine in very small quantities, so they will sell out!
A little known fact about Mark Simpson is that his career has been built on his designation as a professional brewmaster. He brewed beer for Molson Breweries in the '80's before heading to Vancouver's Granville Island Brewing where he crafted new brands for the company for almost a decade. That Cypress Honey Lager that you love? Yep, Simpson created that beer.
Always a wine appreciator, Simpson starting working with Hawk's Vineyard owner, Stephen Carter, to turn the winery into a custom crush pad facility. Not only does Simpson craft his own wines under the labels Siren's Call, The Escapist, and Hawk's Vineyard, but he shares the crush pad and his expertise with other winemakers looking to produce small batch wines. Most of the grapes that produce the wines are grown in their vineyard, and are carefully overseen to yield the highest quality fruit. A sustainable approach to viticulture with minimal intervention is also employed which results in quality wines with honest flavour characteristics.
So which were our favourite wines of the BC Wine Studio portfolio? We had several, but here are three of our picks for you to savour - all of which are part of the wine packages for this month's Wine Club.
2016 Siren's Call Sauvignon Blanc Semillon
A light-bodied, aromatic white wine blend with tropical fruit notes, citrus, white flowers and a touch of honey. A nice backbone of Sauvignon Blanc acidity mellowed out by the Semillon. Pair this with lemon and rosemary-stuffed roasted chicken, pasta with creamy sauces, and grilled asparagus.
Predominantly Merlot, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Syrah playing minor roles, this Bordeaux-style blend is expressive with medium body, medium acid, and medium tannin. From black fruits to liquorice, and black pepper to forest floor, there are a range of notes from the nose to the palate. This wine will pair beautifully with prime rib, smoked beef ribs, and gourmet meat lover's pizza.
Dark cherry and black currant, savoury herbs, tobacco, woodsmoke and black pepper make up this rich, spicy Syrah. A great example of the fantastic Syrah that's coming out of the Okanagan Valley. Pair this gem with beef ragout, lamb shawarma, and grilled bison burgers.
Intrigued by these wines? Sign up for the Wine Club and you'll receive an assortment of these wines in your package next week, delivered straight to your door! The offer closes Sunday, Oct. 15 at midnight.
