Haywire “Lunar New Year” wines

 http://www.haywirewinery.com/

 

The challenge with many people in the wine business is that they start treating wine as art and forgetting that it is a business. In and of itself there’s nothing wrong with viewing wine as art but when it interferes with a business’ ability to remain fiscally viable then the vision needs to change. This has never been a problem for the wise folks at Haywire who manage to blend art and function in virtually every endeavor they create: Lunar New Year wines being the example today.

 When I first heard that someone was crafting a special release for the Lunar New Year I thought “Capitalism at its finest; these folks are just chasing the market” which, really, isn’t such a bad thing if it’s done well. China is now poised to be the largest consumer of wine on the planet… who wouldn’t want a piece of that?!

But as my step-family is Cantonese I cringed inwardly. I had visions of ginger-infused syrupy sadness lacking depth beyond Beaujolais Nouveau and tasting more of my morning ginseng tea. I couldn’t have been any further from the truth. Here are wines that any winemaker would be proud to put his/her name to and showcase not only varietal correctness but also speak in sophisticated ways of their terroir. Truly finessed, each of them, I was a bit humbled and started my due diligence in researching just what this could portend: after all, it was only a few years ago that one of the most highly regarded houses of Bordeaux put a Chinese symbol on its bottle.

It caused a wave of sales that outstripped anything conceived.

So the savvy craftsmen at Haywire decide to follow, but, in an unexpected way; you see, this is one of their first releases and it’s for the “Year of the Sheep”. This is considered a very unlucky year by many Asians and this is especially true for children’s birth years and business. Creating a new wine is certainly like a kind of “birth” and this is most definitely business, so why do it? It wouldn’t be the first time a winery created a release on only certain years.

Well as I pondered this I looked at my 8-month old son who was helping me with this article *(all punctuation is his, not mine). Adam is half Italian and half Irish; his Italian family name actually meaning “sheep” in their dialect. It seemed to me, in that moment, that sheep were actually very lucky for some people like me. And I got past the nay-sayers who conjecture doom and gloom at every corner and found the beauty of the “Year of the Sheep”.

Loyalty. That’s a quality to those born in this lunar year. So is generosity. And kindness. Hard for me to imagine bestowing those traits just because of the month they’re born in, but, I’ve heard crazier explanations for the cosmos before.

And I went back to the wines I was making notes on: so filled with generosity of flavor, brimming with “loyal” representation of the grape and the land and with very “kind” pricing… and so it seems, to this writer, that 2015 will be one lucky “Year of the Sheep”.

2012 “Lunar New Year Red”

blend of (mostly) Gamay Noir, small amount of Syrah

89+ points, Very Good Value

$22.90 in BC

*DOES NOT REQUIRE DECANTING

… to get this quality in Gamay Noir from Beaujolais in the south of Burgundy one would need to invest more then $23 CAD and invest it wisely. This wine carries rich aromas of warm earth, dark cocoa, stewing blackberry/plum/raspberry and the hint of Schezuan peppercorn on the finish (thank-you Syrah). The bright, full, fresh palate carries lively medium+ currant acids that titillate the tastebuds and are a brilliant way to start any meal or simply enjoy on their own as the guests are arriving. The medium fine/slightly grippy tannin carry their weight deceptively as they are finessed well beyond the price-point of the wine and deliver a performance more in line with wines twice the cost. This is a wine that at the same time will impress the ardent connoisseur in your midst and be perfect for the friend who “really is more of a beer person” – or so they say. Food pairing options abound from ginger and lemongrass infused beef/pork to the salty treat of soya crispy skin duck; the bold red and black fruit tones will balance salt and yet the warm earthy/spice/pepper tones will delight in bringing balance to Asian flavors. Meant for consuming now (Stelvin enclosure) this wine can age well for several years but will not develop in bottle. Enjoy 2014-2017

2013 “Lunar New Year White”

blend of Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, Viognier

90++points, EXCELLENT VALUE

$19.90 in BC

*DO NOT SERVE TOO COLD; 12C MINIMUM TO PRESERVE THE AROMATICS

… this might be the prettiest wine I tried in 2014! Whilst normally this style isn’t a “go-to-wine” for me, this particular blend is impressive on many levels: aroma, balance, structure and value. The aromas are seductively layered with notes of lychee fruit, pink grapefruit, honey and exotic flowers… it’s an incredibly easy wine to want to drink which brings me to the palate. The balance and structure are absolutely flawless for under $20; bright/fresh/zippy medium+ lemon and grapefruit acid dance in unison. This wine loves south Asian flavors: Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai… coconut milk, ginger, lemongrass and galangal all delight in the nuanced levels here. Which brings me to value: STUNNING. Want a blend like this from outside of BC? Firstly I don’t know any region blending these varietals but secondly something similar would start at $25 and work its way up… buy a few extra bottles as this gem will easily last a few years in the cellar/wine-fridge if you can resist 

“lucky money” from Canada in the Year-of-the-Sheep

Many thanks to Haywire Wines and their PR firm TownHall Brands (  http://townhallbrands.com/ )for taking the time and expense to send these lovely wines to me.

As always you can find more recipes, free wine reviews and

my notes on premium distillates and cigars:

on Twitter @AStudentofWine

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Haywire Gamay Noir rose VS BS rose

www.haywirewinery.com

www.bswinesokanagan.com

A friend and colleague passed me a couple of bottles of rosé the other day...

It sounds like the start of a "wine-geek" joke right? No - seriously, she passed me these two bottles of rosé and at the time I almost thought she was joking! You have to understand, Vancouver in March is a dismal sight most days: only a few degrees above zero Celsius (translated to Fahrenheit is about 50), pouring rain, winds blustering either off the Bay or down from the local mountains that are still covered in snow.

And she gives me rosé.

But there's more to the story! It seems two winemaker colleagues/rivals have set up a bit of a challenge against each other, with the public as both accomplices and judges... Enter the contenders for Best Rosé of the Bunch:

in the left corner, weighing in at a hefty 13.7% ABV is the Haywire Gamay Noir Rosé ,

and in the right corner dancing lightly at 13.4% is the BIG BS!
(That's Bartier Scholefield Rosé to you my friends)

These scrappy wines, blushing with the bloom of youth (unlike their winemakers) promised tight competition as soon as I opened the bottles. I did my due diligence, and made my way through the murky waters of on-line research. In doing so I discovered that not only did these gifted (special?) winemakers want "we the people" to judge the battle, but wanted our response in verse.

In verse? This joke just gets more and more odd...

A battle between two sibling rosé, the outcome judged by the public - in verse.

Well there once was a wine from Haywire
  who liked to spend nights...
err...
... nothing rhymes with Haywire.

Truth be told, when I actually got around to tasting the wines the weather had changed; the air had warmed by 10 degrees or so, the skies had opened to allow glorious sunlight to bathe my deck and the wind had stopped blustering (unlike Scholefield) and become a gentle murmur. In short, I had reached my ideal rosé time. And I was reminded of the many things that Spring brings; green grass growing, the scent of new flowers, my wife's allergies, and love. And if one thinks of love, one must think of Shakespeare. And when I thought of Shakespeare I knew I'd found my response to these "Two Gentlemen of Okanagan"

But soft! What light through yonder bottle breaks?

  It is the East, and BS is the sun.

Arise, fair sun, and kill Haywire's envious moon

  who is already sick and pale with grief ,

that thou, her maid, are more fair then she:

  Be not her maid, since Haywire is envious (and rightfully so)

Her vestal livery is but pale salmon to your rose,

  And none but fools do wear it; cast it off.

It is my BS. Oh, it is my love!

  Oh that Michael Bartier knew it were!

He speaks and yet says nothing - no - that's David, what of that?

   The wine discourses, I will answer,

I am too bold - the wine speaks not to me:

  Two of the fairest stars in all Heaven (the Okanagan Valley DVA)

Having some business in the wine business, do entreat my eyes

  to sparkle at their mischief 'til new bottles can be opened.

With gladdened heart I'll rest awhile

and watch two loves battle for mine affections;

in the end, 'tis I and my friends who come out on top!

2010 Haywire Gamay Noir rosé

Okanagan Valley VQA

91 points

• visual:   clear; pale salmon amber core with watery rim, silver highlights
• nose:   clean; medium+ youthful and developing aromas; slightly spicy earth tones, warm berry compote, lively floral notes reminiscent of great Viognier, crisp mineral undercurrant
• palate:   clean; dry, medium+ raspberry/currant acid, light+ to medium body, medium+ alcohol (13.7%), medium+ intense youthful and developing flavors that mimick well the bouquet; the minerality sings with precision and is followed by a bountiful floral and fruit driven palate. Excellent balance and structure, medium+ length
• conclusion:   truly a world-class rose, this wine is capable of holding it's own for several years but will not improve. Enjoy 2013-2016/7 
• FOOD PAIRINGS:   floral toned wine with lively acids and great structure are built for food, and in many people's opinion - seafood. But consider this flight of whimsy: 7-hour braised rabbit (or poultry for the less adventurous) with raz-el-hanout on fresh thyme infused quinoa, steamed kale tossed with roast chestnut butter and apricot glazed garden-carrots... as I said.. adventurous, but with purpose! Rabbit carries little flavor of it's own, but will cosy to Arabic spicy blends and that spice will enhance the natural spice in the wine. The fresh thyme does the same but through contrast. The kale cleans the palate whilst the quinoa and chestnut open the door to savory tones and the apricot enhances the floral. A hint of butter will off-set the medium acids - this wine begs not to be paired with cream which will seem cumbersome (also consider Italian pairings like tuna in olive oil!)

2010 Bartier-Scholefield rosé

Okanagan Valley VQA

92 points

• visual:   clear; medium sanguine or "bleeding" rose core... like a poached peach. Watery rim with copper highlights
• nose:    clean; medium intensity developing aromas of warm dusty earth, clay pottery, tight minerality, dry herbal tea, white flowers
• palate:   clean; dry, medium+ to full (tight) red and black currant acid, medium- body, medium alcohol (13.4%), medium + intense and developing flavors that mimick the nose... immediate focus is drawn to the very precise minerality and tight young berry tones that dominate, warm earth is a background that develops on a consistent palate with a soft floral finish. Truly excellent balance and structure with long length
• conclusion:   a stunning wine that is just coming into it's own; concentration, acidity, length, structure - a wine to enjoy for years! Savor 2013-2018 and possibly beyond
• FOOD PAIRING:    big, bold, distinct flavors mean that I could pair this will very different fare then the previous wine. I would use this much like the Chateau Mussar rose; a heavily seasoned gigot d'agneau (leg of lamb) roast over wood with charred eggplant caviar dipping sauce, steamed collard greens (or beet tops), fried flat-bread and goat's milk feta. This wine has the structure and dimension to require fully intense food flavors to match - this will take some of the richest food you can imagine and bring it into balance. Gracefully.

And so all joking to one side, truly these two wines on their own are enough to open the eyes of the consumer. If you've said before that great rosé only comes from Tavel, Provence, Spain, Chile... then you need to try these.

If you've said that rosé is only for the hottest days of Summer, then you need to try these.

And if you've already found yourself saying to the computer screen "But I don't even like rosé!" then you simply must try these. For the price, you will open a new door in the expression of wine and the expression of BC.

How do I know this? Because I said all of these things before trying these wines. And now? Now I can't wait to try my next bottle.... there's a reason the blog is called "A Student of Wine" my friends!

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!