Join our wine writer, Allison Markin, every week for a wine review complete with food and music pairings. Featuring Okanagan and Canadian wines, with an occasional international bottle, Castanet celebrates the bottles of our Valley and the diversity of the Canadian wine industry and influences from around the world. For current availability and pricing, consult the winery. Unless indicated, international selections are generally available at government liquor stores or private wine shops.
Wine: Pinot Blanc, 2017
Winery: Kraze Legz Winery at Skaha Vineyard, Okanagan Falls
Why drink it? Not quite in OK Falls, but at a site overlooking Skaha Lake, Kraze Legz quietly wins awards regularly for their wines, including a recent win at the Cascadia International Wine Competition for this Pinot Blanc. Made with care, hand harvesting followed by fermentation in stainless steel brings out crisp, clean notes of melon and pineapple on the nose with a bit of lemon. You might compare this to an unoaked Chardonnay, but this wine is lighter and brighter, with refreshing, almost mouthwatering acidity. Nice minerality with flavours of stone fruits.
Price: $21
Pair with: Fresh pasta with a light seafood cream sauce, grilled swordfish or trout with a bit of fennel for flavour, chickpea salad with fresh zucchini dressed simply with lemon and olive oil, or even a tuna sandwich with lemon mayo and a side of fresh veggies.
Music pairing: Maggie May by Rod Stewart
Have a wine to suggest? Email Allison at [email protected].