When I ask Okanagan winemakers what grape variety they would tear out, the answer is almost always Cabernet Sauvignon or Sauvignon Blanc — it isn't hot enough for them to fully ripen in the north, and in the south, it's too hot. Yet, this exceptional Sauvignon Blanc, entirely made from grapes grown on the warmer Dry Creek Vineyard on the coveted Golden Mile Bench south of Oliver, proves what can be done with a difficult varietal.
"The vines have excellent exposure to sunshine, and the elevated location keeps the vines above the fall frost zone of the valley floor," says winemaker Walter Gehringer, who admits this grape is challenging because it does not ripen uniformly.
His Sauvignon Blanc is juicy and full of flavour with notes of grapefruit, melon and gooseberries – qualities usually associated with Sauvignon Blancs from the Loire Valley. This is a superb wine for small-plate dining: Spanish tapas, Middle Eastern mezze, Italian antipasto and Japanese Izakaya snacks.