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Fall in the Vineyard
Fall is one of the most picturesque times of year in the vineyard, and 2015 was no exception to that rule. We had gorgeous weather and an early start to the season with some of the leaves starting to turn early this year. When the vineyard finally erupts from end to end in spectacular colour, there is only a week or so to enjoy it before all of the leaves begin to fall off. It is a precious time of year, and a great time for us here at the winery to enjoy the scenery after harvest.
Dec 3, 2015 at 12:55 PM
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2015 Harvest Video
We had great weather and an amazing crew here for harvest this year! You can read more about the vintage here: http://www.bluemountainwinery.com/blog/Harvest-2015
Video by: Chris Stenberg
Nov 10, 2015 at 8:00 AM
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Blue Mountain and The Country Squire
Ron & Patt Dyck and their legendary restaurant “The Country Squire” in Naramata were the first customers of Blue Mountain Winery. They now own and operate Cannery Brewing alongside their son and head brewer, and this year built a new brewery in Penticton. In 2016 Blue Mountain Vineyard & Cellars celebrates their 25th vintage. We brought these old friends together for the first time in many years...
Nov 9, 2015 at 3:03 PM
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Judgement of BC
In a style akin to “The Judgement of Paris,” which was depicted in the film Bottle Shock, The BC Wine Institute endeavoured to measure the wines of British Columbia against those of the world.
Internationally renown wine writer and critic Steven Spurrier, who spearheaded the original judgement of Paris was on hand after attending the BC Pinot Noir Celebration in the Okanagan.
"For me wine is the three 'P's': the place, the people and the product. British Columbia ticks all these boxes with exuberance, elegance and conviction,” he stated.
Following true to the original Judgement, 12 wines from the region were pitted against 12 benchmark international wines in two categories: Chardonnay and Syrah.
The 2012 Blue Mountain Reserve Chardonnay was scored highest amongst the BC Wines of that varietal and placed ahead of the noteworthy Chardonnay reserve from California’s Robert Mondavi Winery.
“Accolades are nice of course, but we are most happy that our wines are being regarded as international calibre. This is what my family has strived for from day one, and to see the wines from the Okanagan Valley hold their own against some much more established wine growing regions in the world is a tremendous accomplishment for the industry,” noted Christie Mavety, partner at Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars.
In the Syrah category, C.C. Jentsch from Oliver, BC bested the entire category from BC and abroad.
Great things are happening here in British Columbia!
Aug 26, 2015 at 1:40 PM
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Wine Barrel Selection at Blue Mountain
Ian and Matt pay careful attention to the type and quality of barrels used at Blue Mountain. In the video above, Ian explains some of the technical aspects of coopering, and the reasons behind the choice in French Oak barrels for the Pinot Noir.
While the oak for the barrels may come from several different oak forests in France (mainly Vosges, Tronçais, and Allier) the cooperage for the barrels used here maintains consistent density throughout the barrel. The barrels are also divided into different toast characteristics whether they be light, medium, or heavy toast.
The selection of the wine barrel has a significant impact on the flavour profile of the wine, so we hope you'll enjoy this video if you're interested in learning about some of the behind the scenes decisions here at the winery.
Sep 21, 2012 at 7:25 AM
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2011 Blue Mountain Gamay Noir
Ian Mavety gives some insight into the Gamay Noir varietal, and in particular the 2011 vintage at Blue Mountain Winery. Typically Gamay can be a lighter red wine crafted in the Beaujolais style, but can also be a slightly heavier wine like a Beaujolais Cru, as the 2011 vintage at Blue Mountain is.
Sep 10, 2012 at 8:01 PM
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Heirloom Tomato Wine Pairing
Someone once told me that you know you're from the city when you don't know what a tomato should taste like. While that may be quite a sweeping statement, I fully understood what they meant when I bit into my first heirloom tomato.
Compared to the commercially grown tomatoes I had been eating from my local grocery store, these typically farm fresh, somewhat mutant looking tomatoes had such a rich texture and flavour.
Heirloom tomatoes lack a genetic mutation that allows them to come out looking "perfect" like the commercially grown tomatoes found in most grocery stores. The shelf life of an heirloom tomato is also considerably shorter than that of the other varieties, so it must be harvested and eaten in a short time frame. This results in only the freshest of tomatoes, and the best taste!
Some of the more popular types of heirloom tomatoes around the Okanagan include the Green Zebra, Black Krim, Brandywine, Early Girl, and the Ida Gold.
Pairing tomatoes with wine can be a bit tricky, but something that compliments the acidity and fruitiness of the tomato without overwhelming it is key. On the white side of things think Chardonnay, or a white with a rounder mouth feel. Pinot Blanc may also be a better choice than Pinot Gris as it tends to be a little less acidic. A dry style sparkling wine can also compliment heirloom tomatoes well.
If you're in the Okanagan around the end of August into mid-September, be sure to check out our farmer's markets for the best selection of heirloom tomatoes and be sure to sample all of the beautifully odd looking varietals.
Sep 5, 2012 at 12:23 AM
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A Little About Chardonnay Wine Making
Chardonnay is a wine that many people either love or hate, perhaps due to the wide range of styles on the market. Our winemaker Matt Mavety explains some of the choices involved in making Chardonnay, his own personal philosophy on the varietal, and some technical aspects involved in cultivating a nice Chardonnay wine. As always, at Blue Mountain viticulture is paramount to creating the best possible bottle of wine.
References:
You can check out the latest Blue Mountain Chardonnay vintage here, or stop by the winery for a tasting!
Aug 17, 2012 at 1:02 AM
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Inside the Tasting Room: An Outsider's Perspective
The tasting room at Blue Mountain is a place that from a visitor’s perspective possesses a sort of mystical quality. With its high ceilings, and windows looking out to the infamous view over Vaseux Lake and McIntyre Bluff, it feels totally removed from my normal reality. In short, it's a beautiful place to come and taste some nice wines, but it is also a beehive of activity — most of which happens oblivious to people like me who normally spend their time in front of the tasting bar, gazing out the windows, and sipping my way into an ethereal wine high.
Recently I awoke from that wine daydream when an invitation was extended by Christie to come work a shift in the Blue Mountain tasting room to see what really goes on in a typical Saturday. As a more-or-less behind the scenes marketing and social media consultant for the winery, my inner wine geek jumped at the chance to get my hands dirty so to speak.
Right from the get go I had to question my own sanity for accepting this temporary role! I am exaggerating of course, but from my first step onto the tasting room floor everything was more complicated and busy than I could ever have expected.
The first visitors in for the day were tasting with a fairly intense looking notebook filled with detailed observations about each wine, and their questions were nothing short of expert. It was only 11am and I was already well out of my depth.
Julie, who is a regular host in the tasting room, acted as my mentor for the day and upon seeing the look of bewilderment on my face, smartly sent me to the back room to deal with dishwasher and glass polishing duties.
While I've loaded and unloaded many a dishwasher in my day, it became apparent that I was not actually that great at this. The sheer number of tasting glasses that get used in a day creates a constant need for glasses to be cleaned and polished. While I was thorough, I noticed that I worked about half the speed of Julie. When it came time to carry the glasses I could carry maybe four or five at best, Julie can carry twice this amount — my technique is clearly lacking.
After several rounds of dishwasher duty, I find myself back in the tasting room where I am running boxes of wine from the warehouse to the front as the supply levels dwindle in front. Also, with the number of white wines that Blue Mountain tastes it's always important to have the supply fridge stocked with the next few rounds of Sparkling Brut, Pinot Blanc, etc., so that the visitors can enjoy their wine tastings at the correct temperature. I'm breaking a sweat, but this is apparently normal.
Finally, just after lunch, the tasting room erupts into pandemonium…at least for me.
While I'm still sweating, Julie is looking quite calm dealing with the four groups of five or so that have just shown up. I see a chance to make myself useful, and bring glasses to the waiting folk and start pouring some wines in the small groups that have formed while waiting.
By this point I have become fully aware that about all I can do competently is be a good host, tell some bad jokes, and keep people happy, which in some sense is what wine is really all about — fun times, good people, and good conversation — simple moments. Still, I’m looking over at Julie for approval as I’m starting to realize that things are a bit different on this side of the bar.
Around mid afternoon I finally start to hit my stride, and this whole tasting room adventure is becoming less stressful and much more fun. The sheer variety of people that come into the tasting room is fascinating, and there are literally people from all over the world that come to visit. Older folk, younger folk, wine connoisseurs, and newbies, that all share a common interest in wine.
Everything is going swimmingly until the barrage of technical questions begin in my sidebar tasting group. First a question about battonage, then carbonic maceration, then electric fencing in the vineyard, then Methode Traditionnelle champagne making, then about French Oak and forests in the nether regions of France, then about vineyard microclimate, then about corks vs. screw caps, then about…well, you get the idea. Thankfully by this point Blue Mountain's winemaker Matt Mavety has stepped into the tasting room and is able to answer all of these inquiries in great depth.
By the end of the day my feet are tired, I’ve talked to a couple hundred people, and I’m starting to wonder where I left my half-eaten sandwich. Perhaps Nikita or Chablis the vineyard dogs ate it while I wasn't looking.
Over the course of the day I had memorized most of the information available on the back of the bottle, and also picked up a lot of interesting knowledge from Matt & Julie. Most importantly though, it was a fun day for both me and hopefully for the people I had the opportunity to chat with.
While it was a completely humbling experience, I come away from this with a great appreciation for how much there is to know about wine, and the level to which many wine drinkers really want to learn about the craft of winemaking.
Next time I'm in for a tasting I will have an understanding of just how hectic things can be in these summer months, and will appreciate the knowledge of those behind the bar much more. Who knows, I may even moonlight on the other side of the tasting room again again if the good folk at Blue Mountain will let me.
The stories and happy visitors made for a hectically satisfying day!
Chris Stenberg is a guest contributor to the Blue Mountain Winery blog.
By day he is a media producer and online marketing consultant to the winery, and has spent a good deal of time around the wine industry in the Okanagan, but still considers himself a humble student, learning as much as he can one glass at a time.
Jul 18, 2012 at 3:40 PM
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