The Canada Day long weekend is finally here and hopefully the nasty weather of ‘Juneuary’ is behind us so that we can start thinking about summer.  For me, summer means warm sunny days full of alfresco dinning on the patio with friends and family.  I would have to say that my ‘go to’ summer wine of choice would have to be the 2009 SHV Syrah Rose but, depending on what foods we are serving, that also could be the 2009 SHV  Sauvignon Blanc.  As for my wife, (she is a red wine lover) she will be depending on the SHV Heritage Block blend to go with any BBQ’s this summer.

If you are looking for some other recommendations, food and wine columnist Beppi Crosariol of the Globe and Mail just published an article titled Happy Canada Day – it’s time to sip some home-grown vin . His comments about the 2008 SHV Syrah were, “it is a powerful, concentrated wine, fermented with 9-per-cent viognier, the aromatic white grape that can add glorious complexity to red syrah, as it does in Cote-Rotie. Flavours of spice, herbs and tar dance on a bed of rich plum and cherry. Pair it with lamb or game. The French might call it magnifique”.  

In the same article he also had this to say about the 2008 SHV Viognier, “a compelling white that’s crafted in the image of Condrieu, the classic Rhone wine based on the viognier grape. It reminds me of orange marmalade on toast, only without the sugar and gluten. Perfectly dry, it’s opulent in texture, with additional nuances of flowers and anise, all lifted by just the right amount of acidity. It would be a fine choice for curries and other aromatic, spiced dishes”.

Another recommendation for summer wines came from Jurgen Goth, Uncorked columnist from the Vancouver Straight.  He had this to say about the 2009 SHV Syrah Rose, “If you love it pink, this is a truly brilliant food rosé that we’ll meet again when it gets to be best-of-the-year-roundup time (if there’s any left, that is.) To an abundance of Syrah, they’ve added nine-percent Viognier and a hint of Muscat, at one percent. The formula achieves a heady, full and fragrant wine with astonishing depth of fruit—berries and a hint of orange—resulting in one of the great rosés of my tasting experience. Seek it out as soon as you can, for when the summer really starts.

Enjoy your summer and I hope to see you soon at the winery.

Dwight

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