Kraze Legz Winery is a winery that first attracts wine lovers with their jovial labels, and then brings them back with the quality of wine in the bottle. Now in their fourth vintage, every wine the winery has released has been awarded medals from a wide variety of major industry competitions. Influenced by a special terroir, the grapes are grown in shale and fossilized sandstone soil on steep slopes where the morning sun heats the soil that then radiates heat throughout the day. Skaha Lake mitigates the temperature and cools the grapes with its evening lake breezes. All fruit is estate-grown and hand harvested only when full ripeness is achieved. Kraze Legz is therefore able to control each aspect of the winemaking process, ensuring consistency.
While a winery visit is indeed recommended to enjoy both the wines and the amazing valley, vineyard and lake views, if you can’t make it up to their little Okanagan paradise, while in Vancouver, you can stop by Urban Winery, located just east of Main Street at 55 Dunlevy where they pour Kraze Legz stellar wines on tap. Sip on the Bee’s Knees, a 100% Pinot Blanc, the Cakewalk, a 100% Merlot, or All That Jazz, a red blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot (all of Kraze Legz reds are aged a minimum of 16 months only in French Oak barrels) and order up a few snacks at this unique venue and make an afternoon of it. Check vancouverurbanwinery.com for details and hours.
My Sweet Patootie 2012 Merlot Icewine
New this vintage, this little bottle of decadence is named after a 1920’s term of endearment and backs itself up with some definite endearing qualities. Silky notes of strawberry freezer jam, cherries and huckleberries with hints of mint. Well-balanced and soft as velvet, it definitely leaves one craving chocolate, or a dense fruit-topped cheesecake.
~ Cassandra Anderton