How do you follow up an amazing banner year for a winery? For Eau Vivre Winery, winners of a Lieutenant Governor’s award for their Pinot Noir last year, it will start with amazing wines. “2012 was excellent,” says Winemaker Anthony Buchanan of the quality of last year’s vintage. “The fruit was awesome!” For fans of the winery’s now famous Pinot Noir, he added a little hint as to Eau Vivre’s future plans for that variety, “it looks like there will be a reserve series Pinot Noir.”
Buchanan is not only making sure that the next Pinot Noir will live up to previous vintages, but is also creating new and exciting wines to expand the portfolio even more. “In the spring, we’ll have our Riesling and our new white blend,” says proprietor Dale Wright.
The new white blend, which at press time did not yet have a name, will be the counterpart to the Buddhaful red blend that was first released last year. “It is predominantly Gewürztraminer,” says Buchanan, “with Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat, Chardonnay, and Riesling.” 43% is spending a little time in a third fill barrel with the rest in stainless steel tank. “We don’t want too much oak influence. It’s just to round it out, give it a little more weight.” This new wine will be a ‘wine shop only’ treat for people who make the trip to Cawston this spring or early summer. With only 60 cases produced, it’s unlikely to last through the season. A sample of the barreled portion of the blend yielded huge tropical flowers and perfume on the nose confirmed that this wine will pair perfectly with summer.
Stop into Eau Vivre’s wine shop and lively patio area this spring for a taste of summer in the Similkameen.
~ Luke Whittall