To stay true to the unique terroir of this Comox Valley vineyard, 40 Knots Estate Vineyard and Estate Wines is taking further steps to sync its wine production with nature. The winery is going beyond organic with the addition this year of farm animals as opposed to chemicals to keep the vineyard in order. A visit to the winery will reveal that sheep are being employed to keep the vineyards trim, ducks are eating weeds and chickens are fighting those pesky bugs. Recently the vineyard guardian, a Whippet dog named Ziggy (named after the victory grape Siegerrebe), was featured as March’s poster girl in the SPCA 2015 Winery Dogs of BC Calendar and she also adorns the 2014 Ziggy Siegerrebe varietal wine.
40 Knots winemaker, Matt Dumayne, with 29 vintages under his belt from New Zealand, Washington, Oregon and now at Okanagan Crush Pad is making wines for Haywire and 40 Knots. Matt is well known for distinct balanced wines that showcase the terroir and the grape in its best form. Under the label 40 Knots, only estate-grown and -made wines are used from the varietals Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir, Schoenberger, Siegerrebe and Auxerrois. To realize how special this vineyard is, try the 2014 Whitecaps which is a blend showcasing all the white grapes in the vineyard.
To complete the portfolio of offerings a new label, Stall Speed, is introduced to distinguish origin of the Meritage and Merlot Icewine.
If you are a fan of brut, you’ll want to try Spindrift Brut, prepared in the traditional champagne method. The blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is perfect for any occasion; try with Island oysters, greeting guests, celebrating, lunches or even popcorn and a movie.
On the other end of the wine spectrum Safe Haven is an al porto wine with rich flavours of dried fruit and a warm finish. This one calls for a cheese plate, pumpkin pie or cheesecake. The 2013 vintage soon to be released will support the Comox Valley Project Watershed. Check out the label with a commissioned painting by Shirley Dickie.
~ Cassandra Anderton
(photo: Ziggy the dog!)