C.C. Jentsch Cellars wants you to know where they are. It’s not hard to find them but somehow their winery on Highway 97 south of Oliver gets missed. With a large parking lot, two entrances, a neon sign, and a large oak barrel sitting on the side of the road, there is no longer any reason to drive by this winery. You will be missing more than a winery; you will be missing out on some amazing wines.
With a cascade of awards in 2015, the wines of C.C. Jentsch (rhymes with “bench”) received a lot of attention last year. Winemaker Amber Pratt’s astute handling of grapes grown on the Golden Mile Bench since 2013 have brought out a consistency of style that will be the focus of the Small Lots series of wines. The Small Lots to be released this season include the 2014 Malbec, 2015 Viognier, and 2015 Chardonnay along with two highly anticipated newcomers to the portfolio: the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2014 Cabernet Franc. All Small Lots wines are extremely limited so don’t miss the opportunity to get yours.
Of course not all of the wines will be single varieties. Fans of their flagship wines The Chase and The Quest will be able to sample those throughout the summer. The Dance, the popular rosé will not be available for the 2015 vintage however there are still 2014’s available to meet all of your rosé needs.
All wine will be available mainly in the wine shop, which is open daily 10-6 throughout the summer. C.C. Jentsch has even installed convenient Tesla and EV-60 chargers for your EV while you relish in tasting their small lots. Don’t miss it!
~ Luke Whittall