By Darcy Nybo
The sun is shining, the grapes are growing, and Red Rooster has some great new wines to enjoy this summer. Sit under the trees surrounding the vineyard, or enjoy a flight of wine on the patio overlooking the lake. Flights are designed for you to sample small-production and hard-to-find reserve wines. The tasting fee is waived with purchase. Due to limited seating, reservations are highly recommended. Just give Red Rooster a call at 250-492-2424 and they’ll find you a seat at the tasting table.
New Sparkling Wines at Red Rooster
New and exciting for Red Rooster, their first NV Brut has been in the works for years, and it’s now been released.
Celebrate the everyday with this delicious sparkling wine. Let the bubbles tickle your nose as aromas of citrus and apples greet you. It has a creamy texture and a deliciously nutty finish.
“This non-vintage Brut is Red Rooster’s first sparkling,” Burke Ganton of Red Rooster explained.
“It’s a traditional-method sparkling wine with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. All grapes were sourced in the Okanagan Valley.”
Most will agree this sparkling wine pairs well with almost everything, from Eggs Benedict to rich seafood dishes. “Bubbles are a jack of all trades,” Ganton said. “Go ahead, experiment.
There’s almost no wrong pairing to go with this inviting, bright, refreshing wine. Serve it chilled, kick back and enjoy.”
Rare Bird Syrah 2016
Red Rooster has created yet another award-worthy wine with their 2016 Syrah. “This wine is co-fermented with just a splash of Viognier,” Ganton said. “It’s got a light pepper hit and lots of black fruit. It’s a really lovely, smooth, complex Syrah that goes absolutely amazingly with chocolate. If you like savoury foods, it is great with meaty and cheesy dishes; for example, a sausage lasagna. It’s also a nice barbeque accompaniment with a sweet essence of smoke to it.”
Red Rooster is well-known for award-winning Syrah. “We make very good cool-weather, expressive Syrahs here,” Ganton said. “We’ve won multiple Lieutenant Governor’s awards with it. Because ours is a Rare Bird, you can only get it through our wine club. Come pick it up at the wine shop or order it online.”
Rare Bird Pinot Gris 2018
This Pinot Gris is one of those wines that is perfect to sip after a long day. “I call our Pinot Gris lemonade for adults,” Ganton said. “It’s great with light summery meals. It has a lovely mouthfeel: not too airy or light. Imagine green apple and green pear.” This wine pairs fantastically with crab cakes, smoked salmon with cream sauces, pasta and seafood in cream sauces, quiches or sweet potato ravioli.
“It’s perfect for nice sunny Okanagan days,” Ganton said. “As it is from our Rare Bird collection, it is small-batch and only available through the wine club or in person at the winery. Our Rare Bird Club members only get Rare Bird wines. However, if you aren’t a member yet, and come to the winery, you get a bonus by being able to taste and purchase it here.”
Rare Bird Rosé 2019
While sipping this rosé blend, it’s easy to imagine yourself relaxing in a courtyard in the middle of the afternoon. This blend is made up of Pinot Noir, Malbec, Syrah and a dash of Grenache.
The Perks of the Wine Club
Want to be able to enjoy a seated tasting for free with up to five of your friends? Join the club and you can. Red Rooster has two wine club programs you can choose from: the Adopt-a-Row program and the Rare Bird Club.
The Adopt-a-Row program is a great way for members to handle the plants and the grapes and, in the end, get a bottle of the wine they had a part in creating. If members don’t want to toil in the vineyards, they can come and watch Red Rooster staff toil away.
The Rare Bird Club offers members three wine deliveries per year, as well as recipes, tasting notes, and discounts on Classic and Rare Bird Series wines, as well as merchandise and free shipping on 12 or more bottles. In addition, you receive a 15% discount on all wine purchases.