Made using amphora, Blue Grouse Estate Winery Pinot Noir 2019 is lush, elegant, and worthy of gold
The new Cowichan Valley release has already earned a coveted medal at the 2021 British Columbia Lieutenant Governor’s Wine Awards
Blue Grouse Estate Winery is situated on Vancouver Island in the Cowichan Valley. Photo by Jenny Garlini
Blue Grouse Estate Winery winemaker Bailey Williamson has been immersed in the world of wine for more than two decades, but the former chef has possibly never been more excited about a new release than he is now.
That’s because even prior to the official launch of Blue Grouse Estate Pinot Noir 2019, the wine has already been awarded a coveted gold medal in the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society’s 2021 British Columbia Lieutenant Governor’s Wine Awards. Approximately 800 wines were judged by a panel esteemed experts from across Canada and the U.S.
Rooted in the philosophy of stewardship, Blue Grouse Estate Winery is situated on Vancouver Island in the picturesque Cowichan Valley, which takes its name from the Coast Salish term Quw'utsun', meaning “land warmed by the sun”.
A sophisticated wine, Blue Grouse Estate Pinot Noir 2019 bursts with flavours of pine mushroom, baking spice, and white pepper with nicely balanced fruit, tannins, and acidity.
“The wine walks the line between elegant and complex, savoury and perfumed, lush but with tension,” Williamson says.
Blue Grouse Estate Winery winemaker Bailey Williamson. Photo by Jacqueline Downey, @gosnapjax
To achieve the Pinot Noir’s luscious, award-winning results, Williamson turned to amphora—large, oval-shaped, terracotta jars—for fermentation. Dating back to the ancient Greeks, the clay vessels are associated with today’s natural wine scene.
Heavily influenced by a glacial fluvial riverbed that passes through Blue Grouse estate, the south-facing Pinot Noir vines were planted between 1992 and 1994. The 2019 growing season was hot and dry with a cool period and some rain in early September. This slowed ripening and allowed for heady, mature aromatics. The grapes were hand-harvested and 100-percent organically farmed.
Photo by Jacqueline Downey, @gosnapjax
Taking a fresh approach to the Pinot Noir, Williamson fermented a portion of whole clusters in amphora. This gradual process required two rounds of foot stomping to generate juice, helping maintain a fruit-forward profile while keeping tannins in check. The vegan wine was then fermented slowly and steadily before pressing and was finished in amphora, new French puncheons, and neutral French oak barrels for 12 months before blending.
“I am most excited about this wine because it is where I envision the direction for Blue Grouse Pinot Noir heading in the future,” Williamson says. “With the experimentation I have been doing in the cellar, it feels like our ambitions are becoming clear and the quality and potential of Pinot Noir in the Cowichan Valley is beginning to be realized.”
The refined wine opens the door to many tantalizing pairing possibilities.
“To highlight the elegant and perfumed fruity notes I would pair this with salmon gravlax and caviar,” Williamson says. “If I were to accentuate the savoury and complex elements in it, I’d choose boeuf bourguignon with lots of chanterelles and wild mushrooms.”
Blue Grouse Estate Winery Pinot Noir 2019 can be found via the winery for $37.99.or at select retailers throughout the province.
For more information, see Blue Grouse Estate Winery.
Blue Grouse Estate Winery’s amphora. Photo by Jacqueline Downey, @gosnapjax