Tasting Note Terravista has made a name for itself with Spanish varieties. Verdejo is an important white variety in the Rueda region near the Duero River in central Spain. Mencia is a red making some awesome reds, and roses, in the Bierzo region in the north. Both are warmer regions than B.C. to be sure, but they are also high altitude and dry, as is the Okanagan. The Verdejo nicely captures green pineapple tropicality, but delivers brisk, firm balanced B.C. texture. There is also a vaguely green/minty sauvignon blanc-like note. The acidity is mouthwatering; the flavour intensity and length are excellent. The Mencia Rosé is from the first mencia vineyard in Canada and was such a curiosity that it sold out at the winery within days of release. It pours fairly pink/bronze, deep in colour. It has a generous, unusual nose of strawberry jam, pomegranate seed and a dominant dried flower/hay-like note. It is medium bodied, quite smooth rich with a dry finish. The length is good to very good.

Backgrounder Terravista farms sustainably on a southwestern slope of till sediments and stony soils above Naramata Road, which are ideal for aromatic whites with crisp acidity. Smartly, they stand out by making excellent wines from unusual varieties. There are the two Spanish varieties mentioned here plus albarino originally from Galicia, a blend of verdejo and albarino called Fandango, and marsanne from the Rhone Valley. The Verdejo is from the Lone Hand Ranch and Naramata Outlook Vineyard sites, and the organic Krebb’s Vineyard. Grapes were hand-picked in two lots and gently whole-cluster pressed into stainless steel and concrete for fermentation then aged on lees for five months. The Mencia Rosé is from two blocks planted in 2021. They were hand harvested, given one hour of skin contact, then fermented and aged in 60% steel and 40% neutral barrels.