Haywire Winery Pinot Gris 2009

Clone 52, Switchback Vineyard
Summerland, Okanagan Valley, BC
$23-27

www.haywirewinery.com

Haywire adj Informal

1. (of things) not functioning properly; disorganized (esp in the phrase go haywire)

2. (of people) erratic or crazy (alluding to the disorderly tangle of wire removed from bales of hay)

The tongue-in-chic-ly named Haywire is a brand new winery owned and operated by wine consulting and marketing maven Christine Coletta, and her builder husband Steve Lornie. Anyone who has worked in a winery (or can imagine the dizzying lifestyle change from BMW-driving urbanites to tractor-wielding winery owners) will recognize how apt a name like Haywire is for such an all-encompassing and unpredictable operation. The 2009 Pinot Gris is their inaugural release, produced under the direction of local industry giant, and internationally recognized palate David Scholefield. It was recently announced that winemaking icon Alberto Antonini has also agreed to act as consulting oenologist for British Columbia’s newest winery, lured to the region by long-time colleague and friend Scholefield. Haywire’s 2010 vintage will be made by Mark Wendenburg, recently of Sumac Ridge, and now with his own consulting company.

So they have the background, the experience and the advice. The result? A fresh, bright and crisp Pinot Gris that sings Okanagan. Very pale yellow in the glass, with a bright perfume of red apple, pear, clover honey and citrus. The palate is vibrant lemon, herbs and gooseberry, with a very tart and zesty long grapefruit finish. Briny shellfish, local goat cheese, summer salads would love to go Haywire here.

Near future plans include continuing small lots of Switchback Vineyard Pinot Gris, along with a Pinot Noir sourced from Fritz Hollenbach’s Skaha vineyard in Penticton. Far future plans are to add a rosé and a sparkling wine. Be sure to follow the progress on their website – and don’t miss their laugh-out-loud ‘Ten Essential Steps to Ensure Success in the Wine Business” (www.haywirewinery.com/startingawinery)

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