Tales from the Tasting Room – Summer

Summer is Here

Well is looks like Summer has finally arrived! (well sort of)

Like many of you when the weather turns warm my thoughts turn to the BBQ, great food and of course great wine. We recently did a tasting of our new 2018 Pinot Grigio and I was immediately transported to those wonderful summer days with friends and family, and especially a trip to Italy where I had a day that will live with me for a lifetime. A day spent exploring and discovering, culminating in a wonderful meal by the ocean of the freshest seafood and a wine that I came to love.

I immediately got in touch with some of my best friends and set about trying to recreate this experience, and let’s face it this is no easy feat for those of us in the hospitality industry! A date set and we were off, we are very lucky here in the Okanagan that we have access to some of the best ingredients around. We spent the morning gathering everything together – raiding gardens and some of our favorite fruit stands as well as our new best friend, the local fish monger. At the end of the day we gathered and started to create. Everyone was given a task and the patio was abuzz with stories and laughter, reminiscing some of our best times together.

Just as the sun had reached the horizon the meal was ready, the Pinot Grigio was chilled to perfection and it was time. We had been lucky enough to score some fresh in season Halibut. We seasoned it very simply with EVOO, Lemon, Lime and a bit of Herb de Province. Done to perfection on the BBQ with some beautiful new potatoes, greens with some fresh berries and melon, and some lovely baby vegetables. We took a moment to admire our work, everyone stuck in and there were a few moments of quiet as we all savoured the perfectly paired flavours of summer with the newly released Pinot Grigio. The delicateness of the Halibut struck just the right note with the crisp citrus notes in the Pinot, and the addition of the Herb de Provence melded wonderfully with the lingering finishing note of pear and melon. Each note would linger and then perfectly evolve seamlessly to the next creating almost a dance on the palate that only left you wanting more.

Soon the last morsel had disappeared and over another glass we continued the easy banter that can only be achieved with those closest to you. All too soon it was time to call the evening to a close, but with a promise that we will get together again soon. While this was not the same as that day in Italy in a lot of ways this was better, a day spent with those closest to me and memories created that will come to me every time that I find a fresh bottle of Pinot Grigio in my fridge.

July 18, 2019 | Preston Radford