Wine Profile

Viognier grows at our Perfect Hedge Vineyard in Osoyoos. An hour south of the Naramata Bench winery site, this vineyard is hotter and provides the extra heat units that Viognier requires to ripen fully. 

The 2022 vintage produced a lush version of Viognier. The combination of a late spring and late fall resulted in aromas of ripe pear and yellow apple along with Rainier cherry and white peach. The oak softened the acidity while adding a spicy character with a ripe and round finish. This full-bodied style of Viognier will pair nicely with spicy Crab Cakes

Insider Tip: The trick with Viognier is to get optimal ripeness without losing acidity, thus choosing the right day to pick is critical.

winemaking notes

The grapes were whole cluster pressed and fermented in 69% neutral French oak, and 31% concrete eggs, and aged sur lie for 6 months. 

Our winemaking team has been using concrete eggs since 2011, however they have been used in winemaking for centuries. Concrete fermenters are slightly porous thus allowing the wine to breathe, while the egg shape keeps the wine in constant movement.

Vintage Notes

The 2022 season kicked off late with a cool start to the season and finished with an amazingly warm and dry fall. The microclimates within the vineyards played a large role in the ripening of different varietals as the right slope and aspect can help collect warmth on the cooler days. Bud break and flowering was delayed by about two weeks with the cool weather, but August and September came through with higher-than-average temperatures which luckily lasted through most of October as well, ensuring that our late-ripening reds matured.

We harvested our first fruit on September 21st for our traditional method sparkling wine, Chardonnay from our Thomas Ranch vineyard in OK Falls. The vines produced close to average yields despite our extra crop thinning efforts to ripen the fruit in what we thought could be a shorter window. The hot and dry weather in October was invaluable, resulting in more intense aromatics in our late ripening whites and reds with concentration and finesse. Expect to see wines with more natural acidity and balance this vintage.

vineyard source

The Viognier is from of our Perfect Hedge Vineyard in Osoyoos and Bullpine in Okanagan Falls.