What strikes you first about the Nighthawk Vineyards wines?
The labels!
Nighthawk Vineyards is proud to feature the inspiring artwork of renowned Okanagan artist Alex Fong on all of their labels. Alex is a good friend of the owners, Daniel and Christy Bibby, and has truly captured the majestic view from the vineyard, bringing the local Nighthawks to the forefront. Alex Fong has a personal style that has become his hallmark. His translucent, impressionistic paintings are distinguished by a parade of coloured flecks that he calls ‘confetti’, to represent his celebration of life. The result is an exquisite balance of spontaneity and grace.
Daniel and Christy Bibby purchased Nighthawk Vineyards in 2014. The boutique farm gate winery is located in Okanagan Falls close to See Ya Later Ranch.
The vineyard which slopes toward Green Lake covers 10 acres (5 acres Gewurztraminer, 3 acres Pinot Noir and 2 acres Chardonnay). They also work with Sonora Pines Vineyard in Oliver, who exclusively grow their Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah. I first met Daniel pouring his fine BC wines at Garagiste North in Kelowna.
Vintage 2016
“The 2016 season was a hard one to predict, as it was one of the earliest starts to the season in recent history with record temperatures hitting over 40 degrees in April. Ironically the harvest season featured many weeks of rain, which caused a few complications, but overall it was a great growing season. For the first time, we held a few rows of Gewurztraminer to make our first dessert wine, which proved to be a huge success. On December 18th temperatures fell below -15 degrees for a couple of days, so we did a “family harvest” in our snowsuits with an amazing result…the 2016 Late Harvest Gewurztraminer received Special Select status.”
Daniel Bibby
The Nighthawk Vineyards Wines
Nighthawk Vineyards Gewurztraminer 2016
The high altitude estate vineyard imparts aromatic elegance and minerality, distinctive to this Gewurztraminer. The grapes were hand-harvested and sorted followed by a whole berry gravity “crush”, with minimal skin contact. After fermentation, the wine was racked into stainless steel where it was cold stabilized, filtered and bottled. This is an exceptional fruit-forward wine. The luscious stone and tropical fruits jump right out of the glass. The Gewurztraminer features white peach, nectarine, grapefruit, pineapple, floral notes and spice; it’s smooth on the mid-palate with a crisp long finish. Pairs well with spicy Asian dishes, roast ham, roast pork tenderloin, grilled chicken, or great on its own.
2019 Best of BC Wine Awards – Silver Medal
Nighthawk Vineyards Chardonnay 2018
Aged for 10 months in French Oak, this delicate wine features aromatic elegance and mineral complexity distinctive to the high-altitude vineyard. Aromas of butterscotch, green apple, peach and lemon. It is medium-bodied, silky and smooth on the mid-palate with a crisp long finish.
Nighthawk Vineyards Rosé 2016
12.5% Alcohol. A crisp and vibrant wine, with the aromas and taste of raspberry, rhubarb, and watermelon. With a limited time on French Oak, the Pinot Noir Rosé features delicate floral notes and minerality, creating a textured mouthfeel. A perfect pairing with fresh BC oysters or crab, cured meats, sharp cheeses, or as a summer patio wine.
Nighthawk Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2018
Medium body with soft tannins, bright acidity and 14% alcohol. Hints of ripe raspberries, black currant, dark chocolate, tobacco, and vanilla bean. It has subtle fragrant notes with a charming, aromatic elegance, and a soft but structured mouthfeel.
Nighthawk Vineyards Pinot Noir 2017
This medium-bodied Pinot is as smooth as velvet. The estate Pinot Noir features delicate hints of ripe cherries and raspberries, vanilla bean, and the minerality distinctive to the high-altitude vineyard. Finished in Tuscan concrete tanks creates a textured mouthfeel. My favourite pairing is with BBQ salmon.
Please go to the Nighthawk website to order these excellent BC wines.