Last week we had a wonderful visit with John Glavina at Giant Head Estate Winery. The Winery overlooks Lake Okanagan from the sandy benches below Giant’s Head Mountain in Summerland.
When we arrived at the tasting room John was in full flight telling a couple from Langley about the nuances of the local wine scene.
If you haven’t spent time with John you have missed the opportunity of conversing with one of Okanagan’s most passionate winemakers and storyteller.
John Glavina was born in Montreal. During his college days, he was a skilled bartender and later he coached hockey in both Canada and the US. Before winemaking, he had a successful career in Information Technology. This included 4 years with IBM as an employee and for his own consulting firm, Glavina & Associates that had contracts with private and public firms in both BC and Oregon State.
He and his wife, Jinny, an electrical engineer, took a French vacation in Gevrey-Chambertin in 1998 and discovered great Pinot Noir which ignited their interest in growing their own wine.
The Giant Head Estate Vineyard has been in production since 2008 with the four-acre plot planted with Pinot Noir, Merlot, Riesling and Gewürztraminer.
Giant Head Mountain
Giant’s Head Mountain in Summerland, BC is an inactive 65 million-year-old volcano. It has had a direct impact on the soil composition and micro-climate on the bench below the mountain.
This soil contains glacial till, granite and volcanic ash. It is interesting to look at this fine brown silt on the bench, rich in nutrients, as compared with the white sandy soil on Okanagan Lake.
The view of the mountain from Giant Head Estate Winery has an uncanny resemblance to a man’s head, tilted downward and to the left.
The vineyards below the mountain, also benefit from the canyon through which trout creek flows. These vineyards get cool breezes throughout fall ripening and assist in creating intense flavours and the retention of acidity.
It is no wonder that some of the best wines in Summerland are grown below this mountain.
John Glavina – Giant Head Estate Winery
Canyonview Vineyard
The Canyonview Vineyard is in a valley below the Summerland Research Station, with a view of the Kettle Valley rail trestle on the last remaining section of that railroad.
One of the most storied vineyards in Summerland is Krimo Souilah’s Canyonview Vineyard the home of 4 acres of exceptional Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Krimo was barrel salesman and a former French and Napa winemaker when he bought the property in 2004 with a winery in mind.
Over the last decade, the fruit has been purchased by a number of wineries, including Okanagan Crush Pad Winery and Bench 1775. Giant Head Estate winery had access to the fruit in 2016 and 2017 and produced wines under the Canyonview label.
In 2018, Ron Kubek of Lightning Rock Winery purchased the Canyonview Vineyard.
With this background on the Summerland terroir, here are the wines we tasted at Giant Head Estate Winery, hiding behind their COVID-19 protection plexiglass.
Giant Head Sauvignon Blanc 2019 ($19.91)
13.0% Alcohol | pH 3.2|TA 6.9 gm/L| RS < 0.5 gm/L|
The grapes are sourced from the Waters and Banks Vineyard, which is perched on the bench above Giant Head Estate Winery. Whole cluster press, stainless steel fermented, no malolactic fermentation, no oak, cold sterile filtered.
Dry with tropical flavours of passion fruit, mango and guava around a citrus backbone of lemon, lime and grapefruit pith. 91 Points
Giant Head will be releasing an ultra-premium Sauvignon Blanc later this summer produced with partial oak and malolactic treatment. The fruit for this wine was also sourced from the Waters and Banks Vineyard.
Giant Head Blanc de Noir 2016 ($31.22)
The 2016 Blanc de Noir is made from a whole cluster of Pinot Noir grapes.
A very pleasant sparkler with a beautiful pale copper tint. This dry, crisp wine shows a finesse of texture wrapped in green apple, preserved lemon and vanilla. Good balance and a creamy mousse. 91 Points.
The wine was awarded “Best of Category – Charmat Method – Northwest Wine Summit 2016”.
Giant Head Rosé 2019 ($22.52)
This exceptional Rosé is made from Pinot Noir grapes. Previous vintages of the estate Rosé have been Merlot dominant. Another bone-dry wine with aromas of watermelon and strawberry. On the palate, more watermelon, grapefruit and guava. A crisp elegant Rosé that is suited for both standalone drinking and also works well with food. 91 Points
Giant Head Rosé 2017
Made from Merlot, it is pale cherry red in colour. The nose is delicate with aromas of raspberry, rhubarb and strawberry with floral and earthy undertones. Light bodied with good balance. Crisp and refreshing on the palate with flavours of strawberry, grapefruit and watermelon. 90 Points
Canyonview Chardonnay 2017
The Harvest and Winemaking
Winter started early in 2017 and we had freezing temperatures, including snow and ice in the first few days of November.
For the 2017 vintage, we utilized two harvest dates, October 12 & October 16, gathering 2 tons of perfect fruit each time with the intent of getting some nice acids on the first pick and some excellent flavours on the second pick.
The berries were destemmed and pressed without crushing. The resulting juice settled and within a week, the fermentation had started in a number of stainless steel tanks.
Within a couple of weeks of harvest, the fermenting juice was moved to barrels (around 17 Brix). Healthy lees were added to all barrels, some received more than others. 10 D&J (Dargaud et Jaegle) French oak barrels <1> were used and 30% of these were new.
My cousin founded Meridiana in 1985 in Europe and the Antinori family later became his winemaking partner when the venture was up and running. Meridiana uses the same D&J barrels for their Chardonnay. It is interesting that Chardonnay can grow in such different climates.
Within a month of harvest, the wine in the barrels was dry (fermentation completed) and the new vintage of Chardonnay was mostly left alone for the next 10 months. The exceptions: barrels were topped every 6 weeks in winter, monthly starting in spring.
Battonage was used infrequently during fermentation, only when there was a concern, however, all barrels were stirred in the spring, unless the barrel was already somewhat leesy.
The 2017 vintage does differ from the heavier, richer 2016 vintage that was recommended by Jancis Robinson <2>
John Glavina
Tasting Notes
A bright and fresh Chardonnay with aromas of stone fruits and red apples. On the palate, tropical fruit, apples, subtle butter undertones, lemon zest and a dusting of flint. 93 points
Giant Head Pinot Noir 2018 ($39.04)
The Giant Head vineyard is planted with 40-year-old pinot noir clones from Germany. This natural wine is un-fined and un-filtered, aged 10 months in barrel, 30% new oak. All of the top Giant Head Pinots use Robert Mondavi Opus One barrel. 14.1% alcohol.
On the nose, violets, a hint of vanilla and smoke. Flavours of black cherry, forest floor and spice. An intense and silky Pinot Noir with the integration of quality French oak. 92 Points.
The Giant Head pinots are able to support the higher alcohol level due to the degree of fruit extraction and the higher acid levels. The fresh night air comes down the canyon and also down from Giant Head mountain and cools everything to maintain the acid level. This means we can pick in late October and still make a well-ballanced wine.
John Glavino
Canyonview Pinot Noir 2017 ($47.74)
A soft and bright vintage aged 18 months in French oak barrels. 540 cases produced. 13.5% alcohol.
Pale crimson in hue, wild blackberry, summer strawberry, scented leather is imbued with a dusky earthiness and a hint of black pepper. Tannins are slight and taut. This is a more elegant style than the 2016 vintage. Distinctly Canyonview, earthy and fruit-driven. 94 Points.
Tasted in April 2022, the Pinot is maturing beautifully with the toasted oak mellowing as expected and the tannins are smooth.
To buy any of these excellent wines please visit the Giant Head Estate Winery website.
References
- Dargaud et Jaegle barrels
- Canada’s Wild West of wine, Jancis Robinson, 1 Jun 2019
Note: The Canyonview Pinot Noir 2017 tasting notes were updated in April 2022.