LaStella Winery can be found on Osoyoos Lake in the sunny South Okanagan valley. The vineyards produce great fruit and the talented winemaking team creates wines such as Allegretto, Vivace Maestoso and Fortissimo. Each wine has its own story and is named after Italian musical notes.
The lakefront acreage was acquired and put together as one entity in 2004. Foad Rafii is the architect and designer of the Tuscan-style villa and winery.
While the villa was being constructed, the vines were planted and La Stella enjoyed its first vintage in 2006. For the tasting room, Foad Rafii added terra cotta floors, blue Azzurri granite counters, marine blue Murano hand blown glass lights from Venice and deep, dark, richly stained wood. The doors opened to visitors in 2008.
The Wines
We were fortunate to taste the following four wines with our host Allan at La Stella in late March, the same week we visited Le Vieux Pin. The earlier article also includes information on the La Stella Winemaker and Vineyards – Le Vieux Pin – Where old world meets the new world.
La Stella Vivace Pinot Grigio 2020
Indeed not your typical BC PG, Vivace is a sleek, slender version, built less around ripe orchard fruits, and more around Grigio’s citrus character. From vines in their mid-teens, this was picked early, and fermented and rested for a few months on fine lees in stainless, further enhancing the bright fruit.
Floral aromas with stone fruit and citrus notes. Flavours of green apple, green melon, pear and lime zest. Light to medium-bodied (12.6% alcohol), bone dry with bright acidity and mineral notes. 91 Points
The wine is a perfect match for BC Oysters.
LaStella Lastellina Rosato 2020
The 2020 Lastellina Rosato is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Sangiovese from the Southern Okanagan. Made with a mix of saignée and direct press.
Salmon colour. Notes of strawberry, raspberry and bing cherry. Medium to light bodied with medium acidity and flavours of cranberry and red currant. A great, versatile summer wine. This sophisticated pink is built for food, and cracking this summer. 90 Points
LaStella Fortissimo 2018
The Super Tuscan is 57% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc and 8% Sangiovese. Aged in large format puncheons and Hungarian/Slavonian oak so the oak doesn’t overpower the wine.
This youngster is certain to improve with age. Opens with an abundance of red and black cherries. Flavours of more cherry, cigar, black tea and toasty oak. Full palate with smooth tannins and that lovely long finish. 93 Points.
Paired perfectly with Chicken Marsala.
LaStella Moscato D’Osoyoos 2019
Moscato d’Asti is a spritzy wine blend of Moscato Bianco, Muscat Ottonel, and OrangeMuscat from Osoyoos Lake District. The vines are now up to 10 years old, happily growing on heavy clay/gravel soils.
Under 10% alcohol, this is the perfect aperitif. The light spritz lifts of orange blossom, peach rind, rose petal and melon. On the palate white peach, mandarin orange and melon. The ultimate breakfast, or light fruit dessert wine. 91 points
Please visit the LaStella Winery website to purchase these outstanding BC wines.