Background
South Langley
“In 2000 – this is where it all started for Township 7 Vineyards & Winery – in the 7th Township of Langley. While some things have changed, like signage and our new cellar style tasting room, our principles and focus have not. We are just about making quality wine and nothing else.
Off the highway and “Metro Vancouver adjacent”, our Fraser Valley winery is set in a lush agricultural landscape, surrounded by green vistas and the occasional trot by of an equine explorer. Grape growing? Yes. Explore your inner wine geek without leaving the Lower Mainland and get to know this gem that has bubbly ambitions.
Here, our Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines are destined for sparkling wine from a vineyard perfect for growing these noble grapes in the Champagne style.
Naramata
The Township 7 Naramata winery opened in 2004 and in 2018 the 12-acre Blue Terrace Vineyard near Oliver was purchased.
The Naramata estate vineyard is gently sloping and west-facing on the Naramata Bench by Lake Okanagan. This allows air drainage for a high number of frost-free days and excellent exposure to the afternoon sun.
The Winemaker – Mary McDermott
Winemaker, Sommelier, Explorer. Mary’s wine journey began as a Sommelier at Niagara’s fine dining restaurant, Inn on the Twenty, while finishing her Bachelor of Science in Oenology and Viticulture at Brock University. Obtaining her first taste of winemaking, she landed at Niagara-on-the-Lake’s prestigious Stratus Vineyards as a cellar hand and then assistant cellarmaster at Cave Spring Cellars. Soon thereafter, Mary joined Niagara’s premier winery family, Peller Estates premium wineries; Trius Winery at Hillebrand and Thirty Bench as their winemaker.
A desire to pursue a lifelong dream of crafting small production wines in the Okanagan Valley prompted Mary’s move in 2014 to Township 7 Vineyards & Winery. Now with multiple vineyards to oversee, two locations for Township 7, and many small-lot wines to craft, Mary is a calm and collected wealth of winemaking knowledge. She believes winemaking starts in the vineyard. Mary works closely with the viticulture team to recognize the nuances of each site. Mary’s wine philosophy is – “each bottle should take you somewhere, and express where it came from”.
2019 Harvest
January 2019 was unseasonably warm and was followed by a cold February resulting in isolated vine and bud damage and lowering overall yield. A cool April brought a slow start to the season, however, things warmed up towards the month’s end. May and June were the second hottest of the last two decades. This resulted in average timing for bud break and flowering, with standard vigour levels in the spring.
The vintage continued to be moderate with a smoke-free summer in July and August seeing average temperatures, with no heat spikes that would temporarily shut down vine growth. Extra vineyard management was required as the unusual winter conditions led to primary, secondary and tertiary buds experiencing bud break at different times. This produced variation in growth stages resulting in significant green harvesting and canopy management. On the flip side, the smoke-free year delivered bright sunlight with vines in good condition, progressing as normal.
September started warm and dry with many of the earlier ripening varieties harvested right on schedule. The second week of September saw the weather change, becoming cooler with small amounts of rainfall slowing ripening and drawing out the harvest for later ripening grape varieties. This resulted in slightly lower grape sugar levels but allowed plenty of time for the tannins to develop.
The start of October saw the return to more typical dry conditions. Ripening continued until the Thanksgiving weekend. An early frost affected many of the vineyards, with vines losing their leaves. Fortunately, most of our sites avoided the frost, allowing the grapes to hang into late October.
The 2019 vintage was similar to recent years in growing degree days (GDD) but felt cooler as much of the warmth came earlier in the season.
Overall, the 2019 vintage was a moderately cool vintage with wines showing juicy and vibrant fruit, crisp acidity, moderate alcohol levels and ripe tannins in the red wines.
The Wines
Township 7 Benchmark Series Gewürztraminer 2019 ($26.97)
The fruit for the Gewürztraminer is from the Casorso family’s Vista Lago Vineyard in Oliver and Township 7’s Naramata estate vineyard. The Vista Lago vineyard is situated on an Eastern slope facing Tuc-el-Nuit Lake with gravelly, sandy loom soil.
The juice for this vintage was put into stainless steel and 5 natural French Oak barrels. The stainless steel portion was fermented at 12 oC for 4 weeks which maintains the aromatics. The barrel portion of the fruit was fermented spontaneously to give weight and fullness to the palate.
13.5% Alcohol | pH 3.36 | TA 6.2 g/L | RS 5.2 g/L
A beautifully aromatic Gewürztraminer with aromas of rose petals, lychee, orange and ginger. On the palate, mandarin orange, yellow peach, apricot and a smooth rich texture. 91 Points.
Also pairs with fresh BC Halibut with a tangy orange and ginger glaze.
Township 7 Provenance Series Chardonnay 2019 ($22.97)
The Chardonnay was predominantly sourced (75%) from Vista Lago Vineyard with small additions from other locations in Oliver. 50% was fermented in French barriques, with the remaining 50% in stainless steel. The wine in the barrel then underwent malolactic fermentation to enhance the texture further. The stainless-steel portion maintains the bright, natural acidity.
13.3% Alcohol | pH 3.59 | TA 7.4 g/L | RS 4.8 g/L
The lightly oaked Chardonnay has aromas of ripe apple, pineapple, Meyer lemon and baking spices. Flavours of golden apple, white peach and lemon with a creamy mouthfeel and a trace of minerality. 90 Points.
Serve with cedar plank grilled salmon.
Township 7 Benchmark Series Reserve Chardonnay 2020 ($31.97)
Crafted with grapes from the Naramata estate vineyard and two premium vineyards in Oliver. The wine was spontaneously fermented in 100% French oak barrels, of which 15% were new. The barrels enjoyed bâttonage for eight weeks, to increase lees contact and add roundness to the palate. The wine underwent partial malolactic fermentation to soften any harsh acidity for a rich and textured mouthfeel.
Alcohol 14.3% / pH 3.47 / TA 6.4 g/L / RS 4.9 g/L – Vegan wine
This is the bold, oaked style of Chardonnay I prefer. Vibrant and rich aromas of green apple, lemon zest and vanilla. On the palate, more apple, white peach, tropical fruit, caramel with a complex buttery mouthfeel. A perfectly balanced rich wine with a clean persistent finish. 93 Points.
The chardonnay would also pair well with roasted chicken and chutney or grilled sablefish with an orange pineapple glaze
Township 7 Provenance Series Merlot 2019 ($26.97)
This vintage was crafted with Merlot from the estate North Oliver Bench’s Blue Terrace Vineyard. Smaller portions were added from Remuda Vineyard in Okanagan Falls, and Front Yard Vineyard in Naramata.
In Oliver, the rich, rocky soils provide a foundation for superior grape quality. The grapes from Okanagan Falls add great structure and fruit the Naramata Bench adds complexity and dimension to the blend.
Two to three weeks of maceration time resulted in a wine with rich fruit extraction and satisfying tannins. Aged in American and French barrels for 18 months add caramel and vanilla notes that mellow the mouthfeel.
Alcohol 14.5% / pH 3.56 / TA 6.2 g/L / RS 3 g/L
A big, rich Merlot with aromas of blackberry, cedar and vanilla. Flavours of black cherry, black currant, toasted oak, dark chocolate, caramel and vanilla with earthy notes and firm tannins. The wine has complexity and a long finish. Built with structure for ageing. 90 Points
Here is the link to purchase these BC wines from Township 7 Vineyards & Winery