Kascadia 4 Pack
Black Swift Vineyards
Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada
Black Swift Vineyards is a premium wine venture based on the rapidly evolving regions of the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys.
Thus it is our quest to create the first exclusively single vineyard, multi-regional wine project in British Columbia; one which seeks to capture the diversity of our young, but exceptional region. We feel that it is only by focusing on the various smaller districts (which will one day no-doubt become officially recognized sub-appellations), that we can claim to pursue this project in earnest. It is our belief that this is the way to truly explore the notion of terroir in our great emerging region.
The linking of our project to the Black Swift is no coincidence. Native to the Okanagan, the rare sighting of a Black Swift is an experience prized by birders. It is famous for its high arching flight, slow and precise wing beat, and its unique reliance on a single egg for each year’s procreation. Inspired by this distinctive bird, we aspire to yield great wines…one vineyard at a time.
2015 BLACK SWIFT MONARCH SYRAH
A phenomenal Syrah from The Hatch in their Osoyoos bench. The nose has aromas of smoke and blackberry while the pallet has flavors of blackberry, pepper and smoke and leather. Beautiful long finish. Pure awesomeness!
Food Pairings
This Syrah pairs well with robust flavors and dense textured food items. Consider a hearty stew, or the smoky flavor of grilled meat such as lamb, pork and steak. Also, meaty pasta dishes like lasagna or bolognese and grilled tuna or steak. Portobello mushrooms, roasted eggplant, and a beet and goat cheese salad!
Benjamin Bridge
Gaspereau Valley, Nova Scotia, Canada
Over two short decades, Benjamin Bridge has distinguished itself as Canada's premier sparkling wine house. In 1999, it all started as a labour of love with Nova Scotian entrepreneurs Gerry McConnell and the late Dara Gordon. Gerry and Dara met as lawyers, who held similar values in their respective areas of practice, including the rights of workers, gender equality, and improving the Nova Scotia economy.
Inspired by the early grape growers and winemakers in the region, Gerry and Dara invested in years of research to discover whether region-defining wines could be produced in the Gaspereau Valley.
With expertise from Canada and the world’s top oenologists, led by its chief innovator and head winemaker, Jean-Benoit Deslauriers, Benjamin Bridge has been unwavering in the singular pursuit of reflecting its precise set of growing conditions as transparently as possible.
Gerry and Dara’s twin daughters Ashley & Devon McConnell-Gordon now lead the small family-like team. As stewards of lands located in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq First Nations, the team has carefully and meticulously grown Benjamin Bridge from a micro-boutique project into a dedicated sparkling wine house.
BENJAMIN BRIDGE NV BRUT
NV Brut is our in-house classic, layering richness from the older reserve wines with the vibrancy of young vintages. A non-vintage sparkling wine featuring a house style with blending components from our inaugural 2002 vintage, this handcrafted sparkling wine offers a true taste of our history.
In the glass, a pale golden colour with a straw hue. On the nose, the wine displays suggestions of smoke and lemon rind with strong sea minerals undertones. The palate is luscious, but with good intensity and vibrancy. Featuring both substantial structure and elegance, vibrant
notes of lime blossom and hints of smoke echo through an expressive finish.
BENJAMIN BRIDGE NV ROSÉ
Our NV Rosé captures the intriguing qualities of our Maritime climate and embodies our terroir’s unique ability to offer freshness, richness, minerality, and salinity all at once. Sibling to our flagship NV Brut, this méthode classique sparkling rosé sets itself apart with a hint of pink resulting from a skin soak of its Pinot Noir component, a slightly higher dosage, and a fruit-forward profile.
In the glass, a classic pale rosé colour. On the nose, suggestions of white cherries and strawberry rind with abundant sea minerals undertones. The palate is luscious but with good intensity and vibrancy. Hints of green apples and dried cranberries are magnified by the wine’s bright structure, unfolding in a lengthy mineral finish.
Recipe!
CARAMELIZED HONEY BAKED BRIE
Ingredients:
1 small wheel of brie or camembert
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp chili flakes
2 sprigs thyme, sage and/or rosemary, leaves removed from stems and chopped
Kosher salt & fresh black pepper
Fresh sourdough or a selection of your favourite crackers, to serve.
Hobo Wine Co.
Santa Rosa, California, USA
23 years later, and this hip affordable wine brand in Santa Rosa continues to thrive. Since day one, co-owners Lynn Wheeler and Kenny Likitprakongs' mission has been to produce affordable, delicious wines with minimal environmental impact.
Before launching Hobo Wine Co., Likitprakong had been working at Hallcrest Vineyards, a winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains that focused on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. After making his wine in Santa Cruz for three years, Likitprakong and Wheeler relocated Hobo Wine Co. to Sonoma County.
Many of the winery’s packaging choices have been driven by their determination to keep prices low, while reducing the winery’s carbon footprint along the way.
2022 HOBO CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Our Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is intended to be approachable, consumed relatively young, and a versatile food companion. We are always after a more subtle, more restrained, almost lighter style of Cabernet Sauvignon than what may be typical in California these days, but also something that is bright and characteristic of the variety. Lean and a little rustic like a lot of French wine, but fruit forward like the best of California.
The grapes for this wine come about 82% from our own block in Mitch Patin’s Lloyd Vineyard on West Soda Rock Road planted in 1998 towards the southern end of Alexander Valley on the banks of the Russian River. 11% comes from the Larrick Vineyard that we farm, and the remaining 7% is Malbec from J. Rickard in Cloverdale.
As always, this wine was produced more like a Pinot more than a Cab. Fermented in open-tops with native yeasts, punched down by hand, and racked to barrels before being aged in 2nd fill French oak barrels for 15 months.
Terah Wine Co.
Clements Hills AVA, California
A native Californian, Terah refined her unique style and found her love of wine by way of food and from her travels across the globe. She started her professional career in the hospitality industry studying at the International Culinary Institute in California. She then spent time working in wine bars, a Michelin-starred restaurant, wine education, and consulting in the Bay Area.
Terah ambitiously immersed herself into the international world of wine, studying Enology and Viticulture in both Spain and France. She completed 13 harvests covering five countries
"Terah Wine Co. practices minimal intervention in the cellar. Specifically, we want to maintain varietal typicity and vineyard expression in the finished product. For example, sulfur which is a naturally occurring by-product of fermentation is used minimally for stabilization purposes. We utilize science, personal experience, and intuition continuously in practice. Hand made in small batches, often with trials and experimentation. The goal is to push boundaries in an effort to consistently improve, excel, and make more enjoyable wine!"
2022 TERAH WINE CO. VERMENTINO
Vermentino is classically grown on the warm Mediterranean coasts of both Italy and Corsica. This grape is known primarily for being high in acid, and layered with minerality. Wine made from this grape typically screams for food, which is a perfect wine for the holidays!
Aromas of banana, lemon leaf, grapefruit pith, fresh fennel, and wool. On the palate, this wine has layers of texture, and a slight bit of grip from concrete aging while having a nice rounded oily finish. This wine is driven by its minerality, it's savory, sassy almost salty, and would be great with shellfish.
