On the Vine: Smoke taint and the 2021 vintage

The growing number of wildfires in the interior has increased the risk of smoke taint in wine. The Okanagan Mountain fire in 2003 left heavy ash on the grapes in East Kelowna vineyards, ruining the vintage for CedarCreek, Summerhill Pyramid Winery, St. Hubertus and Pinot Reach, among others. Another fire almost reached into the Blue Mountain vineyard that year. The winery did bottle the 2003 wines. Its 2003 Pinot Noir was slightly toasty, but still quite drinkable.

In 2021, the massive Thomas Creek fire raged near Okanagan Falls for more than a month, saturating Blue Mountain’s vineyard with smoke. Several neighbouring vineyards were also affected. In others, the wind blew the smoke away before serious damage was done.Article content However, consumers should not avoid the 2021 vintage. Winemakers have learned how to avoid producing smoke-tainted wines. Since the smoke is on the skins, the first defence is limiting or avoiding skin contact during fermentation. There usually is no smoke taint in white wines for that reason. Smoke taint can also be stripped from wine. An Okanagan Falls company, Cellar Dweller Mobile Filter Service, operates a reverse osmosis unit that removes smoke taint for wineries.

Some consumers even like a hint of smoke. A few vintages ago, winemaker Lyndsay O’Rourke, one of the owners of Tightrope Winery, was about to make an insurance claim for a lightly smoke-tainted wine when it won a silver medal at competition. She released the wine.Article content A bigger concern is the availability of 2021 wines. Because climate issues reduced berry size and yields, most wineries reduced production between 30 and 50 per cent. Other than the occasional smoky wine, the quality is high.This wine is available in selected Save-On-Foods stores. The blend is 67% Pinot Gris and 33% Viognier. The grapes were fermented cold for 29 days in stainless steel. The wine is brimming with aromas of apples and citrus fruits.

Been wondering as I’ll be checking BC vineyards in person in a few weeks

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