Wine Pick: Tinhorn Creek Pinot Gris 2014

Make the most of a rainy weekend with good food and this Okanagan gem.

Pinot gris is British Columbia’s most planted white-wine grape. It’s a mutation of pinot noir—a family relationship that shows in the dark-mauve-coloured berries and bright acidity that mark both grapes. Pinot gris is made in many styles around the world, including floral, richer, riper styles from Alsace, France, or the lighter, crisper pinot grigio style so famous in northeast Italy. (Should you be wondering, there’s no difference between grapes called pinot gris and those called pinot grigio, but there is usually an inferred style difference.)This satisfying mid-weight gris from Tinhorn Creek offers the best of both styles. For more than 20 years, Tinhorn Creek has given us wonderful wines from the South Okanagan, where they’re pioneers in the Golden Mile sub-appellation. Pinot gris planted in two warm and sunny vineyard sites got extra hang time in 2014, when a cool, bright October allowed flavours to ripen fully while acids stayed nice and crisp. Old gold in the glass, this wine’s peach, pear, and blossom scents are richly pronounced. In the mouth, stone-fruit flavours are joined by vanilla flan and a hint of tropical fruit. Combining weight (like Alsatian versions) and freshness (similar to Italian pinot grigio), this has the heft for baked salmon or roasted organic chicken, but is complete enough to enjoy on its own, nicely chilled in a generously filled glass.Tinhorn Creek Pinot Gris 2014$16.79+530683 (Note: This link lists earlier vintages, but the 2014 is in stock)