Naturally, a name can be descriptive as well as inspired and evocative.
Take, for instance, the 'Provenance,' series of wine from Township 7 on the Naramata Bench.
Provenance at its core means where something comes from, but it can also go a bit farther to refer to the history or ownership of a valued object or work of art or literature.
As such, Provenance is the perfect name for these wines artfully created by winemaker Mary McDermott that reflect their origins in Township 7's estate and Blue Terrace vineyards in the South Okanagan.
McDermott calls the 2022 Provenance Series 7 Blanc ($25) a "crowd-pleasing white blend" led by Riesling with lush aromas and flavours of peach, lime, lychee and honeysuckle.
The Provenance Series 2022 Rose ($28) is also a crowd pleaser with a classic strawberries-and-cream profile amped up with some tart rhubarb aromas and flavours.
The pink is made of red grapes typically associated with Okanagan roses -- Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon -- but it also contains a splash of white grape Pinot Gris for freshness, lift and complexity.
You'll also find that Pinot Gris-- but, all on its own -- in the 2022 Provenance Series Pinot Gris ($25).
McDermott describes it as "fresh and graceful," an interpretation I wholeheartedly agree with because this wine has a never-ending profile of crisp pear, soft apricot and mouthwatering minerality.
The 2022 Provenance Series Sauvignon Blanc ($25) is classic of the varietal with aromas and flavours of gooseberry and lime, but with additional complexity and texture from some time in neutral French oak barrels that create nuance, not oaky taste.
'Seven Stars' is an expressive name for Township 7's portfolio of Champagne-method wines that sparkle like the night sky.
Right now the winery is spotlighting the 2019 Seven Stars Aurora ($58), which won a gold medal at the 2023 National Wine Awards of Canada.
Aurora is named after the Roman Goddess of Dawn who brought light to the heavens and earth and created sparkling morning dew with her tears.
This bubbly is made in the Blanc de Noir style of using red grapes (in this case Pinot Noir) to make a white sparkling wine by not letting the juice soak on the skins, thus not departing any red colour.
The result is lots of fresh, long-lasting bubbles and aromas and flavours of orange, honey and cream.
Friendship wine
This is a fascinating concept.
Well-known New Zealand wine brand Kim Crawford has teamed up with Toronto-based relationship expert Jen Kirsch to match wines to different friendship vibes.
For instance, Kim Crawford's Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ($23) is billed as the perfect wine to sip while catching up with old pals.
It's also considered the girls' night go-to to discuss life and relationships, watch reality TV and-or get ready for a night on the town.
Kirsch, who also hosts the Lockdown Love podcast and writes Toronto Life, Toronto Star and Hello!, said maintaining friendships requires effort as our lives get busier with work, family, fitness, pets and hobbies.
So, carve out some time for friends (and a glass of wine).
It doesn't have to be super time-consuming or complicated.
For example, even if you're just chatting with a friend over the phone, the two of you pre-arrange to sip Kim Crawford's new low-alcohol Illuminate 2022 Sauvignon Blanc ($23) as you gab.
Kim Crawford 2022 Rose is pink, reminiscent of a blossom, thus the ideal wine to share as a friendship blossoms with someone new.
Kim Crawford Prosecco ($23) is the bubbly for friends celebrating friends, whether it's something big like an engagement or promotion at work or just that fact that you managed to get together with friends for some hang-out time.
Porknic
There may be some last-minute tickets left for Saturday, Sept. 16th's Pig Out-Porknic.
It's so named because the star of this barbecue event is pork in all its guises -- chops, ribs, pulled and sausage, along with all the sides -- paired with wines from the wineries of Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country.
Pig Out-Porknic runs 1 to 4 pm at Cellar Door & More, the home of Jackson-Triggs and Inniskillin wineries, just off Highway 97 north of Oliver.
Tickets are $150 at www.oliverosoyoos.com and include entry to the festival and tokens for the wine and food stations.
Steve MacNaull is a NowMedia Group reporter, Okanagan wine lover and Canadian Wine Scholar. Reach him at [email protected]. His wine column appears every Friday afternoon in this space.
