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www.buyersandcellars.ca Cellar Profile
For over 40 years, this family-owned winery has farmed the majestic slopes of the Brenta Dolomite Mountains, next to historic Lake Garda and at the foot of Castel Madruzzo. Growing on steeply-terraced slopes that require Herculean efforts and hand-harvesting, these wines are singular in style and a totally different experience from other Northern Italian regions. Some of these vineyards rise as high as 3500ft above sea level. Pravis has plantings of the autocthonous Nosiola, existing only in a few small parcels in this region and nowhere else in the world. There are an array of other aromatic whites, such as Kerner, Muller-Thurgau and Gewürztrmainer. The reds are exposed to intense daytime sunlight, as the Dolomites form a natural cloud barrier, with temperatures dropping dramatically in the evening. These diurnal shifts allow full phenolic ripening of the grapes, while retaining acidity and freshness. These are red wines of both power and elegance.
Region
Skaha Bench is a mountainous subregion of the Okanagan Valley, in the heart of British Columbia. The days here can be extremely hot, which allows for full phenolic ripeness. The glacier-fed Skaha Lake forms a protective microclimate bubble during the cool evenings, which helps maintain the acidity necessary for balance. This region, near Penticton, is home to some of the most iconic wineries in Canada.
Vineyard
Vistaridge was the original estate vineyard. Set against the stunning backdrop of glacier-fed Skaha Lake and surrounded by snow-capped mountains, the soil is a mix of loose sand, silt and stone-free glacial sediment. The vines are planted north to south to get the most of the midday sun, in the seldom-used Lyre trellising system.
Varieties
Pinot Grigio/Gris is thought to be a mutant clone of Pinot Noir and finds its origins in Burgundy, France. There are several styles of Pinot Grigio; Dry & Minerally, Dry & Fruity or Sweet & Fruity. This Dry & Minerally style is most famous from the northern parts of Italy and traverses the foothills of the Alps nearly all the way from Italy through Austria and even Romania, Slovenia and Hungary. The mountains are a powerful force on the agriculture, insuring that grapes keep their high acidity. The wines are most commonly described as dry with relatively high acidity. These characteristics are complemented by aromas of lemon, lime, green apple and blossoms.
Winemaking
The grapes for this wine were hand-harvested at multiple different times. Each batch was fermented in its own way, with varying levels of residual sugar, unique yeast strains and different temperature of fermentation. The separate wines are then blended together and aged in stainless steel and bottle for a few years before release.
Tasting Notes
Striking a perfect balance between the higher acid, fresher Northern Italian style and the oilier, riper Alsatian, the nose offers ripe pear, lemon and apple. On the palate, there’s richness and balance, with white grapefruit, pear, beeswax and white flower flavours. A lively tingle of acidity keeps it refreshing, and the tank aging has it mellow and smooth on the finish. A great contemplative sipper, but would also pair with a chicken Caesar salad or mussels in white wine.