Here’s a BC bottle made in the image of a white Rhône Valley wine.

The Ava is fashioned from 61% Viognier, 21% Roussanne and 18% Marsanne grapes that have seen about half of it age in new French barrels for 9 months and about a third in new oak.

These are late-ripening grapes, so it can be challenging to make sure they’re ready in the brief but warm summers the Okanagan Valley experiences.  This vintage was significantly warmer though than the previous two vintages.

Pale lemon with light legs, the nose has average intensity of lemon, yellow grapefruit and green melon with almond, citrus pith and oak.

The palate is dry with refreshing acidity and flavours of more lemon and citrus with bitter almond, ripe apricot and and white peach.  The finish is good and the wine delicious, albeit a little out of balance with the slightly hot and heavy alcohol.

WSET Good – drink with chicken or other roasted bird dishes.