Okanagan Crush Pad | 2023
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Summerland’s Okanagan Crush Pad was founded on a long history of friendship, and shared respect for the land. With an experienced and passionate team, Okanagan Crush Pad creates small-lot, vineyard-driven 100% BC VQA wines. The winery is home to the portfolios of Haywire, Narrative, Free Form, and Bizou + Yukon wines. Their onsite Switchback Vineyard is Certified Organic and vegan. They operate with nature’s best interests in mind, consistently expanding their sustainable wine-growing practices and creating fruit-forward wines that are never rushed and never disappoint.
Wines included this month
August 2023
Enthusiast Red: White: 2022 Haywire King Family Vineyard Pinot Gris, 2018 Narrative Cabernet Franc
Enthusiast Red Only: 2018 Narrative Cabernet Franc, 2021 Haywire Pinot Noir
Enthusiast White Only: 2020 Haywire Secrest Mountain Chardonnay, 2019 Free Form Vin Gris
Expert Red: White: 2022 Haywire King Family Vineyard Pinot Gris, 2018 Narrative Non-Fiction, 2021 Haywire Pinot Noir
Expert Red Only: 2018 Narrative Cabernet Franc, 2021 Haywire Pinot Noir, 2018 Narrative Non-Fiction
Expert White Only: 2019 Free Form Vin Gris, 2019 Haywire Switchback Pinot Gris, 2020 Haywire Secrest Mountain Chardonnay
Master Red: White: 2019 Free Form Vin Gris, 2019 Haywire Switchback Pinot Gris, 2020 Haywire Secrest Mountain Chardonnay, 2018 Narrative Cabernet Franc, 2021 Haywire Pinot Noir, 2018 Narrative Non-Fiction
Master Red Only: 2018 Narrative Cabernet Franc, 2021 Haywire Pinot Noir, 2018 Narrative Non-Fiction, 2020 Narrative Red, 2021 Haywire Gamay, 2019 Narrative Malbec
HAYWIRE KING FAMILY VINEYARD PINOT GRIS, 2022
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley Naramata Bench
Varietal: Pinot Gris
Vineyard: King Family Vineyard
Alcohol: 13%
Residual Sugar: 1.7 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 2,900
Appearance: Pale straw with a green tint.
Nose: Minerally, peach pit bouquet.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, white peach flavour, fresh and lively on the palate with a racy finish of lemony acidity.
Quality: 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drink now.
Food Pairing: Veal parmesan, mussels in lemon-garlic butter sauce, ahi tuna poké bowl, spicy chickpea avocado cucumber bites, and fettuccine alfredo.
NARRATIVE CABERNET FRANC, 2018
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Cabernet Franc
Vineyard: Organic vineyards in Kaleden and Osoyoos
Alcohol: 12%
Residual Sugar: 0.9 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 1,100
Appearance: Cherry red in colour.
Nose: Woodsy nose of redcurrant and green herbs.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, lean and sinewy redcurrant and cranberry flavours carried on lively acidity. Green pepper note on the finish. Well-structured with ripe tannins.
Quality: 89 points – Wine Club Canada. Very Good+. Drinking well now but the bouquet should evolve with a year or two in bottle.
Food Pairing: Grilled steak ratatouille with saffron rice, cheddar-stuffed perogies with caramelized onions, slow-cooked citrus-pulled pork tacos, creamy butter chicken, and beef stroganoff.
HAYWIRE SECREST MOUNTAIN CHARDONNAY, 2020
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Chardonnay
Vineyard: Secrest Mountain Vineyard
Alcohol: 12.5%
Residual Sugar: 0.2 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 608
Appearance: Bright, straw colour.
Nose: Toasty, apple nose with oak spice.
Palate: Medium- to full-bodied, dry. Creamy, richly extracted apple flavour.
Quality: 89 points – Wine Club Canada. Very Good+. Drink now and through 2024.
Food Pairing: Garlic-mushrooms and Brie crostini, barbecued chicken pizza, pan-fried lobster and scallop ravioli, baked halibut with asparagus, and cowboy caviar.
HAYWIRE PINOT NOIR, 2021
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vineyard: Various Okanagan Valley vineyards
Alcohol: 12.5%
Residual Sugar: 0.35 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 1,784
Appearance: Ruby colour with a tawny rim.
Nose: Medium-bodied, dry, savoury, raspberry nose with a herbal note.
Palate: Well-balanced, well-integrated oak. Elegant, with a rich mouthfeel.
Quality: 91 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drink now or hold 1 – 2 years.
Food Pairing: Beet salad with goat cheese, chili-ginger lamb chops, butternut squash and gouda potstickers, crispy pan-seared salmon, and filet mignon.
FREE FORM VIN GRIS, 2019
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vineyard: Garnet Valley Ranch
Alcohol: 12.5%
Residual Sugar: 0.5 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 531
Appearance: Pale gold in colour.
Nose: Wild strawberry nose with a thread of minerality.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, ripe red apple flavour with balancing acidity. Lovely mouthfeel and elegant, a seamless wine.
Quality: 92 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drink now and through 2024.
Food Pairing: Kale and pesto lasagna rolls, coconut and macadamia-crusted salmon, flatbread with hummus and sun-dried tomatoes, jerk shrimp and pineapple rice bowls, and Mediterranean chickpea salad.
NARRATIVE NON-FICTION, 2018
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon (91%), Merlot (4.5%), Cabernet Franc (4.5%)
Vineyard: Vineyards in Osoyoos and Kaleden
Alcohol: 12.5%
Residual Sugar: 0.2 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 1,125
Appearance: Ruby-purple in colour.
Nose: Cedary, toasty, spicy blackcurrant and black plum bouquet.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, savoury, redcurrant and blackcurrant flavours. Well-structured and beautifully balanced.
Quality: 91 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding.
Food Pairing: Gourmet macaroni and cheese with bacon and breadcrumbs, chicken and sausage jambalaya, grilled mushroom and swiss cheese burgers, steak au poivre, and grilled tomatoes with goat cheese, olive oil, and rosemary.
HAYWIRE SWITCHBACK PINOT GRIS, 2019
Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Pinot Gris
Vineyard: Switchback Vineyard
Alcohol: 13.5%
Residual Sugar: 0.3 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 1,019
Appearance: Bright. Light golden colour.
Nose: Lovely bouquet of white flowers, green apple, stone fruit, a touch of honeycomb, and a creamy note.
Palate: Medium acid, medium body. Flavours of red apple, nectarine, peach pit, melon, and a savoury herbal note. Nicely balanced with lively acidity.
Quality: 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drink now.
Food Pairing: Curried chicken skewers with lime, Italian wedding soup, spinach, mushroom, and swiss cheese quiche, garlic-baked pork tenderloin, and grilled squid with Thai-style dressing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do you use a new winery each month?
Yes, we partner with a different winery each month ensuring you receive a variety of VQA wines.
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We work together with the wineries and with our team of experts.
When was Okanagan Crush Pad | 2023 featured?
It was featured in August 2023.
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