Haywire Winery is the well tended wine project brought to us from marketing consultant Christine Coletta her husband, Steve Lornie, a well-known construction manager. David Scholefield is the winery’s consultant and, as anyone in the BC wine industry knows, he comes with a bank full of applicable knowledge and industry connections.
On the winemaking side, the first vintage (2009) was made by Michael Bartier (previously at Road 13). In August 2010 the winery added some international flair as Alberto Antonini joined the team as the oenologist. Antonini studied in Bordeaux and at UC Davis and has names such as Antinori, Frescobaldi and Mondavi on his resume. Antonini and Mark Wendenburg combined forces to make the 2010 vintage and for 2011 Bartier will be back in the wine cellar with Antonini.
In 2005 Haywire purchased an old orchard in Summerland with the mindset to plant vineyards and produce quality vino in the area, a region which had already proven to yield quality grapes and produce wines of distinction.
In 2010 a 2009 Pinot Gris was released and there will be more of this varietal in 2010, along with some Pinot Noir made from grapes grown in the Skaha region, close to Penticton.
Coletta and Lornie named the vineyard Switchback to celebrate the switch from losing money as apple growers to losing money as grape growers. This mixed up logic is why they have called the winery “Haywire”, referring to the mangled manner in which hay is bailed.
Let’s hope they at least have fun doing this, and while they may jest about financial loss, the pair are planners and I can’t imagine this couple randomly stepping out into anything other than a venture that looked profitable in some manner – perhaps even financial.
Coletta Consultants, Christine’s company, has successful and more importantly, creatively, marketed many other BC Wineries. With some descent growing seasons and care in the vineyards, this up-and-coming winery will be one to watch, and the chance for Coletta to directly apply the knowledge she previously only shared with others.
Haywire Winery Pinot Gris 2009
A light-bodied and fresh number, the first from this Okanagan Winery. Floral, green apple and peach aromas with flavours of lemon, lime, apple, peach. A somewhat tart finish, this is a typical Gris from younger vines. With another year to develop, these plants should produce wines of more depth, but there’s nothing preventing you from enjoying the inaugural vintage with some fresh oysters – accompany with a granny smith mignonette and you’re set for patio weather.
Technical Information:
Vintage: 2009
Status: VQA
Vineyard: Switchback
Variety: 100% Pinot Gris
Clone: 52
Fermentation: 100% Stainless Steel
Alcohol: 13.0
pH: 3.29
RS: 1.3
T.A.: 7.60
