Wine Man: The trending piquettes of summer time

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First, a disclosure. For me, piquette has not too long ago turn into problematic.

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Not piquette itself; in spite of everything, piquette has an extended and legitimate historical past. Derived from the French phrase prickle, piquette is just not wine in any respect however a secondary beverage made by including water — and maybe some sugar — to the grape pomace left over from winemaking. It’s the scraps of wine, basically, and traditionally was made cheaply and served to winery staff, and slaves, apparently. Nice within the title of recycling and nil waste, to make sure. Nevertheless, not too long ago there’s been a push to make piquette cool — and to lift costs accordingly.

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Bartier Bros. White Piquette, B.C.

($15.99 for 4-355mL cans, out there by way of the vineyard and choose non-public wines shops)

The nice actuality is that piquette makes a advantageous summertime beverage due to its prickly, refreshing spritz and naturally decrease alcohol content material, which is another excuse it was served because the lunchtime beverage for area staff. However let’s not attempt to curate it into a life-style. It makes it all of the extra refreshing to see the trustworthy rationale from well-regarded Okanagan vineyard Bartier Bros., who clarify their motivation for making piquette as “…to handle the rising prices of winemaking and to chop down on waste, by making extra wine out of the identical grapes.” The result’s gentle, citrusy tart, and comes throughout dry total — easy and refreshing.

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Backside line: B, Full-on summer time vibes

Unusual Fellows Brewing PomPom Piquette-Rosé Spritz, B.C.

($19.40 for 4-355mL cans, out there by way of the vineyard and choose non-public wines shops)

After a number of years of seeing fancy bottled piquettes, it seems like there’s an total shift towards plonking piquette into cans. This seems like a very good development to higher seize piquette’s informal and enjoyable attract. Nevertheless it begs the query, sip from the can or pour right into a wine glass? Unusual Fellows — a brewery, no much less — is useful with their recommendation proper on the label: “Finest loved in a glass in good firm.” Pouring deep pink with solely a touch of fizz, this enjoyable and fruity rosé certainly comes throughout as wine-like, with ample fragrant purple fruit and good mouth really feel earlier than a contemporary, tangy end.

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Backside line: B+, Barbecue piquette!

Synchromesh Paddle Shift Riesling Spritzer, B.C.

(round $8.00 for 250mL can, out there at choose non-public wine shops)

Or, why not ditch the French inflection and easily name a spade a spade? Or on this case, a spritz a spritz? Synchromesh, one other respected Okanagan vineyard, calls their piquette Paddle Shift, which within the vineyard’s phrases  “…accommodates a bit of little bit of fruit from every property we farm for Riesling, introduced along with a light-weight soda spritz to make the final word mid-week companion… or anytime.” It certain smells like Riesling, with evident citrus and that fragrant Riesling panache, adopted by an off-dry entry and a correct twang to complete.

Backside line, B Fancy, stylish “wine cooler”

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The Swirl: Bard within the Valley

Whereas a few of this 12 months’s Bard within the Valley performances have already come and gone, there’s nonetheless alternative to catch the troupe’s tackle Shakespeare’s Cymbeline. Performances run July 20-23 at Douglas Park, 20550 Douglas Cres., Langley, with tickets by donation. The play then shifts to Bakerview Eco Dairy, at 1356 Sumas Manner, Abbotsford, from July 27-29, with competition seating tickets $35 — and pre-order meals is offered from Ravens Brewing Co. For full particulars head to www.bardinthevalley.com/. 

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