After a cloudy grey winter, it’s finally starting to feel like springtime in the Okanagan. Though there’s never an off-season for white wine, the long-awaited sunshine has us eagerly reaching for crisp, lighter blends.
Today’s wine feature brings together Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon in a refreshing blend of citrus, gooseberry, and melon. Playing up the citrus and clean mineral finish, our perfect dinner pairing is a bright and zesty Lime Capellini.
Our Feature Wine
Part Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon blanc is one of the most popular white wines in the world, known for its refreshing crispness and acidity. Its flavours can vary dramatically depending on where the grapes are grown. Okanagan Sauvignon Blancs are typically dry and fruity, and pair well with seafood, citrus, white sauces, feta cheese, poultry and greens.
Part Semillon
Semillon wines are rarely found on their own, with the exception of Australia’s age-worthy varietals. Once one of the most planted white grapes in the world, Semillon grapes are now most famous for their supporting role in Sem-Sauv blends.
Semillon in its youth shares many Sauv-blanc qualities. Bright acidity, citrus, and grassy-herb notes are most prominent. As they age, Semillon wines become fuller-bodied, with a honey-like structure and complexity.
Together: Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon
Though each of these grape varieties can shine on their own, Sauv-Blanc and Semillon together deliver a noteworthy brilliance. Sem-Sauv blends are considered to be some of the finest dry white wines in the world, and are often associated with traditional white wines from the Bordeaux region of France.
Our Heaven’s Gate Winery 2018 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon balances the dry, fruity acidity of Sauvignon Blanc with the full-bodied structure of Semillon. When used in cooking, its bright acidity keeps delicate ingredients juicy and tender, while elevating overall flavour.
Cooking with Wine
It’s commonly believed that if a wine isn’t great, it can be substituted as a cooking wine. However, as wine cooks, its flavour becomes more concentrated. If you don’t love a wine on your table, there’s a good chance you won’t love it in your kitchen.
Some complex wines are best saved for sipping. However, when it comes to cooking, drink-worthy wines are best to elevate flavour. A general rule of thumb is to only cook with wine that you’d drink. Added sweeteners, salts and preservatives found in grocery store cooking wine can quickly bring down a dish.
An Okanagan Dinner Feature
One of the simplest ways to determine a wine-food pairing is to match prominent notes in the wine and the dish. In choosing a dinner companion for our 2018 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, we looked for a citrus-forward dish with a balance of greens and zest.
This Lime Capellini with Seared Scallop recipe is one of our favourites. It features a refreshing combination of zucchini, garlic, parsley, shallots, parmesan, scallops, lime and capellini. With a prep and cooking time of only 20 minutes, this versatile dish quickly whips up for any occasion.
A Perfect, Zesty Pairing
Lime capellini pairs beautifully with our 2018 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, but it also integrates superbly as a feature ingredient. This recipe calls for one cup of white wine per four-person serving. For a small gathering, this can mean plenty of wine for your kitchen and table.
If the thought of garlicky scallops in a zesty white wine sauce isn’t incentive enough, we currently have a case sale when you buy 12 or more bottles. Use coupon “SBSCASE” at checkout to receive your 2018 Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon discount and pay only $14.40 per bottle.
What Our Guests are Saying
“The loveliest winery in Summerland – we visited Heaven’s Gate Winery early in July and had the most wonderful time. The winery and patio area are absolutely stunning with views of Okanagan Lake and rolling hills. Definitely bring some snacks and grab a bottle of wine to sit and take in the views. Tyson’s wines are all fantastic but I’d like to point out that his 2018 Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon is amazing (crisp, clean and refreshing) while the Gamay Nouveau served chilled is like “Heaven” in a bottle. It’s light red has notes of strawberries but finishes clean and soft in your mouth. Unlike anything we’ve ever had. Thank you Tyson for your exceptional hospitality and amazing wines. We look forward to what the coming years bring us from your winery. Cheers from Vancouver!” – SSvan, Tripadvisor
Stock up today and bring the flavours of the Okanagan into your kitchen. At that price, you can reach for our BC VQA certified wine for sipping, serving and savouring.