Noir Fest in the Cowichan Valley - Hosted by Averill Creek Winery

When & Where was Noir Fest?

​On June 25, 2022, the first annual Noir Fest was hosted at Averill Creek Winery in the heart of Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. With the easing of Covid 19 restrictions, wine events are back. Two years is a long suffering period – from missed tastings to missed social interaction so it’s no wonder the energy and excitement behind Noir Fest 2022 hosted at Averill Creek winery in Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island the last weekend in June. Not only was the event well attended by Pinot Noir producers – internationally, locally and regionally –but consumers found their way to this off the beaten path location in an up and coming wine destination.

​​The event featured Pinot Noir producers including Tantalus Vineyards, Martin’s Lane, Meyer Family and Anthony Buchanan to mention a few, with attendees from the Island and the Mainland. Fantastic food pairings were available from Arancini balls to skewered smoked pork belly, hot off the grill. It was delicious to taste and nosh.

Island Wine is a thing!

Who is raising the profile of this small BC wine region? It is the little big guys. It’s Unsworth Vineyards, now part of the Kendall Jackson Family of wines, Blue Grouse Winery owned by the passionate Brunner family and our host Averill Creek owned by Dr. Andy Johnson; all working in tandem to build reputation, to showcase unique terroir and climactic characteristics that emerge in the wine and to produce higher quality long lived wines that hold their own against benchmark styles from Burgundy, Oregon, New Zealand and California. ​​How do I know this? I attended the masterclasses lead by Kiwi Pinot superstar Larry McKenna that featured Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. The morning masterclass featured six pinot noir with afternoon session featuring seven styles of Pinot Gris. Enjoying Pinot is a personal preference and without hidden labels the nuances amplified. Next year it would be brilliant to taste these wines blind and score them.

Tasting with Larry McKenna

Highlights from Larry McKenna’s presentation include the following:

1. Pinot Noir is all about winemaking – it has the ability to add complexity to the wine
2. There are 5000 wines in Burgundy (tiny compared to Bordeaux) all made uniquely
3. New Zealand is diverse from sub-tropical to alpine, but surrounded by water which moderates the climate. Generally Pinots from NZ have line and length, tend to be complex and fruit driven.

The question: Is it possible to find a sense of place in each of these styles? To some degree yes, as warmer climates had slightly higher alcohol and a little less acidity was noticeable in Calera and Cristom. Chateau de Pommard - Burgundian style - showcased winemaking skill with flavour complexity from seven different blocks blended and aged together. 

Wines Tasted at the Noir Festival Pinot Noir Masterclass

​Here is what we tasted along with my simple notes – six different styles from six different climates.

• Escarpment Vineyards 2014 KIWA single vineyard planted in Martinborough in 1988 on alluvial soils, this is clone Pommard, 13 and 16 in New Zealand and produced by Larry McKenna. Aromas were restrained, the color garnet with classic dry, high acidity, textured and silky, dry textured tannins with smoky, earth, spice (cinnamon) leading towards savory and spoke of cool climate. This vineyard also has some elevation and cool breezes that keep the vineyard healthy.  
• Cristom Vineyard Eileen 2019 is a single vineyard, high elevation, Eola-Amity Pinot Noir, classic ruby, dry with high acidity, medium alcohol and fine grain tannins. It’s clean and youthful with a long future ahead.
• Pommard Clos Marey – Monge Monopole 2015 located near Beaune, was garnet in color, smokey on the nose, cherry at the heart with earthy iodine notes and black tea. This style is complex with a long finish.
• Calera Mt Harlan Reed Vineyard 2015 comes from one of the highest, certified organic vineyards in California at 2200 feet of elevation, on limestone soils, where grapes are hand-picked and destemmed. Classic ruby color, with dill on the nose, supported by dried cherry, herbs, tea, earth and ripeness with a long finish.  Thank you Josh Jensen for persevering against the norm by planting Pinot.
• Pearl Morissette 2015 from Niagara, Ontario was garnet in the glass. Aromas of roses, sweet berry, herbs and spice (oak and vanilla). This was dry with good balance and nice chalky tannin texture and a long finish. Tart cherry and dried herbs follow to the end. Drink now or the next 3 to 5 years.
• Averill Creek Somenos 2018 amplifies what it means to be Island wine. The nose is delicate somewhat restrained, salty and youthful, on the palate fresh mellow dark cherry, berry with a bit more alcohol along with higher acidity that others. This is a bottle I’d want to taste 10 years from now.

These bottles may not be available in the BC market but that shouldn’t stop you from doing your own blind tastings. It’s an excellent way to build sensory skills and help you become a better taster.