Anthony Gismondi: B.C. wine for the week of April 28, a bottle to cellar and calendar items

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The B.C. Ale Trail launched the Kelowna Tasting Passport to run until May 16. The passport features 19 different breweries, liquor stores and pubs, and folks can pick them up at participating breweries, visitor centres, and hotels.

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It’s a great way to explore the Kelowna Ale Trail, collect stamps, and win prizes. Once folks have collected six unique stamps, they can hand them into a participating business to be entered for a chance to win a brewery prize pack or the Grand Prize package: a two-day getaway to visit Kamloops and Salmon Arm.

Participating breweries and businesses, including discounts on accommodations, are at bcaletrail.ca/kelowna-passport.

Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery has donated all proceeds from the sale of every bottle of vodka sold from their family distillery throughout the entire month of March to the Ukraine Emergency fund through Canada’s branch of the U.N. Refugee Agency, UNHCR.

Thanks to the help of many craft spirits lovers with a philanthropic palate, the totals came to an impressive $25,466.

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“Our belief was that if we stepped up and donated 100 per cent of the bottle sticker price, and not just the profits, then we could really get our craft spirits, supporters, to rally behind this cause,” said CEO Tyler Dyck.

And so they did; kudos to Dyck and the entire team at Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery.

B.C. wine of the week

Chain Reaction Tailwind Pinot Gris 2020, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$23 I 89/100

UPC: N/A

2020 was tasted against 2019, and it is more like a welcomed progression than a chain reaction of the previous year. More lemon, more freshness, and seemingly a bit more depth of flavour were the story in 2020. Like last year there is pear and peach, but there’s a kiwi, gooseberry note that lights up the underside and keep it fresh through a citrus finish. Well done and ready for some spicy noodles or a pan of grilled vegetables. Chain Reaction is a newcomer on the Naramata Bench owned by Joel and Linda Chamaschuk and is named after the couple’s passion for cycling. Well-known winemaker Dwight Sick consults here.

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Wine for the cellar

Il Fauno di Arcanum 2019, Tuscany, Italy 

$42.99 I 92/100

UPC: 850202002247

The 1011-hectare Tenuta di Arceno estate sits 404-809 metres above sea level. The site between Florence and Siena has been producing wines for nearly 3000 years. According to Roman mythology, an ancient Roman statue, Il Fauno, was installed in the estate’s centre to protect it from intruders. The nose is a riot of savoury black cherries with a dusting of mint. Rich, robust and full-bodied, it is only beginning its life. Black plums and licorice dominate the palate, supported by cedar, toasted oak and a more savoury, peppery note in the finish. Il Fauno is a Bordeaux-style blend of 43/32/20/5 Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. It is one to lay away for seven to10 years. However, wild boar would be a good match if you must drink it now.