BC Gamay Two Ways from Haywire

Yesterday I was tasting the Gamay grape two ways from Okanagan Crush Pad‘s Haywire wine label. I tasted the Haywire Gamay Rosé 2019 and Haywire Gamay 2018.  The Rosé was fermented dry using native yeasts in a mix of both stainless steel and concrete tanks. The Gamay grapes were gently destemmed with a portion left whole cluster for carbonic complexity, then fermented in a combination of open top and concrete fermenters before ageing for 8 months in large concrete tanks. 

Yesterday, was also National Rosé Wine Day so I was able to celebrate this day as well.  Let me tell you about them.

My Tasting Notes

Haywire Gamay Rose 2019 (BC $22.90) – This wine is a nice lighter peach colour.  It has a medium plus intensity nose showing some lees, strawberries, red cherries, peach and a hint of mandarin orange.  The aromas were similar with decanting, while I lost the red cherry aromas I gained orange blossom. This wine is dry but has medium-plus acidity, body and flavour intensity.  It is round but not thick feeling.  Bright acidity but does not leave an acidic prickle on your tongue.  Red cherries, tart strawberries and peach flavours, along with some skin tannins.  With decanting there was more acidic prickle to the wine and there was more tart fruit flavours.  Strawberries, red fruits and peach flavours primarily. There is some minerality and steeliness that I get toward the finish.  The wine finishes with tart red fruit, light pepperiness, red cherries and peach.  With decanting I also get some stoniness on the finish.

Rating: – Nice bright light strawberries, peach and a touch of mandarin orange on the nose.  Medium plus body, round with bright acidity and flavours of strawberries, peach and red cherries.  Peppery on the finish.

Haywire Gamay 2018 (BC $26.90) – This wine was unfiltered when bottled but is very translucent ruby and bright in colour; quite surprising but a pleasant surprise.  It has a lighter nose that invites you to try to pick up it’s subtleties. Smoke or flint, bacon, raspberries and ripe red fruits.  With decanting the nose is more floral, nutmeg and red fruits.  The smoke/flint/bacon aromas disappear.  This wine is dry but exceptionally smooth.  Round but not mouth feeling.  It is very floral, along with flavours of red plums, raspberries and other red fruits.  You get a touch of tannins from the stems from the partial whole cluster fermentation.  The wine gets a rounder and thicker mouthfeel toward the finish.   A medium-plus length finishing with red fruit and light soft tannins, not drying at all. With decanting the flavours are the same, but the tannins feel stronger.  I enjoy this wine better without decanting.

Rating: A coy Gamay with light red fruit aromas and flavours.  It’s very smooth and has a floral touch.

Where Can I Buy These Wines?

You can order the Haywire wines online on their website. Swirl Wine Store sells Haywire wines. Everything Wine does sell some Haywire wines.  Okanagan Crush Pad’s website does provide a web search for private shops and restaurants offering their wines.