Here are two newly released wines from Haywire Winery in the Okanagan. These two wines are made with the red grapes, Pinot Noir and Gamay Noir, originally from Burgundy and Beaujolais respectively. Lower tannin grapes and higher acidity typically with red fruit aromas and flavours. Food-friendly wines. Both are vegan-friendly wines. Let me tell you about them.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Haywire Pinot Noir 2021 (BC $32.99)
Appearance: A bright, medium-intensity garnet colour. Clear to the core.
Nose: Lighter intensity aromas of red fruit, leather and a touch of sweet cherries. The aromas lighten up a bit with decanting and the red cherries have dissipated.
Palate: Dry, medium-plus body and flavour intensity. Round with a lean, light mouthfeel. Red fruit, red cherries, violets, and a touch of leather on the palate. Light tannins to start, firm up toward the finish. The wine becomes rounder, smoother, less lean with decanting. More floral flavour and a touch of oak as well as raspberries now present. The leather component is also lessened.
Finish: A medium-plus length finishing with red cherries, leather and touches of floral and bitterness. Medium-intensity drying tannins and some tartness. More floral and juicy berry finish with decanting.
I prefer the decanted version of this wine as the leather component is lessened, plus I get more fruit, raspberries, and a rounder mouthfeel. I might enjoy this wine with a terrine or a duck breast with a light berry sauce. On the vegan side, you may want a roasted eggplant-based dish.
Rating: 
– 
with decanting. Medium-intensity garnet colour. Light aromas of red fruits, leather, and cherries. Dry with the aromas continuing to the palate, plus violets. Bright flavours and acidity. Light tannins. Medium-plus length.
Haywire Gamay Rosé 2021 (BC $27.99)
Appearance: A medium-minus intensity bright orange salmon colour.
Nose: Medium-intensity aromas of red fruit, toast, and touches of sweet red fruit and orange. Add a strawberry aroma with decanting.
Palate: Slightly off-dry, with medium body, and a round, thicker mouthfeel. You get a touch of acidic prickle on your tongue. Bright fruit flavours of red fruits, strawberries, and a touch of red cherries and stony minerality. Some bitterness toward the finish. No change on the palate with decanting.
Finish: Medium-plus length with flavours of red fruits, tart red cherries, and some bitterness. Add strawberries to the finish with decanting.
This wine is tasty whether you decant it or not. Open and enjoy. A salad with goat cheese and nuts would be nice with this wine, plus shellfish. The grapes for this wine are also ECOCERT organic certified.
Rating: – A bright orange salmon colour. Medium-intensity aromas of red fruits and toast. Slightly off-dry, medium body, round. Bright red fruit flavours, red cherries, and some stony minerality. Medium-plus length.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
You can purchase these wines through the Okanagan Crush Pad website:
Both wines are listed at select Save On Foods stores, but I’m not sure of the vintages. Marquis Wine Cellars carries the Pinot Noir, but it may be an older vintage. The Gamay Rosé is available at Everything Wine, but it may also be an older vintage.
