Here Comes Summer, Enjoy it with Township 7 seven stars Polaris and Benchmark Series Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2021

It may not yet be summer in BC, but it sure feels like it with the heat.  Township 7 Vineyards & Winery has two white ones that pair perfectly with summer, their Benchmark Series Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2021 and their seven stars Polaris 2019 sparkling wine. I was fortunate to receive these bottles to sample and review for you.  I did so with gusto and took it to the patio as that is where many of these bottles will eventually be. No decanting notes for these two wines. Enjoy.

My Wine Tasting Notes

Township 7 Vineyards & Winery Benchmark Series Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2021 (BC wine club exclusive)

This wine won Double Gold – 2023 Pacific Rim Wine Competition. From the winery, “The Benchmark Series is our standard for evaluating quality. Through meticulous winemaking, sustainable viticultural practices and deliberate vineyard site selection, we create distinctive wines echoing their unique terroir…

…This 100% barrel fermented, and aged (7 months) Sauvignon Blanc is fermented in 15% new and 85%  neutral French oak barrels all coming from the Bordeaux region. Lees stirring occurred weekly during
fermentation on both batches contributing to the full mouthfeel and balancing the crisp acidity.”

Appearance: A medium-plus bright lemon colour in the glass.
Nose: Medium-minus intensity aromas of lemon and pine needles with a touch of peach.
Palate: This wine is dry with a lighter mouthfeel.  Medium acidity. Fresh flavours of apricot along with other stone fruits, pine needles, a touch of bitterness, and lemon toward the finish. 
Finish: A medium-plus length finishing with lemon, citrus pith and pine needles.

A classy Sauvignon Blanc with fresh flavours that do not overpower the wine. It is nice to sip on its own, but feel free to bring on some fresh seafood.

Rating:

Township 7 Vineyards & Winery seven stars Polaris 2019 (BC $39.97)

This sparkling wine won a GOLD medal from the 2023 BC Lieutenant Governor’s Wine Awards.

From the winery, “In honour of the North Star so prominent and bright in our sky, which has guided ships at sea for centuries, Polaris is the basis for our sparkling program, guiding the other members of the seven stars collection. Crafted in the traditional Méthode Champenoise style, the wine undergoes a secondary fermentation or prise de mousse, where we literally “capture the sparkle” in the bottle…

…seven stars Polaris is a Blanc de Blancs Brut made from 100% unoaked Chardonnay. The grapes are handpicked with high natural acidity, which is maintained throughout extended time in bottle. Crafted with fruit from two premium south Okanagan vineyards, Hidden Terrace in north Oliver delivers Chardonnay with excellent phenolic ripeness early on, and our Naramata Bench estate provides ideal acidity and freshness to the finished wine. The wine was en tirage for 21 months to ensure the development of autolytic characters. After riddling, we disgorged and added our proprietary dosage for a beautifully complex sparkling wine with a depth of flavour. The wine was bottle aged for 9 months prior to release.”

Appearance:  A bright, medium-intensity lemon colour.
Note: Medium-intensity aromas of citrus, toast, and apple skin.
Palate: A fuller-bodied wine, dry, with creamy bigger bubbles and medium-plus acidity.  Citrus, toast, and stone fruit flavours, along with bready / lees and some bitterness.
Finish: A medium-plus length finishing with mouthwatering acidity and citrus flavour.

A bigger sparkling wine that would go nicely with grilled salmon or pan-fried spot prawns.

Rating:

Where Can I Buy These Wines?

Township 7 Vineyards & Winery Benchmark Series Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2021 is only available to their Club Members.   With the clubSEVEN membership, you receive three shipments a year with eight bottles of wines, some member-only wines.  The Township 7 Vineyards & Winery seven stars Polaris 2019 wine is available at the winery and for purchase through the website.

Charity Help in May

This spring Township 7 is working with the BC Hospitality Foundation for the Support, Ship & Sip charity campaign from April through the end of May.  For every online order, Township 7 will donate $10 towards the BCHF with the goal of reaching $5000.  Complimentary shipping is available across most of Canada with a minimum 4 bottle order when you use code SUPPORT10.