With the Canada Day long weekend, it was fitting to enjoy some BC wine. I have two bottles of white wine from Mayhem Wines to tell you about; the Mayhem Wines Pinot Gris 2023 and Sauvignon Blanc 2023.
2023 was a challenging year in the Okanagan due to the cold winter snap that adversely affected the grape vines and reduced the amount of wine produced in the interior of BC. From the winery, “The 2023 vintage was defined by the extremes. An extremely cold winter led to bud damage and reduced yields, while the summer was threatened by wildfires in the north and south. While temperatures exceeded 40°C on several occasions in the South Okanagan, the summer felt cooler than previous years. Temperatures between 33°C and 38°C are optimal growing conditions for our Bordeaux blends and aromatic whites. Due to fewer clusters and full canopies, this led to an earlier start for harvest beginning on September 18th with our Rosé pick. Even though tonnages were lower than previous vintages, overall, the fruit quality across the board was excellent. The flavour profile and the phenolic development shone through resulting in electric flavourful fruit for the white varieties and concentrated, structured reds.”
The wines I tasted show quality fruit and fruit flavours.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Mayhem Wines Pinot Gris 2023 (BC $19.22)
From the winery, “21-year-old vines in Kaleden, BC produced this year’s Pinot Gris, a single vineyard blend from Belich Vineyard. The Pinot Gris was the last fruit to come in on October 1st. Whole bunch pressed, followed by a long, cool 10-week fermentation in stainless steel, before 17% was transferred to seasoned puncheons to finish fermentation. The wine then spent 5 months resting on its fine lees before being blended and bottled.”
Appearance: A clear, bright medium-intensity pear skin colour in the glass.
Nose: Medium-intensity soft aromas of ripe pears and other stone fruits plus a hint of stoniness. There were no changes to the aromas after decanting.
Palate: Dryish, soft and smooth, round, but not mouth-filling. Medium-minus body and acidity. Pears together with other stone fruit -flavours, apricot in particular. Some stoniness. A touch of toastiness with air. The wine is a bit fuller-bodied after decanting. No change to flavours and smoothness.
Finish: A medium-plus length finishing with mostly stone fruit flavours, along with some tart citrus, pepperiness and stoniness. Apricot flavour at the very end. Mostly stone fruits on the finish after decanting. Not much citrus.
Fresh BC stone fruit flavours. A variety of flavours and a nice smooth texture. Maybe slightly nicer after decanting, but no need to decant. Quality. As this wine has a soft, smooth texture, you can sip it on its own, but if you prefer pairing with food, I suggest cedar-planked salmon, seafood in a cream sauce, a light salad, turkey burgers, or havarti cheese.
Rating: 
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This Pinot Gris has a medium-intensity, clear pear skin colour. It is dryish, soft and smooth, lighter-bodied. Lighter acidity. Pears and other stone fruits plus some stoniness of the palate. A medium-plus length finishing with stone fruits flavours primarily with some citrus, pepperiness, and stoniness.
Mayhem Wines Sauvignon Blanc 2023 (BC $20.97)
From the winery, “Hand-picked from a single vineyard on the Naramata Bench on September 21st, the fruit was gently whole bunch pressed where only the best juice was taken. Racked off its lees and fermented slowly in stainless steel over a 7-week period with maximum fermentation temperatures only reaching 12°C to preserve the delicate aromatics. The final blend consists of 92% stainless steel tank and 8% seasoned barrique. It was aged for 4 months on fine lees prior to bottling.”
Appearance: This wine has a bright, clear, medium-intensity lemon colour.
Nose: Medium-intensity aromas of citrus, pine needles, white flowers, and green fruits. The aromas were slightly lighter after decanting.
Palate: This wine is dry, medium-plus body and flavour intensity. A thicker mouthfeel. It is round but with a solid acid backbone. Green fruit flavours, plus a touch of lime and lime pith. Some stoniness with air. Same flavours and flavour intensity after decanting.
Finish: Medium-plus length finishing with mouthwatering acidity. Tart green fruit with some dryness toward the very back of your throat. The flavours trended more to green fruit and was a bit tarter and drier on the finish. Plus some bitterness.
Bright green fruit aromas and flavours. Maybe slightly nicer without decanting as the finish was not as intense. With the higher acidity and tart fruit flavours, I would recommend enjoying this wine with a salad with goat cheese, grilled fish, or Thai food.
Rating: This Sauvignon Blanc has medium-intensity aromas of citrus, pine needles, white flowers, and green fruits. It is dry with a medium-plus body and flavour intensity. Green fruit flavours, plus a touch of lime, lime pith and stoniness. Medium-plus length finishing with mouthwatering acidity and tart green fruit flavours.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
These wines and other BC wines from the Okanagan and other interior regions are in smaller quantities due to the cold snap. So if you like these wines or other wines from the 2023 vintage, I suggest you purchase them asap. These two wines are available for purchase online via the Mayhem Wines website:
