John Schreiner scores 40 Knots Wines and Ciders
40 Knots Winery expands to cider-making
Written by John Schreiner:
Comox-based 40 Knots Winery has added four outstanding sparkling apple ciders to its already extensive wine portfolio. If you have not yet encountered the ciders, don’t wait too long. These are immensely appealing but the production volumes are limited. If you share my taste, you will want more than one bottle.
40 Knots is within earshot of the Comox air force base. The estate vineyard was started in 2007 by Bill Montgomery, a retired owner of a tugboat company. He eventually discovered he had taken on more than he wanted to manage and put the winery on the market. In 2014, it was acquired by an energetic husband and wife team from Fort St. John, Layne Craig and Brenda Hetman-Craig. Adding ciders made in the traditional and labour-intensive French method certainly demonstrates how energetic they and their winemaking team are. There are 12 cider apple varieties used here. The juice is pressed by hand, does primary fermentation in stainless steel, secondary fermentation in the bottle, with additional blending of a flavouring dosage when the cider is disgorged. The result is remarkable: delicious and complex sparkling beverages that are underpriced, in my view.
Some background on the owners was provided on a early website: “Layne, who grew up on a Saskatchewan farm wanted to put his love of the land into play, while Brenda wanted to put her business management skills toward building a successful family business, one that would ultimately involve their grown children. It was an added bonus for Layne, a pilot, that the Comox air force base is nearby. Planes can often be seen overhead adding to the force of energy that surrounds the site.”
Here are notes on current wine and cider releases:
40 Knots Sieg 2023 ($29.50 for 313 cases). The fruit is estate-grown Siegerrebe, an aromatic white varietal. The wine was aged eight months on the lees, with weekly stirring. It begins with dramatic aromas of lime and other tropical fruits, echoed on the palate with a whole tropical orchard, including lychee and green melon. The finish is dry, with lingering fruit and spice. 91.
40 Knots White Seas 2023 ($27.50 for 594 cases). This is a blend of 93% Epicure and 7% Pinot Gris. The wine was aged on the lees for eight months. It begins with aromas of apple and lemon, leading to flavours of apple and grapefruit. Bright acidity balanced with a touch of residual sugar gives the wine a tart and refreshing finish. 89.
40 Knots Pinot Gris 2023 ($29.50 for 341 cases). This wine was fermented cool and aged eight months on the lees in stainless steel. It begins with aromas of pear and apple leading to flavours of apple and citrus. Bright acidity gives the wine a crisp, tart finish. 88.
40 Knots Auxerrois 2023 ($32 for 227 cases). This varietal is a white from Alsace that deserves a higher profile for the complex wine it produces. There are aromas and flavours of apricot, apple and quince. The texture is generous with notes of minerality and herbs on the dry and lingering finish. 91.
40 Knots Rosé 2023 ($29.50 for 550 cases). This is a blend of 67% Pinot Noir and 33% Gamay, both estate-grown. The fruit was pressed gently, yielding a delicate rose petal hue to the wine. It has aromas and flavours of strawberries with a hint of watermelon. The finish is crisply dry. 89.
40 Knots Gamay Noir 2023 ($42 for 500 cases). The fruit is estate-grown Gamay Noir. It was cold-soaked on the skins for four to seven days. After ferment, the wine was aged in stainless steel. It begins with expressive red berry aromas (cherry, raspberry) echoed in the fruit sweetness on the palate. The wine is bright and lively. 90.
40 Knots Carambolage 2023 ($42 for 267 cases). This red wine is a blend of 43% Cabernet Libre, 34% Gamay and 23% Pinot Noir. The components were aged in a mix of stainless steel and French oak barrels. In the glass, the wine presents with a brilliant red hue and aromas of cherry. The palate delivers more cherry and red berry flavours with a hint of pepper on the finish. 90.
40 Knots Knotty Cider Apple Hops NV ($27.50). This cider was made with hand-pressed juice from cider apples. It was fermented in stainless steel and neutral French oak barrels, with secondary fermentation in the bottle. Locally-sourced hops were used for the dosage. This golden-hued cider has aromas and flours of apple with the complexity of a hops note on the finish. 90.
40 Knots Knotty Cider Apple Black Currant NV ($27.50). This cider was made with hand-pressed juice from cider apples. It was fermented in stainless steel and neutral French oak barrels, with secondary fermentation in the bottle. Black currant concentrate was added when the cider was disgorged. It has a rose petal hue in the glass along with an active mousse. On the palate, it is tart and refreshing. 90.
40 Knots Knotty Cider Apple Quince NV ($27.50). This cider was made with hand-pressed juice from cider apples. It was fermented in stainless steel and neutral French oak barrels, with secondary fermentation in the bottle. Quince juice was added when the cider was disgorged. In the glass, the cider displays a golden hue and active bubbles, leading to an appealing fruity aroma and delicious flavours of apple and quince. The finish is crisp. 90.
40 Knots Knotty Cider Apple Cranberry NV ($27.50). This cider was made with hand-pressed juice from cider apples. It was fermented in stainless steel and neutral French oak barrels, with secondary fermentation in the bottle. Cranberry concentrate (made from locally grown berries) was used as a dosage, imparting an appealing rosé hue to the cider. It is crisp and tangy on the palate. 90.
Posted by JohnSchreiner at Goodgrog at 3:06 PM
