La Frenz Syrah

Photo credit: me
(yes, I already poured a glass)

Full disclosure, this wine breaks my previous promises of being under $20 and being widely available at BC liquor stores, but I don't care. It was so unexpectedly delicious, I couldn't resist telling you about it. It is the 2014 Syrah from La Frenz Winery in Penticton, BC.

I picked this bottle up on a late-summer trip to the Okanagan, but I managed to hold onto it for over two months — I think I was waiting for a special occasion, but it turns out a Tuesday evening pasta dinner for one was celebratory enough.

Initially, I thought it might be a terrible pairing for the pasta dish I prepared; spaghetti with a sauce made from avocado, basil, garlic, and lemon juice, topped with a healthy dose of fresh ground pepper (thank you, The Oh She Glows Cookbook) did not seem compatible with a full-bodied Syrah. How wrong I was. Or maybe the two were so independently delicious, I convinced myself it was a great pairing — who knows. The creaminess and tart acidity of my dinner did nothing to upset its fruity character and mild notes of French Oak.

Full-bodied, yes, but this Syrah is so smooth and well-balanced it made me wish for a cellar filled with nothing but. However, at roughly $25 (and worth every penny), that dream is still a little ways off for me. A yearly visit to their winery, however, is highly achievable, especially now that my folks live 10 minutes from their door. Happily, I've also discovered that a number of private wine retailers in the Lower Mainland (including Viti Wine in New West) carry wines from La Frenz, which means I don't have to brave the snowy highway to restock my wine rack before next summer.

One last fun fact: this winery's stunning Naramata Bench view was featured on the CAD $100 bill in circulation from 1954 to 1975. In other words, their property (and sun-drenched patio) is worth a visit.