Now that the Calgary Stampede has come and gone for another year, your long-suffering liquor reporter can resume the serious summer business of enjoying some chilled libations on a sunny patio, without the cacaphony of two-stepping buckle bunnies in their ten-gallon hats.
At classy establishments, I will often switch from beer to wine, with white wines being my tipple of choice on a hot summer day.
While not as popular as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, I have been particularly enjoying Chasselas this month.
For those not familiar with Chasselas, it is the official white wine grape of Switzerland, with its ancestral homes on the slopes surrounding Lake Geneva.
Much like the government of Switzerland, the Chasselas wine grape could best be described as neutral, with no overpowering aromas or flavours.
Lest you think this would make for a bland wine, fear not, as the Chasselas grape is highly expressive of terroir, meaning it takes on different characteristics based on climate and other environmental factors in the vineyard.
Chasselas is most notable for being a low acidity wine with a creamy finish. The low levels of acidity make it very easy-drinking, and it tends to be a popular white wine for people who claim to only like red wines.
While the Chasselas grape has plantings all over the world, it is most popular in Switzerland, possibly because the early-ripening grape does well in the short growing season, or perhaps because it pairs particularly well with Swiss fondue dishes.
The French tend to pooh-pooh the Chasselas grape, but other cool-climate producers like Germany, Austria, and even Romania have significant acres under vine.
Although Switzerland is the ancestral home of Chasselas and still the most prolific producer, we see very little in the way of Swiss wine here in Canada, partially because the Swiss enjoy their Chasselas so much that 95% of production is consumed in the domestic market, with the last few scraps going to neighbouring Germany and Austria.
Fortunately, the Chasselas grape does well in cool climates, so we have quite a bit of home-grown Chasselas produced right here in Canada.
My favourite is the Quails’ Gate Chasselas, which has been produced for nearly 60 years on the west side of Kelowna.
With subtle hints of pear and honeysuckle, the Quails’ Gate Chasselas pairs well with salads or white meats, or even as an apéritif while enjoying a warm summer evening on a patio.
The Chasselas grape was the first old-world vinifera varietal planted at the Quails’ Gate Winery, way back in 1961. The family-run winery is now on its third generation, and the famed Stewart family lay claim to introducing this grape to the Canadian market, where it remains popular to this very day.
Over the years, the Okanagan Valley has seen the arrival of Swiss winemakers, who quickly took to planting the Chasselas grape, which thrives in our short growing season.
The Corcelette Estate Winery, located in the southern end of the Okanagan, is the perfect example. The winery is owned and operated by several generations of the Baessler family, who emigrated from Switzerland in the 1990s, and quickly planted grapes from their native lands.
Their Chasselas wines are made in the traditional Swiss style, which dates back nearly 500 years. With minimal interventions in the vineyard, the grape is allowed to shine based on its simple merits, and sees aging in oak barrels to impart a rich and buttery finish that complements the citrus and green apple that are made prominent by the hot days so common in the southern tip of the Okanagan Valley.
Located a bit further north, the St. Hubertus winery is just outside of Kelowna, and is also a renowned producer of Chasselas wines. With plenty of grassy and floral notes on the nose, followed by hints of citrus zest, this Chasselas pairs particularly well with soft cheeses, or with sashimi and other seafood dishes.
Although you might have to travel to Zurich or Lake Geneva to sample Chasselas in its ancestral home, the Chasselas wines produced right here in Canada are of equal acclaim, and widely available at your friendly neighbourhood booze merchant in the $18-$24 range.
Shake off the shackles of that staid and stuffy Chardonnay, and broaden your wine horizons by trying a Chasselas today!
