Wine tasting with a Cuban beat: Salt Spring Vineyards.
One of several wineries on the Island who use local fruit to make their wines. I was intrigued by that fact considering the difficulty growing good fruit in this area of the Pacific Northwest. This was our choice, not because I knew anything about the winery…..the choice was driven by a Solstice party they were having which included a Cuban band!
The tasting room is in an old barn that looks out over the vineyard and the hills in the distance….lovely spot to taste wine made all the better by the music which was very good and entertaining.
The wines were as expected…..better whites than reds. Since this is a cool climate area, a Pinot Noir is the real test in my mind and it had too much tannin/oak for my taste. A Rosé of Pinot Noir was available by the glass and was quite light in color and tart….almost like a white wine. We did enjoy a blackberry dessert wine….? fortified with an ABV of 16%. It was made by the accompanying local dark chocolate.
They also have cheeses and various charcuterie so grab a bottle, sit by the lake and take in the music. The views are wonderful.
