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Ann Sperling bridges the past with the future at her family’s historic property in Kelowna

mainKELOWNA, B.C. — It is another gorgeous day in the Okanagan Valley, the early summer vines off to a vigorous start as the sun beats down uninterrupted as it is wont to do in this picturesque wine region.

Ann Sperling emerges from the vines, disheveled from a morning’s workout toiling in the small vineyard situated near the tasting facility. She has a look of pure satisfaction, a glow that can only come from the pursuit of something special, something personal.

Oh, it’s personal, all right. This is the family farm, Pioneer Ranch. This is where her heart is, the bridge between history and the future; she is the architect of family pride. Sperling spends as much time as she can here, but is based in Niagara where she lives with her husband, Peter Gamble.

gamble_sperling-chacras-652The winemaking couple, left, wear many hats; Sperling is the winemaker at Southbrook winery in Niagara, Canada’s first certified biodynamic winery, Gamble is the consulting winemaker at several wineries, including Ravine in Niagara and Benjamin Bridge, a sparkling wine project in Nova Scotia. They also own Versado, an ancient Malbec vineyard, elegant residence and winery in Mendoza, Argentina, wine country.

I hop in Sperling’s pickup truck for a tour around the family property. The main working vineyard is a short drive from the tasting room, where an interesting labyrinth-style vineyard is planted to satisfy licencing needs and provide an interesting test for curious visitors.

annThe spring of 2008 brought big changes to Pioneer Ranch. A long held family dream finally came true. Sperling Vineyards, led by Ann, harvested their first vintage.


 

Giovanni Casorzo (Casorso) began his viticultural journey in the late 1800s when he left struggling Italy to find a better life in America. After making his way to B.C., he was introduced to Father Charles Pandosy who convinced him to come and work as an agriculturalist in the first agriculture community in the “interior,” the Okanagan Mission.

sperlingBack in Italy, Giovanni’s wife Rosa (more on Rosa here), Ann Sperling’s great grandmother, was making her way to her husband with their three small children. Arriving in San Francisco and unable to speak English, she was advised by dock hands to follow the bell — a church bell — destined to hang at the Okanagan Mission. Rosa made her way to the Okanagan Valley and soon after became the single largest investor in what later become Calona Wines (now owned by Peller Estates).

Viticulture and agriculture have been mainstays in the Casorso story with each son branching into his own field. Charles planted the first vineyard in the Kelowna area in 1925, and Louis and Pete planted vines on the Casorso property, where Sperling Vineyards is situated.

riesling vinefoch vineToday, the 45-acre Sperling Vineyard includes a 45-year-old planting of Marechal Foch, a 35-year-old planted of Riesling and another old planting of Perle of Csaba (a Muscat variety) along with Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris.

In the spring of 2008, blocks of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay were planted to support the production of premium sparkling wines.

The Sperling winery completes the circle of history. Through her mother, Ann is a member of the Casorso family that planted the first vineyard in the Kelowna area in 1925.

The East Kelowna vineyard that supplied grapes for the new winery is on Casorso Road. The first vines were planted here in 1930 by Napoleon Peter (Pete) Casorso, Ann’s grandfather. When he retired in 1960, the vineyard was taken over by his daughter Velma and her husband, Bert Sperling, who are Ann’s parents.

It is a fascinating drive through the vineyards. A mix of new plantings and some of the oldest and gnarliest vines I’ve seen in Canada. The view from the vineyard is spectacular, a sweeping vista of Kelowna, the birthplace of Okanagan Valley winemaking.

Sperling seems very at home here; a sense of family pride and legacy is evident as we make our way through the vineyard.

“One thing I love about the Sperling project,” she says, “I get to make the wine I want.”

We make our back to the modest tasting facility, attached to the family market, and grab a picnic table to taste through the interesting portfolio, all made from fruit grown organically and biodynamically.

Here’s what we tasted (many of Sperling’s wines make their way into Ontario Vintages stores).

speitzSperling Vineyards Sper…itz 2012 ($12 for 375 ml, Vintages, 88 points) — A low alcohol (7%) sparkler made from Perle of Casaba, Bacchus, and Riesling that shows bright peach, apricot and tropical fruit punch on the nose. It’s refreshing and fun on the palate with a mélange of fruit and lovely spritz. Perfect for a sunny day on the porch.

grisSperling Vineyards Pinot Gris 2013 ($19, 90 points) — Fantastic style of Gris with juicy melon, peach and tangerine on the nose. Lovely texture and some viscosity on the palate give this white grip and richness in the mouth to go with honeydew melon, peach and mineral notes with a pure, clean finish.

DSC_2855Sperling Vineyards Old Vines Foch 2011 ($26, 91 points) — Marechal Foch, a French hybrid, fell out of favour in both Niagara and the Okanagan Valley a long time ago. But those who kept their old vines, in this case 45 years old, are making some interesting wines. This is heady stuff with a nose of smoky berries, cassis, plum, tar and Espresso beans. The flavours are intense and juicy on the palate and get a lift from firm acidity and rounded tannins.

reezSperling Vineyard Old Vines Riesling 2011 ($32, Vintages, 92 points) — Extraordinary Riesling from one of the oldest Riesling vineyards in the Okanagan, planted in 1978. The nose displays lemon-lime, orange rind, apple-pear notes and flinty minerality. The searing acidity is balanced by ripe fruits, interesting minerals and a kiss of ginger spice. A beauty.

Sperling Vineyards Chardonnay 2012 ($26, 91 points) — Another gorgeous wine from Sperling. The nose shows pear, coconut, chalky minerality, apple pie and toasted spices. It has good concentration on the palate with complex flavours and spice with balancing acidity and a vein of smoky minerality.

Sperling Vineyards Pinot Noir 2012, Okanagan ($28, Vintages, 91 points) — This is only the second vintage of Pinot made at the family estate. It has a nose of cherry, cassis and toasted spices on a tight frame. It’s concentrated and more open on the palate with black cherry and currants with interesting minerality and spices. It is a well-structured Pinot that should age nicely for five or more years.