Touring Flat Rock Cellars and beyond
I am standing among large stainless steel drums at Flat Rock Cellars. The air is cool and smells of musty grapes. In contrast to the crisp air, the glass of wine in my hand, the 2017 Twisted, is bursting with luscious tropical fruits like pineapple and guava. It lives up to its nickname “Tahiti in a glass”. I am amazed at the bold flavours in the wine.
Tate, my knowledgeable tour guide, tells me the owner carefully choose the specific varietals best suited to their unique plot of land on the Twenty Mile Bench. Three of these varietals (Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Chardonnay) are in this wacky twisted blend. Other Flat Rock wines are also full of nuanced flavours, like the distinct caramel finish on the 2017 Rusty Shed Chardonnay.
This is a theme I have been noticing and admiring in the Twenty Valley: winemaker’s dedication to their specific plots of land.
In fact, I decided to take a tour at Flat Rock Cellars to learn more about Somewhereness (a concept I was introduced to at 13th Street Winery). Flat Rock Cellars one of the early members of the group.
Tate describes Somewhereness as “the winemaker showcasing terroir and season so that each wine is unique.” I like this succinct explanation.
The winery’s dedication to the land also involves an impressive array of sustainable farming techniques to keep the soil healthy year after year. The gravity flow design and winery equipment maintain a gentle manipulation of the grapes throughout the winemaking process. Tate talks proudly about the winery’s energy efficient and eco friendly practices as we gaze out the large windows to the vineyard below.
Like many wineries I have visited, there is pride and a confidence as winemakers get to know their land, adapt to each season and care deeply for the future. The end result is beautiful wine.
When I leave Flat Rocks Cellars, I have a better appreciation of this concept of Somewhereness.
It is a unique quality, but I am beginning to think it is more than taste. It is all the unique sensations of this region. It is colour and touch, like the deep purple Pinot Noir grapes hanging heavy and plump on the vines at Hidden Bench Estate Winery. It is the sounds, like the cacophony of birds in the lush foliage at the entrance of Malivoire Wine Company, a winery tucked discreetly into the side of the hill. At Westcott Vineyards, I feel this sense of place in the carefully reconstructed barn and beautiful front door made from reclaimed wine crates.
I may be getting a bit carried away. But isn’t that the great thing about travelling and experiencing a new place? You take a pause from every day life and savour the unique sensations all around you. I did not even have to travel far.
There are so many delights to enjoy here in the Twenty Valley.
