For the second year in a row, Naramata’s Serendipity Winery will be the only featured Canadian wine at the Calgary Stampede, part of its “10 Great Days, 10 Great Wines, 10 Great Stories” showcase.
The Calgary Stampede runs July 4-11 and two specially-labelled wines from Serendipity will be featured within the Stampede’s Premium Seating wine program, which includes ranahans, 30X Saloon, The Lazy S and the Stampede’s 28 luxury infield suites.
Bouncing back from last year’s flood, the Calgary Stampede is a story of triumph over adversity and a celebration of community. Embracing this spirit, and with a tip of the (10-gallon) hat to the citizens of Calgary, Serendipity’s mother-daugther team Judy Kingston and Katie O’Kell return. They have two Stampede-themed bottles from the 2010 vintage to show: their award-winning Estate Syrah and their Reserve Serentata red blend. Renowned wine critic and author John Schreiner, gives the 2010 Syrah 92 points, and says “I can’t imagine a better wine with a good steak, medium rare. It begins with peppery and earthy aromas. On the palate, it is muscular, with flavours of dark plum and deli meats, finishing with a lovely dash of pepper.”
The Stampede Syrah bottle front label shows ‘Eve’, wearing a cowboy hat, and reaching for an apple, accompanied by the quote “Speak your mind but ride a fast horse.” The back label sports a horse running at full gallop. In contrast, the 2010 Serenata bottle shows a seated man wearing a cowboy hat, holding the reins to his horse (again featured on the back of the bottle). This wine offers the quote “If you climb in the saddle, be ready for the ride.”
The 2010 Serenata is a Merlot-dominated blend that also features Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Schreiner notes that this wine features “aromas of cassis and blueberry charge forth from the glass.
“The wine delivers on that promise, with flavours of black cherry, blackberry supported by long ripe tannins. There is a touch of espresso on the finish,” said Schreiner who also gives it 92 points.
In 2013, the Serendipity Winery donated the summer proceeds from their tasting room directly to the Alberta Floods Fund set up by the Red Cross.