Eric von Krosigk, Summerhill’s viticulturist and winemaker, pours the young, froth federweisser into a glass.
On October 21, 2014 at Summerhill Pyramid Winery, Kelowna, B.C:
Toasting the 2014 harvest with newly fermented wine. known in the Rhine and Mosel regions of Germany as “federweisser”, a gathering of folks at Summerhill Pyramid Winery plus guests and media celebrated an inviting Old World tradition in fine style out in the vineyard overlooking Okanagan Lake. “Pouring a little back on the vines is a symbolic gesture of gratitude, an honouring of to earth and Mother Nature,” says Eric von Krosigk, Summerhill’s founding viticulturist and winemaker, who learned to love this custom while harvesting grapes and attending Geisenheim University in Germany.
The wine poured for the throng, still cloudy from suspended yeast, came straight out of the tank. Made from freshly-pressed Ehrenfelser grapes, the juice is sweet, light, frothy, fruity and low in alcohol. Traditionally served with “zweibelkuchen”, a savoury onion tart, Sunset Organic Bistro executive chef Jesse Croy prepared his own delectable caramelized onion tart for the occasion.
More photos from the event are shown below:
Jesse Croy, executive chef of the Sunset Organic Bistro (left) prepared a scrumptious caramelized onion tart to accompany the young fermenting wine. Owner Stephen Cipes holds a tray offering onion tart slices.
Ari Cipes, vineyard worker and youngest son of Stephen Cipes, owner of Summerhill Pyramid Winery (right), toast the harvest in the vineyard with a glass of the young wine
Kaylah Lewis (Gray Creek, BC), Brian McCloskey (French Village, NS) and Jolien Baeckelandt (Bruges, Belgium) – vineyard workers at Summerhill – take a break from picking grapes to toast the harvest with a glass of the young, still-fermenting wine.
