In the Okanagan Valley last week we visited Daydreamer winery, a tiny organic producer making around 1500 cases and presided over by husband Marcus Ansems MW, wife Rachel, four employees and three sheep. Yeah, three sheep. Our pourer mentioned that the sheep would probably come out when they heard visitors (we were the first appt of the day) and sure enough, before long, these three huge sheep, one white and two black, came barreling down the little road to the vineyard to greet us.
I was quite enamored with them and they with me but I got dumped when they discovered our friend Coop's dog, Bobby, and Bobby got dumped when a new party showed up two tables down (no tasting room here, just a few picnic tables) with a border collie. Pretty hilarious watching them interact--no kidding, the collie had been trained way back when at a farm that had sheep, so he immediately went to work only to be flabbergasted when the sheep weren't impressed with his fancy moves. (If sheep could laugh....)
They make three or four more wines including a pinot noir I probably would have killed for, but they're already sold out. These are the current releases still available:
2019 Marcus Ansems Rachel's Vineyard Cuvée Okanagan Valley Champagne BlendChardonnay, pinot gris and pinot noir, zero dosage. Pale, complex, excellent.
2020 Daydreamer Chardonnay Marcus Ansems Okanagan Valley Unfined, unfiltered, all estate fruit. Multi-faceted, exotic and magical flavors unlike any chardonnay I've ever had. The pourer mentioned Chablis but it's not that, nor is it anything like other North Americans. Really special, only five barrels made, and in spite of the price higher than most in the area (C$50) it's flying out of the tiny tasting room. Released 120 cases just 6 or 8 weeks ago, and by the time we arrived only eight remained. By the time we left, just seven.
2019 Daydreamer Jasper Okanagan Valley Red Bordeaux Blend Winery tasting. A merlot-heavy Bordeaux blend with loads of spice, minerality and graphite. I bought some.
2020 Daydreamer Amelia Okanagan Valley Syrah Blend, Syrah 90% Syrah, 10% viognier. Very concentrated and floral but overtly grapey at this stage, and I'm unable to appreciate it. Just too young.