8123 148th Avenue
Osoyoos, BC
LaStella is a sister winery to Le Vieux Pin. Both are operated by Enotecca Wineries and Resorts, a Vancouver holding company owned by Iranian-born entrepreneurs Saeedeh and Sean Salem. Tuscan-styled LaStella is tucked away at the north end of Osoyoos Lake, affording a charming view from the tasting room.
The wines here, often given musical names, are among the Okanagan’s boldest, most intense wines. The current Fortissimo is a fine Bordeaux blend; as sangiovese comes into production in LaStella’s vineyards, it will become a super-Tuscan blend. The winery’s portfolio is moving largely in the Italian direction, with a sangiovese varietal and an Asti-styled sparkling wine made in the 2009 vintage. In the Tuscan practice, LaStella now ages its wines in 500 L and 1,000 L oak puncheons.