'Four Tenors' - Four wines from Italy

 Ah, Italy!

I've visited Italy a few times - when I was backpacking (in the 1980s), with our kids during a teacher exchange in 2000, and with my wife in 2014 (where this photo of Pompeii is from). 

Italy has so much going for it - culture, history, food, and, of course, wine!

Italy is the world's largest producer of wine and it has the most varietals of grapes at more than 500, of which 350 are approved for making wine. Italy is also one of the few countries where 'reserve' (or 'riserva') actually means something - aged for a specific amount of time, depending on the type of wine and method of fermenting. Unfortunately, at the BC Liquor store, they just can't carry all of those varietals - but I did manage to taste a few different ones over the past month and I thought I would share what I thought of the four Italian 'tenors' that I tasted. 

The first was a 2016 Custom Superiore Bianco Monte Del Fra  Cà Del Magro (on sale at BC Liquor for $20). This white wine is a blend of Garganega (used to make wines from Soave), Trebbiano Toscano, Cortese (used in wines from Gavi), and Incrocio Manzoni (a crossing between Riesling and Pinot Blanc). These grapes are grown in the Verona region which is in the north of Italy and are more than 30 years old. Happily, it features a monk character on the bottle (he's also on another wine by Monte Del Far but, in that one, he is holding an umbrella)!

Here are the tasting notes for this wine:

Appearance - Clear, medium, lemon.

Nose - Medium plus intensity, clean, aromas of pineapple, banana, peach, apricot, pear, caramel, vanilla, butter, cheese, honey, toast, hay, and passionfruit. 

Palate - Dry, medium acidity, medium alcohol, medium body, medium plus flavour intensity, medium finish with tastes of pineapple, lemon, peach, better, honey, apricot, cheese, and pear. 

Evaluation - There was a lot going on with this wine. The flavours and aromas were very complex but did not impact the overall freshness and fruitiness of this wine. It was balanced, intense, complex and had good length. I could see this going very well with seafood, chicken, pasta, a nice charcuterie board, and a Sunday afternoon spent with friends. Overall, this wine was Very Good. 

The next wine - well - I guess you could say I put it on a pedestal....

Nebbiolo (which also happens to be my daughter's dog's name) is a powerful grape from the Piedmont region of Italy. Famous for its 'tar and roses' characteristic, it can be so tannic and powerful that it needs literally decades to be drinkable. Luckily, producers have found ways (like extended maceration)  to make this grape drinkable in a shorter timeframe. 

This one was a 2017 Langhe Nebbiolo (considered by some to be 'Baby Nebbiolo') from Giovanni Rosso ($30 from BC Liquor)

Appearance: Clear, medium, ruby - leaning towards garnet. Nebbiolo is always lighter in colour than you'd expect from a powerful wine. 

Nose: Clean with medium intensity with aromas of tar, a hint of roses, red cherry, red plum, blueberry, black pepper, cedar, cooked fruit, smoke, and leather. 

Palate: Dry with medium plus to high tannins, medium acidity, high alcohol, medium plus body, medium plus intensity of flavours, and a great, big, wonderful long finish. There were some interesting tastes but was not overly fruity - tar, black cherry, leather, smoke, tobacco and cedar. 

Evaluation: This wine was amazing, especially for the price. It had good balance, incredible length, and strong intensity with fairly complex tastes. You almost need to have food with this wine, as it was fairly strong. I would rate this one as a Very Good Plus - not quite Outstanding due to the still strong tannins and the complexity but if it  could sit for a few more years, who knows?

Courtesy decanter.com

Passimento is a word the comes from the Italian Appassimento which means drying harvested wine grapes on bamboo racks or straw mats for weeks to months. This process concentrates the sugars and the flavours of the grape. The most famous is probably Amarone which costs $50 and up so when I had a chance to try this version - at around $15 - I leapt at the opportunity. 

The wine was a 2017 Famiglia Pasqua Romeo and Juliet Passimento from Veneto (currently on sale at BC Liquor for $14). The grapes used are Merlot, Corvina (used to make Valpolicella)  and Croatina. The grapes are dried and aged separately so the blend is put together after vinification. I was excited about trying this (despite the hideous label) but was a bit disappointed in the final product - although it was a great deal for the price. 

Appearance: Clear, deep, ruby.

Nose: Clean, medium intensity, flavours of cooked fruit, fig, prune, raisins, jamminess, black currant, perfume, black cherry, black pepper, toast, vanilla, and cedar. 

Palate: dry with medium plus acidity, medium minus tannins, high alcohol, full body, medium intensity of flavours and medium plus length. Flavours of black cherry, vanilla, fig, plum, black pepper, and tobacco. 

Evaluation: I was a little bit disappointed because after so many wonderful aromas, the diversity of flavours tasted was considerably less.  It had OK balance, great length, good intensity of flavour, and was fairly complex. This was a wine that would pair well with food and I would rate it between Good and Very Good. 

The final 'tenor' of the group was a Fontana Fredda 2018 Briccotondo from Piedmont (on sale right now at BC Liquor for $17). This wine was made with the Barbera grape which, surprisingly, is the third most planted grape in Italy! It was actually the number 2 grape, but in 1985, Barbera producers added Methanol to their wine to boost alcohol levels which killed over 30 people and caused many to go blind. Fortunately, the scandal is long behind us and Barbera is a great varietal that should be tried. 

Appearance: Clear, medium, ruby

Nose: Medium plus intensity, clean, aromas of violets, jam, baked fruit, stewed cherry, raisin, fig, blackberry, blueberry, black plum, pepper, vanilla, coffee, and smoke. 

Palate: Dry with medium plus acidity, medium tannins, high alcohol, medium body, medium plus intensity, medium finish. Tastes of blackberry, blueberry, plum, pepper, jamminess, fig, vanilla, smoke, cedar, charred wood, and spice. 

Evaluation: This was definitely a food wine which has many diverse aromas which are reflected in the flavours as well. It was a balanced wine that was complex and intense with fairly good length. I would rate this wine as Very Good. 

Well, there they are - four Italian 'tenor' wines and all are well worth the price. And, after having a few glasses, maybe you'll be singing like Luciano! 

This summer, why not book a tour with me at Wine and Then Somm Wine Tours? I would be happy to meet you in Kelowna or Penticton and take you, in the comfort of your own vehicle, anywhere in the Okanagan to try some local, wonderful wines! Book today!

Black Hills Revisited - A Quartet of Fabulous Reds

Black Hills Estate Winery in Oliver is famous in BC wine history. It was started in 1995 by two couples in Vancouver who wanted to grow grapes in the Okanagan. After selling their grapes for a few years, in 1999 they decided to make their own wine. Nota Bene is their flagship Bordeaux blend and began their amazing journey in the wine industry. For a time, they were famous for their quonset hut tasting room but now they have a beautiful tasting room with wonderful mountain views. state 

The last time I was at Black Hills was in 2015 when I was in Osoyoos on a family holiday. My daughter came along with my wife and I (meanwhile, my son was enduring a nasty case of mono in the hotel room) and we had the premium tasting which was a sit down tasting where a 'wine-evangelist' would talk to us, at length, about each wine we were going to taste. It was $25 per person but I remember that they had no problem with us splitting a glass three ways! It was a wonderful afternoon and we loved the tasting.

That experience really stands out for two reasons - one, they were actually charging for a premium tasting, something that few wineries did 6 years ago - certainly not $25 - and two, you got to sit down and really chat with the person doing the tasting. That was also unheard of 6 years ago but has become much more prevalent during Covid. However, I think that people really enjoy the sit down tastings and they are here to stay. Despite seeing fewer people for tastings because of the sit down style (which takes longer and takes up more room), wineries are selling more bottles of wine and making more money than in previous years. And consumers definitely win. 

We signed up for a Valentine special pack of 3 wines and, because we wanted to avoid paying shipping (and also wanted and excuse to go for a nice drive) we drove the 90 minutes down to the winery. Also, when the person from the winery took our order over the phone, she encouraged us to come down for a complementary tasting. 'Nuff said!

By the way, their 'Portfolio Flight' (reds and whites) is normally $15 and their 'Red Flight' (surprisingly just red wines) is $20. Each wine glass has 2 ounces of wine - a rather generous serving!

We started off with their 2018 Carnemere - usually only available to their wine club. I do love a nice Carmenere and it is a wine that is not that prevalent in BC (only 4 wineries make it, all around Black Hills). Carmenere is a grape with a bit of a funny story. It was one of the original six grapes of Bordeaux but has since fallen out of favour. Actually, it was first destroyed in much of Europe (in fact, it was thought to be extinct) by the nasty phylloxera bug but wasn't terribly missed in Bordeaux. Meanwhile, it had been taken to Chile and was growing in the vineyards with Merlot and Cab Sauv. The only thing is, people just thought it was Cab or Merlot. It wasn't until 1991 that a winemaker questioned this and, after genetic tasting, it was discovered that Carmenere, the grape that was thought to be extinct, was actually thriving in Chile. 

And they also grow it in BC!

The 2018 Carmenere ($60) that we tried had medium plus acidity, lots of red fruit, and tastes of pepper and green olive. It was enjoyable but tight. I think I will lay this one down for 4 or 5 years so that it rounds out. Good to Very Good. 

Next was the 2017 Syrah ($40). We have a bottle on 2016 Syrah in our cellar and our wine guide said that the 2016 is much fruitier thane the 2017. The 2017 had tastes of leather, earthiness, barnyard, and mushroom as well as some baked fruits. It is quite the different taste and a great reflection on how vintages are (and should be) different. I've always enjoyed Syrah and this was a great one - and ready to drink now! Very Good. 

I hadn't tried their 2018 Addendum ($50) before. This wine is a right bank style Bordeaux blend with 86% Merlot and 14% Cab Franc. When Merlot is crappy, it's a terrible wine, but when it is balanced, ripe, and not sweetened, it can make a great wine. This wine was that kind of Merlot with the addition of Cab Franc to give some structure to the wine. This wine was so soft and round that I was amazed. It had some perfume on the nose and was a fruity wine with some bell pepper that was really smooth on the palate. I guess you could hang onto this wine for a few years but we bought two bottles, fully expecting to drink them this year.  Outstanding.

Finally, the big guy - the 2018 Nota Bene ($60). This rich, tannic, bold Bordeaux style blend is a nod to the left bank of Bordeaux. It is a mix of Cab Sauv (49%), Merlot (41%), Cab Franc (3%) and Petit Verdot (1%). This is a complex wine with lots of different black fruits riding atop some pretty strong tannins. This one should wait a few years so it can loosen up - but I am not certain I can wait that long! I also have a 2015 Nota Bene so I am tempted to do a vertical - can anyone send me the missing years? Outstanding. 

I have to say that we really enjoyed our tasting at Black Hills (once again). The wine guide was knowledgable and told us interesting stories about the wines, not just the wine flavours. The setting is beautiful and the building itself is very nice inside. I am guessing that a lot less time will pass before I go to Black Hills again!

This summer, why not book a tour with me at Wine and Then Somm Wine Tours? I would be happy to meet you in Kelowna or Penticton and take you, in the comfort of your own vehicle, to Black Hills o anywhere else in the Okanagan to try some local, wonderful wines! Book today!

Opening Day! Crown and Thieves Winery in West Kelowna

Today was the opening day of Crown and Thieves Winery in West Kelowna - and it is well worth checking out. Part of Jason Parkes Customs which includes The Hatch, Black Swift and Truck 59 Ciderhouse, they have been building this winery for quite a while. Back in November, I heard a rumour that it was open only to be disappointed that it was still under construction. Today we had better fortune as it was definitely open - and we were the second people to enter!

After being greeted at the door we went inside the winery. My first view was the washroom and it was a unique, funky (not in a bad way)  place - best winery bathroom I've ever been in! We then entered their eclectic but enjoyable tasting room. 

There were bottles going up the sides of two walls like bookshelves. There were interesting portraits, custom made wallpaper, and an art reproduction on the ceiling dating from 1666. Everywhere you looked, there was another unusual thing, some with stories, some without. 

Our wine tasting guide was a bright and enthusiastic young lady and she did an excellent job of taking us through the wines (unfortunately you can't see her sparkling flapper dress underneath her coat). She was knowledgable about wine (has her WSET 2!) but she also knew the stories behind the wines  - something that I think really elevates a tasting. I'm not sure if there was a tasting fee as we are members of the Hatch wine club.

The first wine we tried was 2019 Winemaker's Wench which is a blend of Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Roussanne. Honestly, this wine made me think of summer. It was bright, crisp and flavourful and had a very nice taste of stone fruits. At $20, it was a good buy.

Next was the 2017 Chenin Blanc ($30). This was another nice, crisp wine with strong acidity and tastes of green and citrus fruits. I enjoyed it but the other white was the one that made me think of summer. 

The first red we tasted was the non vintage Scoundrel's Punch, a blend of Cab Franc, Merlot, and Cab Sauv. Despite the blend, I could see this one going with lots of food, from chicken, to pasta to hamburgers tp steak to Saturday afternoons sitting by the window. Good acidity, not too many tannins, and very drinkable. A very versatile wine for $25.

The final wine we tasted was a bold, brash 2017 Crybaby Malbec ($60). This wine spent 30 months in American and French oak barrels and had tannins to be reckoned with as well as balanced acidity. I already have a bottle of the 2016 (which is $65) so I didn't buy a bottle but this would make a wonderful special occasion wine. 

After tasting, we went on a tour of Crown and Thieves as it really has been built as more than a winery. First we went upstairs to the Dimber Damber (which overlooks the tasting room) which has a bar,  a fancy piano, and lots of interesting objets d'art. In the 1920s, the era where Crown and Thieves gets a lot of its vibe, this would have been where the boss or the godfather would look down to oversee what was happening in his illicit club.

Then we headed downstairs. This is the Speakeasy and it is awesome! I can't wait for Covid to be over! This would be such a fun place to have a drink of wine or a cocktail and listen to some music. Incidentally, Jason Parkes is one of the performers in the band that will play there. Does the guy even have time to sleep?

Finally, we headed outside to the patio to enjoy the breathtaking views. It was a great end to our visit, especially since it was a beautiful sunny day (mid January? Yep!). We will definitely be back! 

This summer, why not book a tour with me at Wine and Then Somm Wine Tours? I would be happy to meet you in Kelowna or Penticton and take you, in the comfort of your own vehicle, to Crowns and Thieves or anywhere else in the Okanagan to try some local, wonderful wines! Book today!

A for Argentina - and Australia - 2 Wines from Each

Here we are in 2021 - and thank goodness for that! 2020 has been a very challenging year so I am glad it is behind us. 

However, there is a rumour that in the Okanagan, at least, 2020 was a fantastic year for wine grapes! Who knows? It was also a great year for many wineries in the Okanagan thanks to big increases in direct to winery sales. Hey, we've got to do something during a pandemic!

Since the summer, I have been trying to focus on non-domestic wines. Why? During the summer - basically, during my wine guiding season - I spend a lot of time visiting, researching and buying Okanagan wine. I really enjoy our local wine but it is good to get out and try some wines from different places. 

And there are some pretty great deals, as well!

Courtesy Wine Folly

The first area to look at is Argentina. Argentina is the number 6 (that's right, 6) producer of wine in the world! Mendoza is the main area but there are many other areas including San Juan, La Rioja, and Salta. The king of grapes in Argentina is Malbec. It is one of the six grapes allowed in Bordeaux, France, but it dropped in popularity after a frost in the 1950s killed off 75% of the crop. You mainly find Malbec in Cahors in France - and I have reviewed an excellent wine from that region (Chateau Eugenie).

That said, the two wines that I am going to look at from Argentina are not straight Malbec. One is a red blend and the other is a Chardonnay. 

The 2018 Alamos Chardonnay is made by a big producer in Argentina but, if you look on their website, they only list their red wines. The price was a mere $15 which can be a good thing - but can also be a warning sign. 

Appearance - Clean, medium, lemon in colour

Nose - Clean, medium intensity of aroma, aromas of vanilla, stone fruits (peach, apricot, buttered popcorn, banana, lemon, fig, vanilla, butter, and cheese. 

Palate - Very fruity (almost off dry), medium acidity, medium alcohol, medium body, medium plus intensity of flavour, medium finish, and flavours of vanilla, stone fruits, buttery popcorn, lemon and cheese. 

Evaluation - This tasted like a vanilla and popcorn bomb. Unfortunately is was not balanced at all, had OK length, had good intensity but was not overly complex. I would rate this wine as Acceptable. The vanilla and popcorn flavours just overpowered this wine for me. I was eating a stinky cheese from France and this wine did not pair well with it. My wife did not enjoy this wine either and we ended up pouring it down the drain. 

Next!

The 2017 Clos de Los Siete ($27) was a red Bordeaux style blend from Mendoza made from Malbec (54), Merlot (18), Cab Sauv (13), Syrah (8), Cab Franc (4), and Petit Verdot (2). 

Appearance - Clear, deep, ruby

Nose - Clean, pronounced intensity with aromas of cooked fruit, raspberry, cranberry, strawberry, plum, blackberry, blueberry, sultana raisins, green pepper, violets, cloves, cedar, fig, earth.

Palate - This dry wine had medium plus intensity of flavour, medium plus acidity and tannins, high alcohol, medium body, and a medium finish. There were flavours of cooked fruits, dark fruits, forest floor, fig, cooked fruits, cedar, charred wood and pepper. 

Evaluation - This was a great, bold wine. It had a balanced taste profile with OK length, strong intensity of flavour, and complex flavours. I rated this wine as Very Good. It would pair well with beef, lamb or a nice, strong cheddar. 

The other two wines are from Australia. Australia has many wine regions (thank goodness they weren't all on my WSET 3 exam!) and include the Yarra Valley, Hunter Valley, Barossa Valley, Coonawara and McLaren Vale - and this is only a smattering of the many regions. In fact, Australia is the number 5 producer - one ahead of Argentina! In recent years, Australia has been moving away from jammy, bulk wines to making some of the best examples of some varietals in the world. Now, they have climate change to deal with.... The wines I tried were both from the McLaren Vale. 

The first wine is the 2018 Penny's Hill Black Chook from the McLaren Vale which is made of 96% Shiraz and 4% Viognier.  Mixing a bit of Viognier in with the Shiraz (or Syrah) is a Northern Rhone practice and it really brings out some great flavours in the Shiraz. It is one of my favourite blends so I was pretty excited about trying this one. 

Appearance - Clear, deep, ruby.

Nose - Clean, medium plus intensity, aromas of blackberry, blueberry, baked fruit, black pepper, green pepper, violets, black plum, smoke, leather, earth and cloves. Basically fruit and spice. 

Palate - Dry, medium intensity, medium plus acidity, medium tannins, high alcohol, medium body, medium minus finish. Flavours of blackberry, black pepper, black plum, smoke, spice, earth, and coffee. 

Evaluation - This wine has so many things going on with the nose but it was a bit disappointing that many of those aromas did not make it into the palate. The balance was Ok, the length was not great, it had Ok complexity and some intensity of flavours. It was a smooth wine that was good with food and I rated this one as Good (but I was definitely disappointed). 

The other wine from Australia - and the last for today's blog - was a 2019 Take It To The Grave (on sale at BC Liquor right now for $16) made from 100% Grenache. Grenache is a wine that is often found in a blend, such as from the Southern Rhone, but I don't usually have it as a single varietal. It ripens late so needs to have hot weather - so is perfect for Southern Australia. 

Appearance - Clear, medium, ruby

Nose - Clean, medium intensity, red plum, raspberry, strawberry, floral, jamminess, toast, smoke, cloves.

Palate - Dry, medium acid, medium minus tannins, high alcohol, medium body, medium plus intensity, medium plus length, Flavours of plum, raspberry, jam, fruitiness, toast, red liquorice, pepper, cranberries, craisins, 

Evaluation - Although I thought this would be an OK wine, it turned out that this was a really enjoyable, smooth, easy drinking wine. I could sit on the terrace and drink this all day! The balance was good as was the complexity while the length and intensity were both excellent. This food wine (or just slurping wine) was rated as Very Good. Great value, too!

That's it for now - Happy New Year and Cheers to 2021!

This summer, why not book a tour with me at Wine and Then Somm Wine Tours? I would be happy to meet you in Kelowna or Penticton and take you, in the comfort of your own vehicle, anywhere in the Okanagan to try some local, wonderful wines! Book today!

Great Under $20 Wines from Puglia, Italy and South Africa

The view from Quail's Gate Winery

Shortly after I did my last blog post in November, I had a bit of a scare....

First, I started getting a metallic taste in my mouth. My sinuses get a little stuffed up from time to time so this isn't unusual a couple of times a year. However, one night, I also got the chills. I was so cold that I ended up taking a hot shower in the middle of the night with mostly hot water. 

After going to bed looking a bit like a lobster, I was still a bit cold - and so I was worried. Was it Covid?

Thanks to our excellent health system, I was able to get a Covid test appointment for a couple hours later.

33 hours later (not that I was counting or anxious or...) I got this text message:

\What a relief!

Of course, since that time I have still been tasting wine with my friend, Keith, on a weekly basis. We are each responsible for two wines in a row and have been choosing a theme lately such as a region or varietal. 

Courtesy Wine Folly

Keith picked Puglia in Italy for his first theme and we did two interesting wines from there - one of them a wine that I have since bought three more bottles!

The first wine was a 2018 Luccarelli Primitivo (on sale right now at BC Liquor for $14). Primitivo is the same grape as Zinfandel found in California. 

Appearance: Clear, medium ruby.

Nose: Clean, medium intensity, black plum, blackberry, strawberry, pencil shavings, dried blueberries, cedar and vanilla.

Palate: Dry, medium plus acidity, medium minus tannins, high alcohol, medium body, medium plus intensity, medium finish - cedar, charred wood, candied or jammy fruit, blackberry, blueberry, black plum

Evaluation: This wine had a hint of bitterness due to the high acidity. It cried out for a nice pasta dinner - definitely a food wine. It was fairly balanced and had a good length with strong intensity and complexity. I rated this wine on the border between Good and Very Good - but, at even the regular price ($15), this is a bargain. 

The next wine blew me away. It was a 2019 Botter Salento Verso Rosso  (on sale right now at BC Liquor for $18). This is a blend of Negroamaro and Primitivo grapes which includes some appassimento grapes which have been picked and dried in the sun before being fermented. 

Appearance: clear, deep, ruby

Nose: clean, medium intensity, grape, cedar, plum, charred wood, cherry, blackberry, cloves, fig

Palate: dry, medium plus acidity, medium minus tannins, high alcohol, medium plus body,. long finish and medium plus flavour intensity with tastes of grape, plum, cherry, blackberry, fig, cooked berries, plum jam. 

Evaluation: This was a very nice wine. It is a good sign to me when the nose and the palate is similar and this one was pretty close. It was such a smooth wine with so much flavour - and at such a good price! This was a balanced wine with great length, strong intensity of flavour and was complex. I would rate this wine as between Very Good and Outstanding and would suggest that you have this one with food.  

After the two wines from Puglia, it was my turn.

Courtesy Wine Folly

I have neglected wines from South Africa for too long! However, I did have a really nice Cinsault last month when I did a wine tasting and drawing class. A friend of mine has teamed up with an artist and they do the tasting and drawing things online - interested? Check out Unwined. The drawing was lots of fun and the wine was very good but was priced in the mid $30s so it didn't go along with Keith and my maximum price of around $20. I also didn't want to have a Pinotage as I have found most of the South African Pintoages a bit too much like espresso. 

The first wine we had was a 2018 Protea Cabernet Sauvignon ($15). This wine is made in the Franshhoek Valley in the Western Cape of South Africa and comes with an odd cork that sticks out at the top that you can, apparently, just open by twisting. 

Appearance: Clear, deep ruby

Nose: Clean, medium intensity, black currant, blackberry, leather, cedar, green pepper, cooked fruit, spice, black pepper, and possibly eucalyptus

Palate: dry, medium acidity, medium plus tannins, high alcohol, medium plus body, medium plus intensity of flavour, medium length with flavours of blackberry, cedar, leather, charred wood, pepper and cooked fruits

Evaluation: This wine had a lot of fruit on the nose but ended up losing a lot of that on the palate, leaving tastes from the oak and just a bit of fruit. It was ok in balance and length, had fairly good intensity of flavour and was somewhat complex wine. It might be an idea to age this wine for a couple of years as that would reduce some of the tannins and leather/charred wood taste. I rated this food wine as Good. 

The final wine of today's blog is the 2019 Boutinot Tiger Horse Cinsault ($15 at BC Liquor) made from 40 year old bush vines from the Western Cape. 

Appearance: Clear, medium ruby

Nose: Medium intensity, clean, cranberry, plum, blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, smoke, toast, forest floor, and, perhaps, violet

Palate: Medium plus flavour intensity, dry, medium acidity, medium minus tannins, high alcohol, medium body, medium finish with flavours of cranberry, plum, strawberry, raspberry, pepper, some sort of leaf and an underlying minerality

Evaluation:  This was a very different wine - lower in tannins, good fruit but still had some minerality. It was fairly balanced and had acceptable length but was intense in flavour (contrasting with the aromas which were not all that intense) and was quite complex. This is a great food wine - it would go with a variety of foods including chicken, pork, pasta, and beef. I rated this between Good and Very Good. 

That's it for the time being. With a vaccine being approved just today in Canada, things are looking up. I the meantime, 'be kind, be calm, be safe'.

Two Whites, Two Rosés, and Two Reds.- and Wine Touring is Done for the Year!

Vineyards of Moraine Winery, Naramata

It's been far too long since I've posted about wine - because I've been busy wine touring!

At the beginning of summer, in June, I actually got my business license from the city of Kelowna. July was a fairly quiet month. 

And then August exploded. 

I was busy from the beginning of August right until the middle of October. I had initially thought that I would be happy if I had one tour a week - it turned out that I sometimes had three in a week - way more than I thought!

Every single tour has been enjoyable and, even when I was pretty busy, it did not feel like a job at all. Because I'm driving the clients' vehicles, the groups are always small and private - and I look forward to getting to know the clients. 

My WSET 3 knowledge has been indispensable but it has also helped that I have done a lot of research and reading about the local area - Valleys of Wine: A Taste of British Columbia's Wine History (Luke Whittall) has been an indispensable resource.

But now that the tour season is winding down, it's time to look at some of the wines that I tasted with my friend, Keith, over the summer. 

Two Whites

First were two whites - even though it is fall, white wine is still the go-to wine when you have chicken, fish, and other lighter meals - which I still like in fall. Both happened to be from the big boy in the Okanagan, Mission Hill.

First up is the Mission Hill 2019 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc ($22 BC Liqour). This was a bright and refreshing wine which was fairly enjoyable to drink. Here's the tasting notes:

Appearance: Clear, lemon, pale

Nose: Medium intensity, clean, aromas of grapefruit, peach, apple, apricot and honey.

Palate: Flavours of grapefruit, lemons, underripe peach and underripe apple. A dry wine with high acidity, medium alcohol, medium minus body, medium plus intensity of flavours, and a medium finish. 

Evaluation: This was a good, crisp wine that would be good with a variety of lighter meals such as chicken, fish, and soft cheeses. It had OK balance, OK length, strong intensity and was not overly complex. This was rated as a Good wine. Drink now. 

Just a reminder - overal ratings are based on balance, length, intensity and complexity. A wine can be Unacceptable, Acceptable, Good, Very Good, or Outstanding depending on how the wine performs in the four different aspects. 

Next is the Mission Hill 2018 Reserve Chardonnay ($22 BC Liquor).  This wine was fermented mostly in oak (75% with 11% being new) and the remainder in a concrete egg or in stainless steel. 

Appearance: Clear, medium, lemon

Nose: Clean, medium plus intensity, aromas of peach, apricot, vanilla, butter, popcorn, lemon and apple. 

Appearance: Dry with medium alcohol, medium plus acidity, medium minus body, medium plus intensity of flavour, and a medium finish. There were mostly similar tastes as the aromas with lemon, peach, apricot, vanilla, apple, toast, butter, and pineapple. 

Evaluation: This was a balanced wine with acceptable length, strong intensity, and very good complexity,. Overall, this is a Very Good wine that is good with food or on its own. Drink now.

Two Rosés

Patio pounding and Thanksgiving turkey may be just a memory but rosé is good to drink year round - especially with turkey, duck, chicken, and charcuterie. It's also nice to sip on those days when you wonder when Covid will end. 

The first one we tried was the 2019 Narrative Rosé ($16 BC Liquor). This was a crisp and refreshing wine that would be good with a variety of foods.

Appearance: Clear, medium, salmon

Nose: Clean, medium plus intensity, aromas of lemon, lime, grapefruit, roses, pear, raspberry, cranberry, watermelon, and, possibly, asparagus.

Palate: This dry wine had high acidity, no tannins, medium alcohol, light body, medium plus flavour intensity, and a medium finish. Not as many flavours were apparent as on the nose - just grapefruit, lime, watermelon, and sour cherry. 

Evaluation: This wine was not overly balanced, had OK length and complexity, but had very good intensity of flavours. This is a rosé that would be at home with some food (rather than on its own). This wine is rated Good. Drink now. 

The other rosé was supposed got be from Hester Creek. They make some really nice wines (their Syrah Viognier is excellent) so I was eager to try the 2019 Cab Franc Rosé. Unfortunately, since we've done the tasting, it has sold out. That's a real shame because it was a lovely wine - think charcuterie and cheese - and was a good price at $22. 

So what can I share instead? This is one I've already reviewed - the 2019 Leyda Rosé from Chile ($15 BC Liquor). I saw this recently in a wine column and it was on sale for $12 at the time - a killer deal. I suggested to my friend that we taste this one. It seemed rather familiar but we went ahead. Today, while reviewing my blog, I realized that we already tasted this in April or May - but I thought I'd revisit it.

Appearance: Clear, medium, salmon.  (same as in April)

Nose: Clean, medium intensity, cranberry, strawberry, cherry, raspberry jam, violets. (I also got gooseberry and lavender in April). 

Palate: Dry with medium acidity, medium alcohol, medium body, medium plus intensity, and a medium finish. (pretty close to April). Tastes of strawberry, cherry, raspberry, grapefruit, watermelon, lemon, and strawberry lemonade. (I got candied fruits and pepper as well in April but not nearly as many fruits).

Evaluation: The balance was OK - a bit acidic - while the length was good and both intensity and complexity were excellent. Similar to April, I rated this as Very Good. A food wine to drink now. At even the regular price, I would stock up on this wine. 

It was interesting to compare my notes on the same wine but six months apart. They were definitely not identical but similar. 

Two Reds

Ah, fall. The beginning of the red wine drinking season. With comfort food and roasted meats being featured this time of year, red wines come to the fore. 

The first in one we tried in April, a 2016 San Fabiano Calcinaia Boschino Organic ($20 BC Liquor). This is a blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo Nero, and Colorino and is a wine to consider for food - maybe.

Appearance: Clear, deep, ruby,

Nose: Clean, medium intensity, aromas of red cherry, red plum, blackberry, tomato leaf, leather, cedar, barnyard, meaty, and pepper.

Palate: A dry wine with high acidity, medium tannins, high alcohol, medium body, medium plus intensity but only a medium minus finish. Flavours included cherry, plum, blackberry, leather, cedar, smoke, peppery and meaty. 

Evaluation: This was fine. It's a food wine. It had OK balance and length but was fairly complex and had some really good intensity of flavours. Overall, I gave it a rating of Good. 

The last wine is a Cru wine from Beaujolais. Beaujolais red is always Gamay Noir, There are generic Beaujolais wines, better wines that are Beaujolais Village wines, and named villages which are Cru wines. 

This wine is from the village of Brouilly and is a 2018 Pierrieux Brouilly ($22 BC Liquor). I was very excited about this wine when I bought it but ended up being a little disappointed.

Appearance: Clear, ruby, medium

Nose: Clean, medium plus intensity, aromas of red plum, raspberry, red cherry, cranberry, bubble gum, lavender, cherry jam, and leather.

Palate: This dry wine had medium plus acidity, medium minus tannins, medium alcohol, medium body, a medium finish and a medium plus intensity of flavours. There were tastes of red cherry, plum, raspberry, toast, cedar, leather, tomato leaf and an earthiness. 

Evaluation: The balance and length were just OK. This was an intense wine and complex so I would rate it as Good. This would be a good food wine. I think I am still looking to find a Cru Beaujolais that I really like.

And that's it. Now, I'm mostly caught up! Time to study Spanish, drink and taste wine, and think about next year's wine touring season...

Cheers! 

Two Refreshing Whites - One From Here, One From There....

A typical warm weather scene in the Okanagan 

We are well into the heat of summer. Despite Covid19, there are people at the beach (mostly socially distancing), people at outdoor restaurants (especially those where the servers wear masks) and lots of people walking and enjoying the sunshine. 

When it's really hot - and I mean 35 or 36 degrees - it is just too darned hot for red wine. Best to slap something on the barbecue and have a chilled rosé or a white. 

This blog (and I know it's been a while - been busy!) I thought I'd look at two wines that my friend Keith and I tasted at this summer.

The first was a 2019 Poplar Grove Pinot Gris ($19.99). Now, I love Poplar Grove. It is in Penticton, just as you leave the Naramata Bench. They have an amazing restaurant there (the Vanilla Pod is now called the Restaurant at Poplar Grove), a killer good rosé, and a view that is wonderful. It was time to try something else from there.

Pinot Gris is a fairly popular grape in the Okanagan and it can have a different taste, depending on the terroir. Here are the tasting notes for this refreshing wine:

Appearance - clear, pale, lemon

Nose - medium plus intensity, clean, aromas of grapefruit, lemon, apple, pear, peach, honeysuckle, vanilla and, perhaps, butter

Palate - medium plus intensity, off dry, medium plus acidity, medium alcohol, medium body, medium plus finish, and flavours of peach, pear, apricot, vanilla, butter and tropical fruit

This wine was fairly balanced (a bit too much vanilla on the palate), had good length, and fairly good complexity. I would drink this now and this would be equally happy with some food or on its own on the patio. Overall, I rated this as Very Good. 

My wife and I are watching an Italian detective series called Montalbano - there are something like 30 episodes filmed over 20 plus years. The reason I mention this is because it is filmed in Sicily. Sicily looks hot so you would think they would know something about making wine for hot weather so we tried one. 

The Crudo Catarratto Zibibbio (made from Catarratto Bianco and Zibibbio grapes - right now on sale for $16.49 at the BCL) was an amazing looking bottle with a giant octopus on the label. Marks for creativity!

Appearance - clear, pale, lemon

Nose - clean, medium intensity, honeysuckle, apple, pear drop, lemon peach, vanilla, apricot

Palate - pronounced intensity, dry, medium plus acidity, medium alcohol, medium body, medium length, and citrus flavours like lemon, and grapefruit as well as pale, pear, and apricot

This wine had such a complex nose so it was a bit disappointing that it had a rather simple set of flavours on the palate. It was fairly balanced, had an OK length, had good complexity and amazing intensity of flavours, This is a drink now wine that is not suitable for ageing, This also really needs to have some food - it elevates it from a humdrum wine to one that is quite enjoyable. 

I would rate this wine at a hair about Good - maybe Good plus. At the current sale price, I think I'll pick up a few bottles tomorrow!

Now, back to the deck!

Cheers!