November Wine Club: Carbs & Chards

After many years of monthly dinners it should no longer surprise me when our wine club serves up a common theme without any coordination. Bring together a group of people with similar preferences (hence our friendship), living and shopping in geographical proximity, and the end result is continuing culinary amusement. Having experienced the same Vancouver autumn, we were apparently left wanting for similarly styled foods this month. Our most recent communal dinner offered filling starches accompanied by several wines that including a quartet of creamy Chardonnay to complete our theme.

The hearty hors d’oeuvres course set the tone to start with a relatively simple but scrumptious pair of bread loaf fondue. Hollowed out and filled with Brie and Smoked Cambozola the loaves of sourdough were baked until bubbling and served with breadsticks and potato wedges for dipping. To help temper the upcoming cheese comas two bottles of Black Sage Bench Chardonnay freshened our palates between bites. Black Hills’ 2014 provided bright citrus aromas and an intense, tart introduction leading into a long finish of caramel popcorn and Crème Brûlée. From Harry McWatters’ Sundial Vineyard just up the road the 2013 TIME Chardonnay was equally enjoyed, providing apple and melon flavours on the buttery, well integrated palate. The round, smooth texture emphasized a light caramel finish syncing with the delicate but luxurious Brie.

With a chuckle, the appetizer team next unveiled their contribution of soft pretzels and a quintet of artisanal mustards. Alongside the chewy, salty morsels was See Ya Later’s 2015 Gewürztraminer and LaStella’s “LaStellina” 2015 Rosé. Quintessential exotic aromas like Jasmine flower (helped along by a splash of Ehrenfelser in the blend) marked the Gewürztraminer. The off-dry, deeper-flavoured palate was a very pleasant complement to some of the particularly spicy mustards, and helped cool the enjoyable burn. The blended saignée-style Rosé (Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and 8% Sangiovese) presented aromatic strawberry-rhubarb and angel food cake, carried through on to the blushing red berry palate. I tasted a savoury mouth-watering hint I called Dill Pickle Chips as well, but what do I know!

Two bottles of Chardonnay already weren’t nearly enough as we revealed another duo yet to come with the entree course my wife and I had prepared. With a nod to the vegans and vegetarians at the table we delighted in serving Vegan Scallops in White Wine Cream Sauce, over loveable bow-tie pasta. (A few actual sea scallops were also provided for the other half of the crowd.) Chardonnay had been planned for days, and nothing was going to stop us from opening the special bottles we had in mind. The 2013 vintage was presented from the Golden Mile’s Checkmate Artisan Winery (a Von Mandl franchise), as well as the much more diminutive Naramata Bench estate of Coolshanagh.

As we assembled and garnished the plates our guests were invited to sample Checkmate’s 2013 “Capture”, one of five primarily vineyard-specific Chardonnay from this focused project launched just last year. A recent visit to the winery and generous private discussion with Winemaker Phil Mcgahan encouraged a splurge purchase of a single bottle we were excited to share. The descriptors came fast and furious after opening, and everyone marvelled over this exceptionally complex wine. The ever-changing aromas ranged from brine, to marzipan, truffle oil, and orange blossom. A well-rounded palate of butterscotch and poached pear was supplemented by caramelized lemon and a tart dried apple, raisiny finish to further acclaim.

While Mcgahan sourced a 1997 planting of Osoyoos East Bench fruit bordering the US for his seven barrels of Capture, Coolshanagh’s Skip & Judy Stothert planted their northern Naramata property in 2004. Several years selling to Foxtrot culminated in their launch of the 2012 vintage with help from Okanagan Crush Pad and Winemaker Matt Dumayne. The 2013 spent 11 months aging on its lees in neutral oak and concrete, lending it similar butterscotch character as the Capture (itself aged 18 months), but took on an even creamier texture. Tension provided by integrated minerality and balanced acidity made for a lingering finish as the last of the coconut-creamed bowties were consumed.

After bread & cheese, pretzels, and pasta, came the eye-brow-raising dessert course of cake! Double Chocolate Fudge Brownie Cake was not only the icing on top of the meal, it featured icing on top – cool refreshing mint too. A pair of Syrah brought us some much-needed red attention, with versions from Osoyoos and Keremeos to offer dark fruit and spice for chocolate pairing. Moon Curser’s 2013 was particularly complementary: the meaty, leathery nose led into smooth, juicy fruit and eucalyptus notes. The gorgeous violet colour of Clos du Soleil’s first Syrah, from the 2014 vintage, provided even deeper and darker character from a cooler and more reserved expression that embraced the mint icing and garnish.

Wine club dinners typically feature four courses, but whenever some beloved former members return to visit we enthusiastically expand. This month some flash-frozen friends arrived from Tucson, Arizona eager to reconnect, and – to warm themselves more than anything – they mulled up a batch of Road 13 Honest John’s Red. To cloves, cinnamon, and orange segments they added a generous helping of Port for that extra something-something. This well-spiced after-dinner tipple came with candy canes, cookies, and chocolate to kick-start the holiday season. A few more opportunities like this in the weeks to come would be most welcome!

BC Syrah Spices Up Wine Festival

In the days leading up to the prestigious Vancouver International Wine Festival I reviewed the potential contributions of the twenty-seven BC wineries that would be attending. With the Festival’s “Feature Variety” being Syrah this year there would be ample opportunity for local wineries to exhibit their world- class presentations of the grape – which thrives in the desert vineyards of Oliver & Osoyoos in particular. As the grateful recipient of a Media Pass for the Festival’s International Tasting Room I spent time exploring a great many Australian Shiraz from the Theme Region, but the lovely local competitors stood out as well.

Several sessions in the Tasting Room at the Vancouver Convention Centre ensured I was able to find and enjoy fifteen BC wineries sampling their Syrah. There were wines from entry to icon level, miniscule small lots and market-spanning productions, all poured with pride by the Winemakers and Proprietors in attendance. I tasted many existing favourites, found new ones, and relished trying wines I hadn’t expected when I previewed the most likely wines last month.

With the national sections laid out in sensible alphabetical order I started my BC review at Backyard Vineyards, the growing Langley winery recently joined by capable and experienced Winemaker James Cambridge. James poured me 2012 Syrah, harvested before his arrival, and a sample of 2013 he has managed in full since harvest. The youthful tannins in the 2012 were obvious, but the clean and fruity palate showed off lovely cherry flavours. Fresher and also bigger in body was the 2013, with a luscious palate presenting jammy character.

Next door I found Glenn Fawcett, President of acclaimed Black Hills, pouring his 2012 Syrah, still toasty and young after a year in bottle. The wine can be found in some stores but is sold out at the winery. A juicy, spicy palate and sweet vanilla notes proved more than sufficient for current enjoyment while the newly-bottled 2013 awaits release. Just across the aisle Adrian Cassini was providing a glimpse at his ultra-rare Cassini Cellars “Grand Reserve” 2011 Syrah, of which a mere 75 cases were produced. The intense black cherry aromas followed through on the long finish of the rich cherry pie palate. To pour such a rarity at the Festival is commendable, considering it will likely sell out at the winery in short order.

The table of wines from Haywire was being shown off by the enthusiastic team at Okanagan Crush Pad, including newly-promoted Chief Winemaker Matt Dumayne. The 2012 Syrah yielded a fresh, expressive nose with plenty of fruit and a hint of leather – aging in old French barrels kept the fruit first and foremost. It’s quite quaffable, and definitely one of the best values at only $21 for Black Sage Bench fruit. Just around the corner Laughing Stock power couple David & Cynthia Enns were present with their highly coveted Platinum medal 2012 Syrah. Sourced from their Osoyoos vineyard, the wine greatly impressed, with a nose of sweet flowers and perfumed leather – clean and fresh in part due to 4% Viognier. The gorgeous full palate was awash in pure dark berry fruit, with white pepper and chocolate flavours on top. With the 2012 now sold out at the winery fans are eagerly awaiting the 2013 release in June.

Back-to-back at the end of the row, flanking the Wines of BC booth, I found Painted Rock and Poplar Grove. John Skinner was on hand to pour his 2012 Painted Rock Syrah, already yielding much more fruit expression than the youthful bottle I opened in December. As the initial oak treatment integrates, flavours of bright cherry and strawberry are coming out to complement aromas of vanilla and leather. A curtain away, Poplar Grove Winemaker Stefan Arnason was slinging the newly released 2011 Syrah, after 18 months of bottle age. Despite the cooler 2011 season, the refreshing wine provided a very nice, clean, fruity profile that benefits from a touch of Viognier. Stefan’s take is that his Syrah program is “dialled in” with no changes desired or expected going forward, and none are seemingly needed.

Less than two years since winning a Lt. Governor’s Award for her 2010 Reserve Syrah, Red Rooster Winemaker Karen Gillis was present with the 2012 iteration. Although the wine is not yet officially released it was already displaying a lingering fruit forward profile with sweet spice and a silky texture. Things got a bit darker next door at Road 13 where the charming Joe & Laura Luckhurst were pouring 2012 Syrah, another upcoming release being readied for an April debut. The co-fermented blend of 90% Syrah and 10% Viognier includes 15% Similkameen fruit to complement the Golden Mile winery’s Okanagan vineyards. A rich, toasty nose revealed generous dark fruit and mocha on the memorable palate – a powerful wine that Joe suggested “will follow you home.” I’ll be sure to keep a bed warm for this one!

When not busy graciously accepting his Spirited Industry Professional Award, Sandhill Winemaker Howard Soon was pouring two 2012 Syrah for eager guests. The excitement was to be expected considering Howard’s 2007 Small Lots Syrah was named Best Red Wine in Canada at the Canadian Wine Awards. The 2012 vintage continues the tradition of excellence with a complex profile of leather and earth, delicious milk chocolate, and attractive burnt sugar aromas. The 2012 Estate Syrah was also on hand, offering superb value at only $20 for a very accessible wine with ripe fruit and an enjoyably full texture.

More notable Syrah was present at nearby See Ya Later, where the 2012 “Rover” was being poured, showing off the BC Wine Award’s inaugural “Premier’s Award” for best wine. Having tasted it last fall I found the somewhat dichotomous sweet fruit and oak are now melding into a more complete wine. I also look forward to seeing what it becomes after a couple more years in bottle. Right next door I found another table of multiple Syrah, where Summerhill’s CEO Ezra Cipes was present pouring dual vintages. A 2010 Osoyoos-sourced Syrah from a vineyard transitioning to organic status provided tart cherry flavours and a smooth, easy drinking palate. The small lot “Spadefoot Toad Vineyard” 2011 Syrah was in bottle mere days, but provided a long, fresh fruit finish following the understandably restrained nose.

At the TIME Winery table, Harry McWatters was proud to present not just a new release, but his young winery’s first varietal Syrah, a natural fit for his Sundial vineyard on the Black Sage Bench. Six months after bottling (just 100 cases) the nose is still a little closed, but enticing savoury, meaty character was present. The lush, clean palate yielded ripe blackberry flavours with gamey, black pepper hints. Similar spicy notes came from another surprise next door at Tinhorn Creek, where the rare 2011 Oldfield Series Syrah was actually open for tasting – despite it having been sold out virtually since release last fall. A fragrant, fruity nose and juicy palate provided another reminder that the cool 2011 vintage was far from universally negative, despite the severe cropping required to yield just 168 cases from Tinhorn’s Black Sage and Golden Mile Bench vineyards.

Given my own favouritism for Syrah in general, particularly the exciting variety of styles and consistently high quality found in BC, this year’s Festival was extremely enjoyable for me. I am very grateful to have received media accreditation and admission to selected events, with particular thanks to Heth PR for their hard work supervising the accreditation process. As Australian wine enjoys a well-deserved renaissance thanks to the Festival, I’m sure the hard work is already ramping back up for next year’s celebration of Italy!

Celebrating the holidays with BCWAS

The members of the BC Wine Appreciation Society rang in the holiday season recently with a party at The Blackbird, where the upstairs private room has become a favourite location for social events and tastings. My wife and I joined the celebration to catch up with our fellow members and enjoy numerous rarities and well-aged wines from the Society’s cellar. Given the many celebratory holiday periods across cultures that coincide in December, everyone was full of festive cheer and ready to taste the range of exciting wines on offer.

To provide for an effervescent welcome guests were served Gray Monk’s 2010 Odyssey Rose Brut upon arrival. This local stalwart is a traditional method blend of Gamay, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Noir, providing a soft fruity mousse and juicy acidity to balance fourteen grams of residual sugar. The well-balanced palate finished slightly off-dry, with a blend of fresh berry and earthy flavours just as expected. An ideal wine to warm up our palates with a bite or two of The Blackbird’s Goat Cheese-Stuffed Artichokes. I would expect this wine – a superb value at only $20 – to find a place on everyone’s holiday favourites list.

We circulated amongst the comfortable couches and creative seating arrangements in the multi-function lounge space, while a stellar selection of warm winter comfort foods were served. At three tasting stations ten wines were served to engaged oenophiles – aged reds from the Society cellar and some newly acquired whites to keep matters in balance. Among those offering a fresh perspective was the 2013 Siegerrebe from Pender Island’s Sea Star Vineyards. While Siegerrebe makes up only 1% of the white grape acreage in BC, the fifty-two acres under vine are spread far and wide (in fact the aforementioned Gray Monk releases over 1,000 cases each year to serve as an off-dry aperitif). Sea Star’s take was true to form for this descendent of Gewurztraminer; intensely perfumed with floral aromatics it yielded a bounty of soft fruit flavours well suited to Coconut-crusted Prawns with Green Curry Sauce. Sold out at the winery – along with the entire portfolio – the wine recently captured a gold medal for Sea Star from the Northwest Wine Summit.

Other fresh, crisp whites included Terravista’s gold-medal-winning 2013 Fandango, a unique blend of Albariño and Verdejo from the Naramata Bench. Because this blend of two Spanish grapes was unprecedented in Canada it took the winery years to get it approved for VQA status! For many guests it was the first introduction to this rarity, showing a clean and complex nose of stone fruit and melon. On the palate pears and melon mixed with tart peach to provide for a mouth-watering finish alongside Mini Dungeness Crab Cakes with Tomato Remoulade.

The tasting bar also featured a couple more traditional varietals from older vintages. For Riesling lovers there was Mission Hill’s 2010 Martin’s Lane exclusive, a very tasty, classic reflection of the grape grown to great success in West Kelowna. The small lot Martin’s Lane project focuses solely on Riesling and Pinot Noir (with the occasional Viognier), and the 2010 release of 400 cases marked only the second vintage. The sweet and spicy flavours of Vegetarian Spring Rolls undoubtedly worked well with the wine, or perhaps the tangy tomatoes topping Margherita Pizza. Chardonnay aficionados were invited to sample Quinta Ferreira’s 2011, from their Oliver vineyard planted in 1999. Like the Riesling, the Chardonnay provided another relatable expression, with mature toasty popcorn and apple pie characteristics from malolactic barrel fermentation and aging.

Five reds covering the colour spectrum provided plenty of winter warmth and a peek into the past, including a very special first vintage from Painted Rock! Anyone who snagged a Crustade with Duck Confit & Quince Jam would have appreciated a sip of La Frenz 2010 Reserve Pinot Noir. In 2012 this Naramata Bench wine received a double-gold medal at the All Canadian Wine Championships, ensuring a place in the BCWAS cellar precisely for an opportunity such as this. After a couple years aging, the wine presented as four years young if anything, with cranberries and strawberries on the nose and smooth vanilla cherries and strawberry flavours.

Forest Mushrooms on Grilled Polenta with Fresh Basil was another potential pairing for the Pinot Noir, but Sandhill’s 2008 Small Lots Sangiovese offered an opportunity as well. Herbaceous aromas yielded to a smooth, lighter-bodied palate with toasty, spicy fruit flavours and a juicy finish from Black Sage Bench fruit. Only 475 cases were released back in 2011 by Winemaker Howard Soon, providing us with a valuable look at Canada’s only varietal (VQA) Sangiovese.

For something to drink with a slice of Italian Salami & English Ham Pizza one could have sipped on a glass of See Ya Later Ranch’s 2008 “Rover” a ripe Syrah co-fermented with 3.5% Viognier. Four years removed from the current platinum-medal 2012 vintage, this Rover received a gold medal from the Canadian Wine Awards in 2010. After a few years in the cellar it offered an easy-drinking palate of earthy cherries paired with nicely perfumed aromas, encouraged by the small Viognier component no doubt.

To round out the selection of reds there were a couple of hoped for heavy-hitters on offer, definitely the kind of wines calling out for one of the Mini Yorkshire Puddings in circulation. From the sadly defunct (but in good hands) Herder Winery in Keremeos we were very lucky to sample the 2008 Josephine, a blend of 81% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Cabernet Franc. Cellar time had knit together a savoury profile of olives and dates, with a long juicy finish to provide some closing thoughts.

As good as the Josephine tasted, the star of the evening for many was the delightful 2007 Merlot from Painted Rock – the winery’s first vintage. Approximately 750 cases were released in 2009, being named Best of Varietal at the 2010 Okanagan Spring Wine Festival, and going on to bring home a gold medal at the BC Wine Awards that fall. Painted Rock’s Proprietor John Skinner often remarks that his Merlot behaves as a bit of dark horse, needing generous time in bottle to come about. After five and a half years following 18-months in new French oak at the winery we got the chance to savour a very well-aged BC wine. Even still, a bit of tannin remained noticeable on the bright palate, showing off broad flavours of everything from juicy cranberries to some prune character with a hint of olives. The long, smooth finish certainly kept the wine in my mind, and that of many other guests given the extensive mentions it received.

We finished the tasting with another bonus from the BCWAS Fall Bus Tour: after opening a few whites acquired on the tour during October’s Harvest Party, this festive celebration provided the perfect opportunity to savour Arrowleaf’s Late Harvest Vidal. Although the wine was available to taste from the beginning of the event, I waited patiently to close out the evening with it. By then all the delicious food had been snapped up, but I’m sure a few creative pairings could have been assembled by adventurous guests. With my palate all to itself the Vidal burst with rich honey and tropical fruit; layers of papaya, guava, and pineapple were all nicely balanced by tangy acidity. It was a good thing the Society picked up several bottles during the Bus Tour, because the nicely valued wine ($25) is already sold out, despite 300 cases produced. Hopefully a few lucky folks will find a bottle in their stocking this year!

Towards the end of the evening the traditional prize raffle yielded a one-year BCWAS membership, plus bottles of Bartier Brothers “The Cowboy” and Church & State’s delicious but sadly discontinued Pinot Noir. Executive members were also happy to share early details of some of the very exciting 2015 events set to mark the Society’s tenth anniversary, starting with a vertical tasting of Mission Hill Oculus in January. As we parted ways amid well wishes for the holidays and new year it was great to see that everyone had enjoyed the excellent food and wine, and I would hope some even found a few new favourites along the way.

Collectibles: October 2014

While fruitfully working through a bit of a cellar backlog this fall (making room for new vintages) I still found the time to purchase a few bottles I couldn’t resist. Several new and recently released wines caught my attention, either on store shelves or in the news. I lucked out on a few, and others took a fair amount of hunting to track down across Vancouver.

Sage Hills 2013 Pinot Noir: I scooped up one of the last bottles on the shelf of this new release; only 191 cases were produced from Rick Thrussell’s organic Summerland vineyard. John Schreiner recently reported the wine was almost certainly released prematurely (with many years of development ahead), but Rick bowed to pressure “after his debut 2012 Pinot Noir was something of a sensation.” Swirl VQA Store – $45

Orofino 2012 Home Vineyard Pinot Noir: Keeping Sage Hills company is Orofino’s 2012 Home Vineyard Pinot Noir, a bright wine bursting with strawberry aromas and flavours. John & Virginia Weber grow five different Pinot Noir clones in their Cawston vineyard, and aged this blend of all five for 16 months in French oak. I may end up receiving a bottle in my next Orofino Collector’s Club shipment but that shouldn’t be much of a problem at all! Swirl VQA Store – $32

See Ya Later Ranch 2012 Rover: The latest release from a popular and widely available entry level Syrah. Anthony Gismondi has provided some impressive praise for past vintages, such as the 2008, noting it’s a wine that seems to get better and better every year. When the 2012 was recently awarded the new “Premier’s Award” for best wine of the entire BC Wine Awards, it seemed only reasonable to cellar a bottle for the future. At present it’s a bit disjointed, with alternating earthy and fruity notes that haven’t yet melded, but I’m looking forward to seeing what a couple of years aging can yield. Swirl VQA Store – $22

Thornhaven 2012 Syrah: After the National Wine Awards results were announced in late summer I paid close attention to the handful of Platinum medal-winners. Several BC wines made the list, including three 2012 Syrah, only one of which I hadn’t yet acquired. The bottle from Thornhaven in Summerland was more elusive, with the 2011 vintage still on VQA Store shelves. I have to admit, a Summerland appellation Syrah is a curious wine indeed, and this one has reportedly seen a brief 10 months in oak – it should prove quite interesting. Coal Harbour Liquor Store – $33

Burrowing Owl 2012 Malbec: Burrowing Owl only just introduced Malbec to their portfolio last year, with the inaugural 2011 release joining a mere handful of BC wineries producing a varietal version. The new release was bottled in August, fresh from 21 months in a mix of 80% French, and 10% each American and Hungarian oak. The dense fruit style of Burrowing Owl, combined with the excellent vintage and hand-harvesting from the winery’s Osoyoos vineyard should equate to an excellent collectible. Liberty Wines Granville Island – $37

Baillie-Grohman 2012 Cabernet Franc: The new Platinum category introduced at this fall’s BC Wine Awards is intended to award those wines judged unanimously worthy of Gold medals by all nine judges. Only five Platinum medals were handed out in September, including one to young Creston winery Baillie-Grohman. Although the winery has established estate vineyards, they still source reds from the Okanagan and Similkameen valleys: ten barrels of Cabernet Franc were obtained from an exclusive single vineyard in Osoyoos. Swirl VQA Store – $27

Fairview Cellars 2012 Cabernet Franc: On my way to the BC Wine Appreciation Society Bus Tour in September I stopped in to Bill Eggert’s winery outside Oliver. I received the sad news that his 2012 Cabernet Franc was long since sold out. I had heard some impressive praise for the wine, no surprise given the vintage and Bill’s talent with Cabernets. I was pleasantly surprised to spot the wine afterwards on store shelves. Perusing the back label I’m pleased to see Bill has continued his practice of noting the “Best After” date; in this case it’s December 2016, which fits perfectly with my five-years-from-harvest cellaring strategy. Marquis Wine Cellars – $35

Clos du Soleil 2012 Signature: From Keremeos, Clos du Soleil’s top tier red blend was actually doubled in production for this vintage, up to 475 cases, in anticipation of implementing bottle aging from 2013 onward. While bottles may seem prevalent now, shortly after release, once it’s gone there will be a long wait for the next vintage, so stock up while you have a chance! Should I follow through with my rotating vertical strategy, I can now open the 2008. However, the Signature has proved very long-lived, so further delay will likely provide even greater enjoyment. Swirl VQA Store – $40

Poplar Grove 2009 “The Legacy”: The arrival of this 2009 red blend is in fact the third vintage released this year, starting with the 2007, the ethereal 2008, and now the nearly sold-out 2009 – the winery appears to be a victim of their own success! Production in 2008 and 2009 was cut in half (500 cases), and the 2010 will likely see similar numbers, keeping me anxious to avoid a hole in my vertical going forward. At least I get to drink the 2005 now in order to make room for the new bottle! Swirl VQA Store – $50

Wine Bloggers Conference 2013 – Part I

After a great deal of lobbying by some very hardworking people in the local wine and hospitality industry, the North American Wine Bloggers Conference came to Canada this year for the first time, setting up shop in Penticton to be precise. For people in the know, this was a very big deal, and a valuable opportunity to provide our relatively small local industry with international exposure. I originally wasn’t going to attend the Conference myself, given that I was unlikely to discover any BC wines with which I wasn’t already familiar. I expected the focus of the conference would be to show off BC wine and wine tourism to those with next to no experience, and I was fine with that approach. However, after seeing how many other local bloggers and industry friends were to be attending I changed my mind. Upon reading the list of events and realizing I would be following all of the enthusiastic tweets from home it became clear I would probably sprain an ankle kicking myself if I didn’t attend.

With a room booked at the Penticton Lakeside Resort and an empty trunk begging for wine in our rental SUV, my wife and I set off for wine country last Thursday morning. My goal was to head north via the Coquihalla Highway, and enjoy lunch at Mission Hill’s Terrace Restaurant, which I had visited for the first time last fall, and was quite eager to share. Upon arrival in West Kelowna the excellent food and the stellar views did not disappoint, and we even bumped into a former staff member from Village Wines Kitsilano; now a Sommelier in the Mission Hill wine shop, she generously walked us through a short but exciting Oculus vertical.

Headed south towards Penticton I knew we had to make a couple of stops along the way. I’d recently been quite surprised to see Summerland’s Silkscarf Winery take home the award for Best Cabernet Sauvignon at the Okanagan Spring Wine Festival, and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try it out in person. It being early afternoon on a Thursday we had the tasting room to ourselves for most of our visit, and Proprietor/Winemaker Roie Manoff was more than happy to show off his many wines. While virtually everything was excellent, we were particularly impressed by the reds, having previously perceived Silkscarf as a more white-wine-focused operation. Estate plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Syrah in Summerland must be few and far between, but the Manoff family is producing highly drinkable reds with ripe tannins and intense fruit focus. We left with plenty of wine and new appreciation for a previously lesser known winery – WBC was paying off already!

With the afternoon heating up rapidly and a desire to reach home base in Penticton growing, we elected on only one more stop, although it was already a given we would visit 8th Generation. We’ve both been big fans of 8th Generation’s Frizzante(s) since the very first Chardonnay Frizzante from 2009. Tasting both the 2012 Integrity (White) and Confidence (Rosé) Frizzante we knew it was a particularly good vintage, and a split-case quickly found its way into the car. The Frizzante was joined by several bottles of the 2012 Pinot Meunier Rosé, an annual favourite in our household that has continued to impress this year with mouth-watering fresh fruit flavours.

With more than two cases of wine already rattling around in the car we finally checked into the hotel and picked up our conference badges, settling into our lovely sixth floor, lake view room – very nice! While catching up with a great many friends at the tradeshow we also enjoyed samples of unique Uruguayan wines. The fact that Wines of Uruguay had gone to the trouble of attending – given what must have been mounds of paperwork – was impressive enough, yet the wines being poured were also noteworthy. I learned quite a bit about Uruguay itself, as well as the extremely prosperous and sustainable economy of this little South American dynamo! Just as our stomachs started to rumble everyone was herded onto buses for the trip to our first major event, the opening reception at See Ya Later Ranch in the hills above Okanagan Falls.

The crew from Constellation Brands, corporate owners of See Ya Later and several other local wineries, had obviously pulled out all the stops from their deep pockets to welcome the Conference attendees. Upon arrival after the precarious journey up winding mountain roads guests were invited to soothe their senses with crisp Sumac Ridge Steller’s Jay Brut (and freshly shucked oysters for good measure). Constellation made the very wise decision to hire Joy Road Catering to provide the food, distributed amongst several stations spread throughout the picturesque property. The extremely skilled veterans at Joy Road had prepared a bevy of spectacular food pairings for wines from Jackson-Triggs, Inniskillin, Nk’Mip Cellars, Osoyoos Larose, See Ya Later, and Sumac Ridge. Not only was the food incredibly creative and delicious, but each station included live entertainment, from the quaint accordion player at Osoyoos Larose, to the talented Aboriginal drummer and dancer at Nk’Mip’s table amongst the vines.

The party went long into the night, as guests devoured the seemingly never-ending food and enjoyed what, for many, was their first deep immersion into BC wine. The local classic car club had swung by to show off their lovingly restored vehicles, and even Tinhorn Creek President Sandra Oldfield had joined the fun with her beautiful 1957 Dodge De Soto. Upon discovering the De Soto’s trunk was large enough to hold an orchestra a few of us locals giddily staged a series of photo-shoots inside, to Sandra’s delight. Finally, full of wine, including Inniskillin icewine and sumptuous desserts from the final station, everyone slowly boarded buses in the dark for the ride back to Penticton. Constellation made sure no one left without a gift bag however, which surprisingly included a whole bottle of Sumac Ridge’s Black Sage Vineyard Pipe! I hope our international guests found room in their bags to bring home this tasty fortified wine, but I would guess more than a few bottles were enjoyed significantly sooner, for practical reasons if anything.

The next morning we slowly emerged from the bed, encouraged by the breakfast opportunities at the Resort’s waterfront restaurant, The Hooded Merganser. For guests who officially decline all housekeeping services, the hotel offers food vouchers that go a long way towards covering breakfast or lunch – an excellent value proposition that I would love to see more often! We enjoyed a tasty breakfast with a gorgeous view of the lake before going our separate ways for the day: my wife had work on which to catch up, and I was about to play hooky from the Conference for the morning! Although I’m sure author and keynote speaker James Conaway kept the crowd entertained, I was busy taking advantage of my presence in the midst of countless superb wineries I don’t visit nearly often enough.

My first stop that morning was actually the Penticton Wine Information Centre, a large VQA wine store which I surmised would carry some of the rarities not often seen in Vancouver. My suspicions were proven correct when I spotted exciting sparkling wines like Haywire’s “The Bub” and Covert Farms’ “Odie” plus a couple bottles of Desert Hill’s port-style wine “The Ambassador”. Unlike many VQA stores, which are often pressed for space, the Wine Info Centre has a wall of coolers from which to sell nicely chilled whites as well; quite an impressive setup overall. There are always a number of wines that don’t show up in VQA stores for various reasons, and so my next stops at Poplar Grove and La Frenz helped to tick quite a few bottles off my to-buy list as well, including several bottles of the latter’s divine Tawny, and Liqueur Muscat. Although many more wineries up the Naramata Bench beckoned, it was nearly noon and I retreated to the hotel for a tasty lunch sponsored by Wine Country Ontario.

Tempting as the local wineries were, I took the time to attend the afternoon sessions, including “Creating Compelling Content” with local writer Jeannette Montgomery, plus American contributors Michael Wangbickler and Marcy Gordon. It was an entertaining, informative, and inspiring discussion about blogging and writing in general. Following the afternoon content sessions there was an hour of “Live Wine Blogging” featuring local white wines, of which I regretfully missed out on a good portion. Eager to strike out without delay on the evening mystery excursions I was busy freshening up until halfway through the Live Blogging. Admittedly, I thought the format would involve the bloggers rotating amongst stations, but to my surprise the bloggers stayed put and the winemakers and wines rotated between two dozen tables every five minutes, speed-dating style. As a result I wasn’t able to catch up on the wines I missed when I finally arrived, but I still got the chance to enjoy several crisp summer whites, and watch some very hardworking wine-slingers in action!

At the conclusion of the Live Blogging, the Excursion melee began in earnest, as five buses headed to mystery destinations awaited riders.  Although I had already surmised precisely where each bus was travelling based on the provided itinerary hints and my local knowledge, many conference-goers hadn’t a clue, and once each bus filled up it departed post-haste! Fortunately my wife had finished work for the day and joined me on the bus headed to explore “Wine & Geology”, where we were about to relish a fun-filled evening and spectacular dinner in a wonderfully unique location. To be continued…

Okanagan Falls in Vancouver

Sandwiched between the well known Naramata Bench to the north and the heavy hitters of Oliver-Osoyoos to the south, one might worry the wineries of Okanagan Falls could escape notice. In order to ensure that doesn’t happen the wineries from “The Heart of Wine Country” organized themselves into a winery association that was “years in the making” and covers wineries from Penticton to Vaseux Lake, representing 11% of the domestic wine bottled in BC. This week the young Okanagan Falls Winery Association held the Vancouver launch of their new press kit with a comprehensive tasting at Brix Restaurant in Yaletown. The results made it obvious that anyone who fails to pay attention to the dozen members of the Association is doing themselves a serious disservice, and missing out on some of BC’s tastiest wines!

At Brix the wineries were organized at a dozen tables within the outer courtyard and restaurant interior, with most of the winery proprietors in attendance pouring a wide variety of wines. I was pleased to get another chance to enjoy Noble Ridge’s delicious “The One” traditional method sparkling wine, immediately followed by Blue Mountain’s NV Brut, a BC standard. Both sparkling wines were showing particularly well, and ideal for awakening my palate. Noble Ridge Proprietors Leslie and Jim D’Andrea were also sharing their creamy 2010 Chardonnay and big, bold 2009 Pinot Noir. Blue Mountain Sales & Marketing Manager Christie Mavety was showing off her family’s newly released 2011 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, plus the 2011 Sauvignon Blanc, with great citrus-dominant fresh fruit flavours.

The Wild Goose table next door, out in the courtyard, was swamped for the most of the tasting, so I didn’t manage to taste any of the wines being poured by General Manager Roland Kruger. Judging by the crowds and the winery’s reputation I’m sure the new releases were going over very well, considering they included the 2011 Stoney Slope Riesling and 2012 Mystic River Gewurztraminer, plus 2010 Reserve Merlot. I’ll just have to visit the winery myself this summer, in the hopes that at least some of those particularly popular aromatic whites are still available!

Inside the restaurant Blasted Church Proprietors Evelyn and Chris Campbell and Winemaker Mark Wendenburg were making enthusiastic use of a portable tap dispensing their 2011 Hatfield’s Fuse white blend, and 2011 Big Bang Theory red blend. Both wines are very popular throughout BC via the “FreshTap” kegs that enable by-the-glass servings in restaurants and bars. Both 2011 wines were initially released earlier last year, so 2012 versions will be forthcoming soon, but in the meantime the Hatfield’s Fuse is showing soft fresh stone fruit flavours, and the Big Bang Theory has lots of easy-drinking berry flavours and floral hints.

The always enthusiastic John Skinner was on hand pouring his remaining Painted Rock wines – the 2011 Chardonnay is sold out leaving him with no white at present. The 2012 Chard should be available soon, but you’d hardly have noticed any disappointment in John as he was busy showing off renderings of his long-awaited tasting room, finally under construction. John has spent the last few years putting all his energy and profits into the vineyards and winery, resisting the urge to splurge on a showpiece tasting room. Now that his winery and brand are firmly established he can proceed with a replacement for the small shed that has served customers since the winery opened. By mid-summer the gleaming new tasting room should be open and ready to serve guests and host events such as weddings, which will likely be clamouring for the Skaha Lake views.

At the Stag’s Hollow table owners Larry Gerelus and Linda Pruegger were pouring their very tasty 2012 Syrah Rose: a touch of Viognier amps up the aromatic nose and the strawberry flavours (and dry finish) put it on my shopping list immediately. The winery’s new 2010 vintage of their Cabernet-Merlot red blend “Heritage Block” was showing toasty smoke over a solid fruit core, and the 2010 Renaissance Merlot impressed with a full, but smooth, approachable texture. Of particular interest was the sample of the winery’s upcoming third wine in their ultra-small-lot “Cachet” series: Cachet #3 is a rich Merlot-Tempranillo blend with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon, from the 2010 vintage, and should be released later this year. Once again, each bottle is hand-numbered, and they will probably be very hard to find outside the winery!

I spent a substantial amount of time at the table manned by Jak Meyer (the current Association President): his Meyer Family Vineyards Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is consistently superb, and they just keep getting better! Jak was not only pouring all of his single vineyard wines, but also his “Okanagan Valley” Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the more economical multi-vineyard blends. That certainly isn’t to say that the Tribute or McLean Creek Chardonnays ($35), or Reimer or McLean Creek Pinot Noirs ($40) aren’t worth the price: the Chardonnays show very well-integrated oak, with bright acidity and excellent balance, and the Pinot Noirs are earthy and full-bodied. Meyer has a handy wine club that offers access to all of the wines in three annual shipments: it’s probably the best way to acquire many of these small-lot wines if you can’t make it to the winery in Okanagan Falls.

With “only” a dozen wineries present one would think there was enough time to visit them all, but I regretfully had to quickly skim through the portfolios of a few, and missed one of them entirely! Fortunately I’ll get a chance to visit Liquidity Wines this summer, hopefully just in time to enjoy their brand new tasting room, and finally try some of their wines. Knowing the estate vineyards have been selling grapes for over twenty years before the new owners started a winery in time for the 2012 vintage certainly piques my curiosity.

I was at least able to taste some of the wines from the remaining wineries, and was impressed by Kraze Legz’ clean and crisp Pinot Blanc and refreshing Merlot Rose, as well as the strawberry-flavoured “Cake Walk” Merlot. From the See Ya Later Ranch portfolio I enjoyed the value found in the very easy-drinking 2011 “Jimmy My Pal” white blend ($16), and the soft, dark fruit of the 2010 “Ping” Cabernet-Merlot. Family-run winery Synchromesh (named by auto-enthusiasts) had a slew of Rieslings open across three vintages from 2010 to 2012. The 55 grams of residual sugar found in the 2011 Black Label Riesling was certainly eye-opening, but still in decent balance with the acidity. Thematic nomenclature continued with Topshelf Winery, clearly the domain of hockey enthusiasts: each bottle being poured by owners (and hockey parents) Leonard & Myra Kwiatkowski features prominent goalie mask artwork! The Kwiatkowski’s were pouring their 2011 Pinot Gris, a bright 2011 Chardonnay called “Slapshot”, and an earthy, soft 2011 Merlot named “Over the Top”.

It’s great to see the diverse Okanagan Falls wineries finally organize themselves into a trade association. Working together will undoubtedly help to raise the profiles of all the member wineries; they certainly made an impression on the assembled guests at Brix. Having visited a few of these wineries previously, including during last year’s BCWAS Bus Tour, I’m looking forward to returning this summer to share the region’s beautiful vistas and wide variety of wines with my family. Thanks to the Okanagan Falls Winery Association for refreshing my memory!

VIWF 2013: BC Paired Luncheon

After three visits to the Wine Festival Tasting Room I had the opportunity to attend the BC Paired Luncheon the following day. Most of the BC wineries present for the Festival were at Provence Marinaside pouring selected wines as part of a grazing-style lunch organized by the BC Wine Institute. I discovered a few more gems, and tried some wines not present in the regular Tasting Room, alongside the delicious food of Chefs Jean-Francis & Alessandra Quaglia.

The menu was extensive, and reflected the seafood focus of Marinaside, with popular offerings such as Sockeye Gravlax, Dungeness Crab Cakes, Lobster Risotto Balls, and Seared Scallops with Truffle Beurre Blanc. Sawmill Bay oysters were on hand to pair with the sparkling wines in the room, and outside on the patio lamb lollipops and sausages were being grilled for those interested in an ideal red wine pairing. Fresh Tomato & Bocconcini Skewers, Tomato Basil Gnocchi, and some well stocked cheese trays were enough to keep strict vegetarians quite happy, while addictive lemon and chocolate tarts were in abundance to finish the meal. I attended a similar event at Provence during last year’s Festival and have to say the preparation and organization were noticeably improved this year, helped along by the additional space provided for in the restaurant’s new Wine Bar.

Having adored Rolf de Bruin’s 2012 Riesling so much in the Tasting Room I headed directly to the Fort Berens table to see what he was pouring alongside Winemaker James Cambridge. I was excited to see some new 2012 Pinot Noir Rosé, and marvelled at the gorgeous violet colour of the wine, which seemed to almost glow in the light. I resolved to pick up a bottle on the way home upon appreciating the delicate strawberry and pink grapefruit aromas and the dry palate with hints of earthiness. Rolf’s fruit-forward 2011 Chardonnay was further icing on the cake, with tropical flavours and nicely integrated oak – a great preview of the potential to be found in the winery’s reserve Chardonnay “White Gold” coming out in April.

A significantly different shift in Chardonnay style could be experienced steps away at the Sandhill table, where the 2011 Small Lots Chardonnay finally made an appearance, having been surprisingly absent from the Festival Tasting Room. The winery yields a full-bodied Chardonnay from selected parcels of their estate vineyard for this wine, of which typically only several barrels are produced. A very creamy texture and slightly sweet palate loaded with pie crust flavours provided for a memorable wine that I hope to enjoy again with something particularly well-paired, like baked Brie.

Across the room Okanagan Falls winery Noble Ridge was represented by Manager Tamsin Finnigan. The winery’s traditional method sparkling wine “The One” ($40) really caught my attention in the Festival Tasting Room, and I was quite pleased to enjoy it again at Provence. Made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes, it continued to remind me specifically of fresh waffles and strawberries. Sadly the wine wasn’t for sale at the Festival’s Convention Centre BC Liquor Store, but I resolved to seek some out in short order after hearing from Tamsin that it should be available at private stores, including Legacy and Firefly.

Another two wineries were also pouring their sparkling wines to cleanse and refresh our palates. See Ya Later Ranch had their venerable non-vintage Brut, which is consistently enjoyable and relatively widely available as well. Produced via the Traditional Method it has pleasant baked bread aromas and a clean, crisp finish that I’ve enjoyed on many occasions. The other sparkling was the new Blanc de Noir Brut from Langley winery Backyard Vineyards: a good value at only $20 from Fraser Valley Pinot Noir, it was showing plenty of fruit, and lots of versatility with the myriad foods present.

Plenty of delicious red wine was also on offer despite the seafood-heavy menu, including the rare “CSM” blend from Poplar Grove. I was lucky enough to find the 2008 vintage last year, and am hopeful to get my hands on some of the smooth, juicy 2009 becoming available this year, despite it being targeted primarily at the winery’s Club members. About six hundred cases were produced, so there should be enough to stock the winery’s tasting room for a least a few months.

At the Nk’Mip Cellars table I continued my discussion with Assistant Winemaker Justin Hall as I sampled the 2009 Qwam Qwmt Meritage. I was sure to compliment him on the wine’s surprisingly bright, fresh red fruit flavours, and I mentioned the noticeable Merlot component obvious on the nose – Justin confirmed it’s often about two thirds Merlot. Even more 2009 reds could be found just inside the patio doors, where Black Hills Winemaker Graham Pierce was generously pouring ripe 2009 Nota Bene. The 2010 vintage is the current release (with the 2011 coming out in June), but the relatively young 2009 is already drinking quite well with plenty of dark fruit flavours.

At the very back of the Wine Bar annex I found the Wild Goose table manned by General Manager Roland Kruger and his brother, Winemaker Hagen Kruger. With the wineries in the venue organized alphabetically one would hope guests didn’t miss Wild Goose at the back, as Roland was pouring their delightful 2011 Blanc de Noirs and 2011 Autumn Gold white blend. The slightly off-dry, supremely fruity Autumn Gold is a legendary wine, having racked up loads of awards over the years, including a gold medal at last year’s Canadian Wine Awards for the 2011 vintage. I enjoyed both the Autumn Gold and the Blanc de Noirs, a blend of 30% Pinot Noir, 70% Merlot – both served as reminders that summer is approaching soon (and with it another excellent new vintage of Wild Goose wines)!

To conclude the luncheon there was really no better choice than a Chocolate Tartelette and the newly released (Sumac Ridge) Black Sage Vineyard 2007 “Pipe”. Having noticed the Pipe being poured earlier in the afternoon I heartily endorsed it when a fellow guest asked what he should pair with the Tartelette – no surprise it turned out to be the official suggested pairing in the printed program. The 2007 Pipe is the first vintage under the new Black Sage Vineyard label, which Sumac Ridge has spun off on its own to focus solely on red wines. The wine remains the same blend of one third each Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, fermented into a Port-style wine with 85 grams/L of residual sugar and about 20% alcohol. It’s always an excellent match for chocolate, and lifted up the already spectacular Tartelette even more – leaving a long, rich finish to ponder on the way home.

Chefs Quaglia and the Provence team should be proud of another successful year partnering with the BC Wine Institute to show off their delicious food with more excellent BC VQA wines. I consider myself very lucky to have attended this sold-out event (and all the other Festival events as well), and offer my thanks to the Vancouver International Wine Festival Society, the Wine Institute, and Provence Marinaside for the invitation – see you next year!

VIWF 2013: BC Wineries Continued

Earlier this week, I detailed some of the BC wineries from which I had the good fortune to sample at the Vancouver International Wine Festival. With twenty-seven BC wineries (including the SakeMaker at Granville Island) in attendance this year I could go on and on detailing each one and all the delicious wines they were pouring. In addition to those wineries and wines I mentioned already there are at least several more I would love to highlight – keeping in mind all the wineries were doing a great job promoting the excellent products produced by themselves and the entire local industry.

At the Nk’Mip Cellars table I had a great time catching up with Assistant Winemaker Justin Hall, with whom I always enjoy discussing Okanagan winemaking. We talked about Nk’Mip’s new “Talon” red blend, a fun and approachable mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Malbec from 2010. It’s soft and a little sweet (3.3 grams of residual sugar), and value-priced at $23 – a good deal considering the quality of grapes and winemaking talent that went into it. Being poured alongside the Talon were the Qwam Qwmt (Reserve) versions of the 2011 Chardonnay ($35), 2010 Pinot Noir ($30), and 2009 Syrah ($35), all of excellent quality and drinking very nicely at present, particularly the Pinot Noir. I also felt it pertinent to try out the 2010 Mer’r’iym I had already purchased, and I adored the ripe dark fruit and mouth filling texture. Sadly, there will not be a 2011 Mer’r’iym, as the winery felt the quality of fruit that year was not up to par for such an icon wine – which garners them a lot of respect in my book!

Painted Rock Proprietor John Skinner was a fixture throughout the festival, seemingly manning his booth relentlessly without pause. Helping to pour his fine wines was hardworking Sales Representative Jill and even his son Riley at one point. John’s sole white wine, his 2011 Chardonnay ($30), was front and centre, and was in fact the sole Canadian wine served at the Festival’s centrepiece Bacchanalia Dinner. It’s a very elegant and complex wine with a long finish and superb food friendliness. The Painted Rock team was also showing off their new 2010 Syrah ($40), a fine follow-up to the highly acclaimed 2009 vintage: it’s coming along well, with spicy pepper and slowly softening tannins. The 2009 Merlot ($40) is still exhibiting superb ripe flavours and maturity that I’ve been loving for months, as was the 2009 Red Icon ($55) of course. John decided at the last minute to hold back the 2010 Red Icon despite honestly wanting to share it with the world at the Festival; a little more time in bottle should ensure it is revealed when most appropriate.

I stopped by Quails’ Gate to check out the Stewart Family Reserve wines I’d already purchased, and spotted Proprietor Tony Stewart flitting in and out. Chief Operations Officer Tyler Galts and Winemaker Grant Stanley were present behind the table, pouring the winery’s Chenin Blanc ($18) and Dry Riesling ($17), along with the Reserve Burgundian varietals. The Reserve Chardonnay was as elegant as I remember from many previous vintages, while the Reserve Pinot Noir is back after a year’s absence: a smoky nose led nicely into earthy mushrooms and red fruit. At the Trade Tasting sessions the 2008 Merlot ($23) was also being poured (notable in particular given the current vintage comes from 2010) and it impressed me with a juicy, still somewhat tannic, chocolaty palate.

Sandhill’s Senior Winemaker Howard Soon could be spotted now and then, but it was Winemaker Stephanie Leinemann who spent the most time behind the table at the Festival. Although the winery was surprisingly not pouring their Small Lots Chardonnay in the Tasting Room, the regular 2011 Chardonnay ($18) did just fine, serving as a textbook traditional take on the varietal. I found the 2010 Syrah ($22) to be an enjoyable mix of peppery spice and bright berry fruit, with a hint of menthol; unfortunately it is sold out at the winery. When it came to trying the 2010 Small Lots “One” ($35) I was impressed at how well this blend is drinking already, with spot on balance and lots of fruit on the palate – good thing I purchased a bottle in advance! Also being poured at the Trade Tastings was the one-of-a-kind 2010 Small Lots Sangiovese ($30), with youthful tannins within a light-coloured, strawberry-flavoured palate.

Right next door See Ya Later’s Winemaker Mason Spink was happy to discuss the gamut of wines he was pouring. The 2011 Chardonnay ($20) possesses a soft, smooth mouthfeel thanks to malolactic fermentation, with subtle use of oak and apple-dominant orchard flavours. The new “Belle” Viognier-Pinot Gris blend comes in at a budget-friendly $17, and includes some of the best of both grapes, with floral aromas and apple-peach flavours; the 15% Pinot Gris provides acidity to back up the Viognier. The 2010 “Rover” Syrah ($25) was co-fermented with Viognier skins that provide pleasant floral aromas in the wine’s youth, but sufficient acid is present to allow for longer-term aging – as far as 2017 is suggested. The 2010 “Ping” red blend ($28) was darker on the palate, with less acid but more tannins, and could age even longer – I’ve been impressed with the performance of previous vintages. Lastly, for a delectable treat, Trade Tasting attendees were treated to samples of the new 2011 “Hunny” Last Harvest Riesling ($25), Best Dessert Wine at the Fall Okanagan Wine Festival: ideal sugar balance compliments a delicate, creamy palate and long finish – an excellent icewine alternative.

The Martinuik family of Stoneboat Vineyards was particularly excited to be present at the festival, as the timing was perfect for them to show off their new sparkling wine, “Piano Brut”. This Charmat-method sparkling is being released this spring at the approachable price of $23, but Festival-goers had the chance to buy it immediately at the on-site store. Comprised primarily of Pinot Blanc with a touch of Müller-Thurgau, it’s slightly off-dry, with peach flavours and a robust mousse (having been recently bottled). Stoneboat is perhaps best known for their Pinot Noir and Pinotage, both of which ($25) were being poured from the 2010 vintage. In tasting both wines I was taken aback at their highly expressive, fruit-forward aromas that easily wafted from the glass; although either should be able to age well, they are delightfully fresh and engaging at present.

Next door Tinhorn Creek was pulling out all the stops, led by President and Winemaker Sandra Oldfield. She had ensured only the reserve “Oldfield Series” wines were being served, with pouring being assisted by Vice-President Shaun Everest and Sales Manager Mark Butschler. The biggest surprise was seeing the newly released Oldfield Series 2010 Cabernet Franc ($35) on the table, and thus in the on-site store. The Oldfield Cabernet Franc is a brand new addition to the Tinhorn Creek portfolio, and only 374 cases were produced: nine months in bottle have begun to mellow the youthful tannins, but it should still have a long, fruitful life ahead of it. The more mature 2009 Oldfield Merlot ($29) and 2Bench Red ($30) were both showing very well, with round, mouth filling textures, and delicious chocolate flavours. The Oldfield Series white blend, 2011 2Bench White ($23) was also present for a little reminder of its terrific versatility: the soft texture and melon, pear, and peach flavours seem to pair well with almost any type of food.

Nearby, Township 7’s well-known Winemaker Bradley Cooper was helping Proprietor Mike Raffan share a few of their wines. I tried the 2010 Chardonnay ($20) first, and was surprised by the enticing and powerful nose and golden colour; it’s a full-bodied take on the varietal, with plenty of apple and sweet oak flavours. The 2011 Unoaked Chardonnay ($18) keeps the apples, and adds additional fresh tree fruits and citrus in a wine that speaks of summer. The grapes come from Harry McWatters’ Black Sage Bench “Sundial” vineyard, and that close relationship explains why Township 7 was pouring Harry’s McWatters Collection 2011 Chardonnay ($25) at the Trade Tastings. This tasty Chardonnay was both rich in texture and delicate in flavour, with well integrated oak that allowed the fruit to shine alongside hints of toast.

Having spent so much time hunting down BC’s top wines for my collection there weren’t many available for purchase at the Festival which I don’t already own. In addition to my earlier Festival purchases from Nk’Mip, Quails’ Gate, and Sandhill, I added See Ya Later 2010 Rover, which I’ve been eyeing for a while. Lastly, even though it will be widely distributed in stores, I couldn’t help but snag a bottle of Stoneboat’s new Brut to make for an even half-dozen bottles.

Over the weekend I visited the BC Paired Luncheon as well as the Festival Tasting Room one final time with a group of friends on Saturday night. I was pleased to have once again sampled from all of the local talent this year, in addition to some illuminating international exploration. Hearing that next year’s Festival Global Focus is on Sparkling Wine has certainly got me excited to see the international competition and BC’s contribution – we have some charming and sophisticated sparkling wines coming out of BC lately. My congratulations to the Festival Society for another great week, with many more sure to come!