Bench 1775 Winery 2013 Sauvignon Blanc - 89pts

Bench 1775 Winery 2013 Sauvignon Blanc (Naramata Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from the winery here and VQA stores
Cost: $17.90
Alcohol: 13%
Date Tasted: June 29th, 2014
@Bench1775

Tasting Notes: Does everything you want an under-$20 Sauvignon Blanc to do: successfully blend together the tang of sweet citrus fruit, the pungent qualities of grass and the coolness of minerals. Add-in impressive concentration and length and you have a real winner.

The secret may be the 5% of Semillon included to add hints of tropical fruit to the mix of green apple, herbs, lemon grass and riverstone aromas and flavours. This wine will work both as a patio sipper and a companion to your favourite seafood dinner thanks to its generous mouth feel and light minerality. Drink now-2016.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2013 Chardonnay - 86pts

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2013 Chardonnay (Golden Mile Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Not yet released. Direct from winery here and VQA stores
Cost: $18.99
Alcohol: 13.9%
Date Tasted: June 28th, 2014

Tasting Notes: A fairly austere Chardonnay on the finish with some juicy, orchard and tropical fruit notes starting the proceedings off but they quickly yield their time to the stonefruit and citrus layers on the subtle nose and the mouth-watering palate. Disparate characters from partial stainless steel and barrel fermentation somewhat align on the palate where creamy tones from a secondary, 'malolactic' fermentation (the softening of natural acids) are infused for added texture and balance. Pair with lobster risotto. Drink now-2016.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca

2007 Château Troplong Mondot - 93pts

2007 Château Troplong Mondot (Saint-Émilion) Bordeaux - France

Availability: Limited. Private wine shops
Cost: $130-150
Alcohol: 13.5%
Date Tasted: June 21st, 2014

Tasting Notes: Smoky goodness oozes from the glass, enveloping your nose in a feminine, seductive blanket of chocolate mocha, floral and graphite aromas, through which, a column of gentle, pure red fruit presses its advance. It is a charming bouquet with some age, but ultimately, still in development.

A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, this excellent Saint-Émilion from the less-heralded 2007 vintage, may not possess the concentration of more lauded vintages like 2009 and 2010, but, any admirer of Left Bank Bordeaux will love its gentle intensity, velvety fruit and silky-smooth tannins. Drink 2016-2022.

 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2013 Oldfield Series 2Bench White - 90pts

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2013 Oldfield Series 2Bench White (Golden Mile Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here, BCLDB and VQA stores
Cost: $22.99
Alcohol: 14.3%
Production: 1258 cases
Date Tasted: June 26th, 2014

Tasting Notes: Always a release to look forward to, the Tinhorn 2Bench White is a celebration of aromatic varieties and the art of assemblage, as the French say. The 2013 edition sees 31% Sauvignon Blanc, 29% Chardonnay, 28% Semillon, 9% Viognier and 3% Muscat blended to create a charming bouquet of exotic, tropical fruit and fresh-off-the-tree orchard fruit aromas supported by some rich, lees and perfume notes. The fruity palate combines similar flavours with added tangy citrus acidity and cool mineral elements, resulting is a well-balanced, food-friendly wine with along, satisfying finish. Yum. Drink now- 2016.
  - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca

Bench 1775 Winery 2013 Chill - 88pts

Bench 1775 Winery 2013 Chill (Naramata Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from the winery here and VQA stores
Cost: $16.90
Alcohol: 13.3%
Date Tasted: June 24th, 2014
@Bench1775

Tasting Notes: A refreshing, vibrant and juicy blend of 46% Pinot Gris, 25% Chardonnay, 11% Sauvignon Blanc and 6% each of Semillon, Viognier and Gewurztraminer that combines equal parts ripe tropical and cool stonefruit elements on the aromatic nose and the (mostly) dry palate.

Pineapple, grapefruit, kiwi, gooseberry, honeydew, lemon-lime and riverstone characters'a'plenty. A dryer style than the off-dry 2012 edition - equally tasty, though, more food friendly with less residual sugar to deal with when trying to pair with your menu. Look to seafood dishes or even creamy Alfredo pasta. Enjoy this well-priced wine in its youth. Drink now-2016.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca

Bench 1775 Winery 2013 Gewurztraminer - 87pts

Bench 1775 Winery 2013 Gewurztraminer (Naramata Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from the winery here and VQA stores
Cost: $19.90
Alcohol: 13.9%
Date Tasted: June 21st, 2014
@Bench1775

Tasting Notes: A lean and minerally Gewurztraminer that opens with a medium intense nose of gooseberry, slate, apple and light lychee fruit aromas. Texture is the focal point of the palate where tangy citrus fruit and minerals create a effervescent mouth feel. Ripe apple and pear flavours add wanted juiciness and help balance the austere elements. Enjoy this wine in its youth with cheese fondue. Drink now-2015.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca

Thelema Mountain Vineyards 2011 Sauvignon Blanc - 87pts

Thelema Mountain Vineyards 2011 Sutherland Sauvignon Blanc (Elgin) South Africa

Availability: BCLDB Stores
Cost: $12-16
Alcohol: 13.5%
Date Tasted: June 22nd, 2014

Tasting Notes: This South African Sauvignon Blanc opens with a generous nose of crab apple, honeydew and lemon curd aromas. Pleasantly rich, thanks to extended lees contact, coating your palate with juicy melon flavours before the tangy citrus fruit and cool mineral elements cut through, leaving the finish dry with lingering citrus peel and spice notes. Drink now-2015.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2010 Oldfield Series Pinot Noir - 90pts

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2010 Oldfield Series Pinot Noir (Golden Mile Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Released on July 1st. Direct from winery here 
Cost: $29.99
Alcohol: 14.8%
Production: 756 cases
Date Tasted: June 19th, 2014

Tasting Notes: An intriguing Pinot which straddles the line between the styles of Sonoma (bold and intense) and the Willamette Valley (earthy, with layered fruit). The intensity is appreciated early, with expressive aromas of ripe red fruit, stewed plum, toasty oak, vanilla bean, savoury sage, spearmint and sweet licorice. Both earthy and fruity on the full-ish palate with layers of raspberry, blackberry, spicy plum and warm rocks. Fine tannins and nicely balanced acidity structure the wine with finesse. Ready to drink now with already 4 years of age and should last another 3-4 years with proper cellaring. Drink now-2017.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca

Summerhill Pyramid Winery 2013 Ehrenfelser - 88pts

Summerhill Pyramid Winery 2013 Ehrenfelser (East Kelowna) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here and VQA stores
Cost: $19.95
Alcohol: 12%
Date Tasted: June 19th, 2014

Tasting Notes: Ehrenfelser, a cross of Riesling and Sylvaner, performs well in the cooler pockets of the Okanagan Valley and in the hands of East Kelowna's Summerhill is presented in a sweet, refreshing and juicy style with loads of Mott's fruit cup and honeydew aromas and flavours. With 32g/l of residual sugar, this is an off-dry wine with a capital 'Off'! Though, there is also plenty of residual grapefruit acidity to keep the palate from feeling too heavy. Nice undertones of spice and minerals linger on the finish.

Marketed by Summerhill as their 'Hot Tub Wine' and hard to disagree. Be forewarned that this wine goes down with extreme ease - when put to good use, it will jump-start the conversation of any stalled party. Drink now-2016.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2013 Gewurztraminer - 88pts

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2013 Gewurztraminer (Golden Mile Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here, BCLDB and VQA stores
Cost: $16.99
Alcohol: 13.3%
Date Tasted: June 16th, 2014

Tasting Notes: An incredibly consistent Gewurztraminer, year-in, year-out, which, for 2013, sees the wine's profile edge slightly 'plumper' than the 2012 edition, yet remains, true to its stonefruit roots. Simulates the raw acidity and delicate sweetness of biting into a freshly picked peach down to the pit. A touch 'hot' on the finish, though, mostly obscured by the plentiful spice and residual citrus twang. 

This is a wine for long Summer nights and/or spicy Asian food. Drink now-2014.
  - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca

Viña Palo Alto 2012 Reserva - 87pts

Viña Palo Alto 2012 Reserva (D.O. Maule Valley) - Chile

Availability: Widely available at BCLDB stores

Cost: $14.99

Alcohol: 13.5%

Date Tasted: June 17th, 2014

Tasting Notes: A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Carmenere and 20% Syrah, this is a quality wine by winemaker Héctor Urzúa for Chilean producer Viña Palo Alto. Named for the thorny, flowering trees that are dotted all over the hillsides of the Maule Valley, this is a fairly complex wine at a bargain price with a seductive, feminine nose of cassis, maraschino cherry, pipe tobacco, leather and star anise aromas. The dry, concentrated palate offers supple, dark fruit and spicy, savoury flavours with meaty tannins and mouth-watering acidity which helps keep the moderate finish fluid and balanced. 

 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca

Domaine Saint-Damien 2011 Vieilles Vignes - 89pts

Domaine Saint-Damien 2011 Vieilles Vignes (Côtes du Rhône) Rhône Valley - France

Availability: Limited availability. Private wine stores.
Cost: $21-25
Alcohol: 15%
Date Tasted: June 15th, 2014

Tasting Notes: This blend of 80% Grenache, 15% Carignan and 5% Mourvèdre opens with a dense, meaty nose of dark fruit, forest floor, cedar, coffee grinds, dry herbs and violet aromas. Similar flavours follow on the dry palate where the 15% alcohol is impressively masked by the concentration of the dark fruit and savoury elements. While, medium-plus acidity and tannins keep the wine balanced and structured beautifully through to the moderate, spicy finish. Seek-out this expressive and moderately priced Côtes du Rhône charmer at your local French wine speciality store. Drink one now and put another away for another 2-3 years of further development. Drink now-2017.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca

Clean Slate Winery 2012 Riesling - 86pts

Clean Slate Winery 2012 Riesling (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) Germany

Availability: Widely available at BCLDB stores
Cost: $14.99
Alcohol: 10.5%
Date Tasted: June 14th, 2014

Tasting Notes: A clean, crisp Riesling from Mosel which finds a nice balance between its sweet and acidic components, creating an easy-drinking, straight-forward, vibrant Riesling. The muted nose of Asian pear and mineral aromas gives way to the mouth-watering, well-balanced palate of apricot, white peach, lemon grass and tangy, lemon zest flavours. Though, complexity is not the focus here, there are nice notes of minerals and spices in the background. Enjoy this wine with seafood or on its own as a refreshing bridge between more challenging wines. Drink now-2015.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca

Viña Errázuriz 2011 Max Reserva Syrah - 88pts

Viña Errázuriz 2011 Max Reserva Syrah (Aconcagua Valley) Chile

Availability: BCLDB stores
Cost: $19.99
Alcohol: 14%
Date Tasted: June 13th, 2014

Tasting Notes: The Max Reserva Syrah leaps from the glass with potent, cherry liqueur, crushed violet, licorice, pipe smoke and cola aromas. The palate offers similar intensity and flavours with a chewy texture balanced by a mouth-watering, moderate finish with lingering anise and sweet spices. Meaty tannins are a tad rough around the edges, but well-meaning. Overall, good intensity for the price. Drink 2014-2016.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca

Bench 1775 Winery 2013 Glow - 89pts

Bench 1775 Winery 2013 Glow (Naramata Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from the winery here and VQA stores
Cost: $19.90
Alcohol: 11%
Date Tasted: June 10th, 2014
@Bench1775

Tasting Notes: Possibly BC's most Provence-like rosé on the market today, Bench 1775's Glow is a gorgeous, orangy-salmon colour and boasts lovely, delicate aromas of strawberry, nibs candy, pomegranate, raw honey and sweet pot-pourri. The palate has some residual sugar but finishes dry with a nice balance of fruit, herbs and acid. The finish is impressively long with a hint of tannins and lingering citrus flavours - very refreshing. Destined to be enjoyed in its youth. Drink now-2015.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca

Summerhill Pyramid Winery 2011 Pinot Noir - 88pts

Summerhill Pyramid Winery 2011 Pinot Noir (East Kelowna) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here and VQA stores
Cost: $26.95
Alcohol: 12.3%
Date Tasted: June 9th, 2014

Tasting Notes: This medium brick-hued Pinot Noir opens with a complex, feminine nose of raspberry, boysenberry, cherry cola, cooking spice, sweet peat and light oak aromas - lots to pick-out and enjoy. A full-ish palate follows with similar, generous fruit and oak spice flavours upon entry, but transitions quickly to a showcase of the wine's austere characters like minerals, grippy tannins, raspberry seed notes and wild berry acidity through to the moderate-to-short finish. Drink now-2016.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca

Summerhill Pyramid Winery 2013 Organic Riesling - 89pts

Summerhill Pyramid Winery 2013 Organic Riesling (East Kelowna) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here and VQA stores
Cost: $19.95
Alcohol: 8.6%
Date Tasted: June 7th, 2014

Tasting Notes: Fans of the "Dr. L" Riesling, and there are many of you, should take note of Summerhill's Organic Riesling as a locally made alternative, made in a similar, opulent, fruity, fully off-dry style (36.5 g/l of residual sugar). At only 8.6% alcohol, this is a refreshing Riesling perfect for mid-day consumption that won't put you to sleep in the afternoon. Though, quite sweet upon entry, with intense apricot, peach and key lime flavours, the palate gets balanced nicely with mineral notes and plenty of green apple and grapefruit acidity. The wine also boast a pleasant bouquet of green apple skins, peach and steel aromas. Drink now-2019.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca

Marchesi Antinori 2010 Villa Antinori - 91+pts

Marchesi Antinori 2010 Villa Antinori (Tuscana IGT) Italy

Availability: BCLDB stores
Cost: $24.99
Alcohol: 13.5%
Date Tasted: June 6th, 2014

Tasting Notes: This 'Tuscana IGT' designated blend of 55% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 5% Syrah from Italy's famed Marchesi Antinori is a seductive, over-achiever that effortlessly blends, plump, red and blue fruit with sweet herbs and dusty, savoury flavours of cured meats, cocoa powder and leather. oak influence is generous, but well integrated, contributing to the fine, supple tannins and smooth palate. Absolutely fantastic value for money

This is a wine to enjoy now or put away for 5-7 years for further development. Drink 2014-2020.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2013 Oldfield Series 2Bench Rosé - 89pts

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2013 Oldfield Series 2Bench Rosé (Golden Mile Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here 
Cost: $22.99
Alcohol: 14.1%
Production: 1000 cases
Date Tasted: June 5th, 2014

Tasting Notes: After a one-year experiment blending equal parts Cabernet Franc and Syrah, the 2013 vintage sees Tinhorn Creek return to its 100% Cabernet Franc roots for their rosé. The colour, texture and delicacy suggest a Provence inspiration, but this blush is pure BC with a focus on expressive, tangy red fruit aromas and flavours supported by light mineral and savoury notes. Dry and mouth-watering with lime rind and rhubarb acidity, this is a Food-Friendly wine with double Capital 'Fs'! Enjoy it in its youth. Drink now-2015.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2011 Pinot Noir - 88pts

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2011 Pinot Noir (Golden Mile Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here, BCLDB and VQA stores
Cost: $21.99
Alcohol: 12.3%
Date Tasted: June 4th, 2014

Tasting Notes: There's a little less fruit on the nose of the 2011 edition of Tinhorn's varietal series Pinot Noir. Savoury notes like wild sage, cedar and spices comes to the forefront with stewed plum and spearmint aromas rounding out the developing bouquet. The light bodied, though, potent dry palate follows with moderate, fine tannins and layers of raspberry, cherry, river stone, graphite and oak flavours. 

Ready to go now, thanks to Tinhorn's ageing program which sees this Pinot sit for 2.5 years prior to release (including time in-barrel and bottle). Cries for lean, game meat or a mushroom risotto. Drink 2014-2017.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca

River Stone Estate Winery 2013 Malbec Rosé - 87pts

River Stone Estate Winery 2013 Malbec Rosé (Black Sage Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $20
Alcohol: 13.2%
Date Tasted: June 1st, 2014

Tasting Notes: The River Stone Malbec Rosé may have been dialled back from '11' for the 2013 vintage, lightening the colour and intensity slightly, but it remains one of the bolder blush wines available in BC. Now more of a cherry Kool-Aid colour, the wine opens with a rush of raspberry, blood orange and light bay leaf aromas. The juicy palate follows with plump, pomegranate, strawberry-kiwi and pink-grapefruit flavours offset with cran-apple acidity. The finish is dry and moderate with lingering mineral and spice notes. Enjoy this fun wine in its youth. Drink 2014-2016.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca