KWV Winery 2012 Roodeberg (Western Cape) South Africa
Availability: BCLDB Stores
Cost: $12.29 + taxes
Alcohol: 14%
Date Tasted: October 1st, 2015
Tasting Notes: Most people don't decant budget wines. They twist off the cap and pour immediately, occasionally complaining of a harsh or rigid mouthfeel. Decanting is not just for aged, cellar worth wines of-a-certain-price. Many wines, like this perfectly enjoyable $12 blend of Bordeaux and Rhone varieties need a chance to open-up, release some trapped gas and settled own before they become drinkable. And that's not to say that decanting will make this middleweight, blue fruit and sweet oak-infused wine taste like a much more expensive one, it won't, it's simply essential to making it drinkable. Notes of licorice, plum, mocha and spice linger on the moderate finish. Drink now-2016.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2012 Oldfield Series 2Bench Red (Golden Mile Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Direct from winery here and VQA wine shops
Cost: $26.99
Alcohol: 14.7%
Production: 1683 cases
Date Tasted: September 29th, 2015
Tasting Notes: A consistently excellent wine that tends to peak in warmer vintages where higher percentages of fully ripened Cabernet Sauvignon are included in the final blend. Following a Left Bank recipe of 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2012 edition flexes its Cab Sauv backbone on the cassis and dry herbs-infused nose and the well-structured, dry palate that boasts fine, smoky tannins, effortless, firm acidity, sexy, dark fruit flavours and sensual, savoury notes like mocha, tobacco and spices.
18 months spent in French barrels, prior to bottling, has contributed welcomed slashes of vanilla cream and toasted oak to both the nose and palate. The finish is long and satisfying with lingering mint and spice flavours.
Has the balance and core attributes to cellar well with further development likely, though, 15 months of bottle age has already done wonders making the wine ready to go now. Should you choose to be patient, look for a magical peak around the 7th or 8th year Drink now, or 2018-2020.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca
Black Hills Estate Winery 2013 Nota Bene (Black Sage Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Sold out at the winery, though, VQA and private wine shops have it in stock
Cost: $54-60
Alcohol: 13.7%
Date Tasted: September 26th, 2015
Tasting Notes: For Nota Bene connoisseurs, it's worth noting that the 2013 vintage sees the fabled red blend return to using Cabernet Sauvignon as the leading grape for its assemblage after a one year switch to Merlot in the driver's seat. The final blend is 49% Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc and the finished wine fits comfortably into the Nota Bene lexicon; it's big, it's intense and it's complex.
Layers of dark fruit, licorice, sage, tobacco, sweet vanilla, mocha, mint, toasted oak and general earthiness can be perceived on the developing bouquet. Similar flavours grace the (nearly) dry, full-bodied palate where the dark fruit characters take centre stage with compelling supporting roles from wild berry acidity and fine, dusty tannins. Oak treatment notes linger on the long finish with a medley of savoury spices.
A wine more for the future than the present, taking hours to open up today. With careful cellaring, presume to enjoy this beauty after a further 2-3 years in the bottle. Drink 2018-2023+. - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca
Maverick Estate Winery 2014 Pinot Gris (Golden Mile Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $19
Alcohol: 13.5%
Production: 550 cases
Date Tasted: September 25th, 2015
Tasting Notes: A superb wine that expertly walks the line between oaked and unoaked Pinot Gris with portions of the juice aged in stainless steel and French barrels. Full of texture and beautifully balanced with aromas of apples, pears, river stones, hay and yeast followed by a crisp, yet, full-ish palate bursting with flavours of red and green apples, citrus fruit, bread, minerals and cantaloupe. Refreshing lemon/lime acidity keeps the finish lively while a touch of spice and steel notes lingers through to the next sip. Delicious. Drink 2015-2017.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca
Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars 2014 Pinot Gris (Okanagan Falls) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Direct from winery here and private wine shops
Cost: $20.90
Alcohol: 13.5%
Date Tasted: September 22nd, 2015
Tasting Notes: A beautifully crisp and slightly effervescent Pinot Gris from Blue Mountain with a strong, citrus and mineral backbone supporting intense fruit flavours of Gala apple, white peach and Asian pear and a susarrus of savoury notes, herbs, spice, brioche and vanilla bean. A delightfully complex and vibrant Pinot Gris to be enjoyed now, or over the next 2-3 years. Drink now-2018.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca
Black Hills Estate Winery 2013 Syrah (Black Sage Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Direct from the winery here
Cost: $36.90
Alcohol: 13.9%
Date Tasted: September 23rd, 2015
Tasting Notes: For the past few years Black Hills Estate Winery has been knocking it out of the park with their Syrah and the 2013 is no different. The style remains consistent; a
generous, feminine Syrah with an aromatic, dark cherry and oak-kissed nose followed by a textured palate with harmonious layers of smoky tannins, wild berry acidity, ripe dark fruit, pepper, tobacco, charred oak, minerals and a hint of citrus. Drink 2016-2020.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca
JoieFarm 2014 Muscat (Naramata Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $22.90 (including taxes)
Alcohol: 11.4%
Production: 394 cases
Date Tasted: September 20th, 2015
Tasting Notes: An effortless Muscat with feminine, perfumed aromas orange blossoms, soft spices, ripe, juicy peaches and nectarines and sweet, lemon drop candies. Good continuity follows on the charming, full-ish palate where similar flavours meld with a wave of even, peach acidity and citrus fruit through to the long finish where a hint of tannin lingers amongst light clove and cardamom notes. Sure to put a smile to the face of anyone who takes a sip. Drink now-2017.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca
Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars 2014 Pinot Blanc (Okanagan Falls) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Direct from winery here and private wine shops
Cost: $17.90
Alcohol: 13.5%
Date Tasted: September 19th, 2015
Tasting Notes: Opens with delicate, white peach, straw and soft, green apple aromas that sit gently in the glass. An upfront, in-your-face palate follows that takes these delicate notes and explodes them into every corner of your mouth with shards of minerals and citrus acidity happily balanced by a touch of residual sugar and honeydew flavours. A crisp, vibrant Pinot Blanc to be enjoyed in its youth. Drink now-2016.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca
Bodegas Escorihuela 2013 '1884' Reservado Cabernet Sauvignon (Mendoza) Argentina
Availability: BCLDB Stores
Cost: $15.99 + taxes
Alcohol: 13.9%
Date Tasted: September 19th, 2015
Tasting Notes: A dark ruby-purple, fruit-forward Cabernet Sauvignon from Mendoza that delivers a Malbec-y nose of mixed berry fruit and spicy plum aromas followed by a more typically Cabernet palate of cassis and oak supported by savoury flavours and firm tannins. Balance skews a bit 'sweet' but this is (mostly) offset by spice and oak notes and some solid acidity on the finish. Drink now-2017.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca
JoieFarm 2014 Pinot Blanc (Naramata Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Direct from winery here and VQA stores
Cost: $22.90
Alcohol: 13.7%
Production: 313 cases
Date Tasted: September 17th, 2015
Tasting Notes: Makes me happy to see a few BC wineries still investing their time and resources into making single-varietal releases of Pinot Blanc - a hidden gem of a grape. Lighter and more floral on the nose than its widely planted cousin, Pinot Gris, and (at times) more masculine on the palate with clean, citrus fruit characters. Pinot Blanc is also a great transmitter for any minerality found in the vineyard, adding depth and structure.
Look for aromas of fresh flowers, apple skins and honeydew melon followed by a tangy, potent medley of orchard fruit, grape seeds, minerals and citrus flavours. The 2014, finishes moderately long with lemon/lime zest and light spice notes. Drink now-2017.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca
Stag's Hollow Winery 2013 Viognier-Marsanne (West Penticton) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $25
Alcohol: 13%
Production: 30 cases
Date Tasted: September 14th, 2015
Tasting Notes: Produced with non-invasive methods including a wild yeast ferment, this blend of Viognier and Marsanne (55/45 respectively) sourced from a West Penticton vineyard is the colour of a light, brown ale, opening with a developing bouquet of wild, alpine flowers and wisps of stone fruit pits. A passive palate of citrus and pear fruit follows, lacking dimension upfront and compacting its unique character into the finish where tangy, citrus peel and exotic spices linger. An intriguing option for the adventurous among you. Drink now-2017.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca
Fairview Cellars 2012 The Bear (Golden Mile Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Winery door and private wine shops
Cost: $34.90
Alcohol: 14.2%
Production: 300 cases
Date Tasted: September 16th, 2015
Tasting Notes: Fairview Cellars grows all 5 of the red varieties of Bordeaux in its home vineyard on the North end of the Golden Mile Bench and each contributes to the complexity and balance of the final blend, but Cabernet Sauvignon, the vineyard's speciality, leads the way.
Ripe and refined with gorgeous, dark fruit and sumptuous, black licorice aromas supported by layers of herbs, vanilla-mocha, toasted oak, spices and violets. The palate opens with lush, ripe, blackberry and cassis fruit followed by a wave of savoury characters, similar to the profile on the nose, with additional, lifted flavours of mint and citrus peel. The finish is long with lingering traces of spices, cassis and vanilla.
Built for the long sleep with fine tannins and effortless acidity, this vintage of The Bear should age beautifully into double digits. Give it another 2 years before opening. Drink late-2017-2022+.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca
Fairview Cellars 2012 Two Hoots (Golden Mile Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Contact winery directly hereCost: $24.90Alcohol: 13.7%Production: 600 casesDate Tasted: September 13th, 2015Tasting Notes: The 2012 edition of the Two Hoots reminds me of the juicy and full-bodied 2009 vintage which similarly benefited from a hotter than average season - especially in the crucial, late-Summer and early-Fall months that help ripen the thick-skinned Cabernet Sauvignon grapes used in the blend (Merlot and Cabernet Franc round-out the assemblage).
Sourced from various Southern Okanagan Valley vineyards, the Two Hoots delivers an expressive, complex nose of blue and dark fruit, cocoa, spicy oak, vanilla, anise, mint and cherry cola aromas followed by a balanced palate where the fruit and savoury characters are supported beautifully by plump tannins and crisp, wild-berry acidity.
Though the Fairview estate-grown wines, like The Bear, out-score and out-last the Two Hoots, this is the wine with the price-point to buy by the case and enjoy over a 6-8 year time frame - it ages surprisingly well for a $25 BC wine, especially in warmer vintages like 2007, 2009 and 2012. Drink now-2020.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca
River Stone Estate Winery 2012 Merlot (Black Sage Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $20
Alcohol: 14.7%
Date Tasted: September 10th, 2015
Tasting Notes: A feminine, spice'n'herb fuelled Merlot with some intense, ripe, berry fruit filling out the developing bouquet on the nose and supporting the savoury, spice notes on the mouth-watering palate. Licorice and charred oak flavours linger on the moderate finish. Drink 2015-2017.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca
Fairview Cellars 2010 Iconoclast (Golden Mile Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Cellar door
Cost: $TBA
Alcohol: 13.8%
Date Tasted: September 9th, 2015
Tasting Notes: The 'Iconoclast' is a true reserve in the sense that winemaker/proprietor, Bill Eggert, selects his best four barrels of his estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon and holds them back for an additional 12 months in barrel prior to bottling.
The result is a denser and more complex Cabernet, though one that manages to retain and even elevate its dark fruit characters on the otherwise, brooding nose and the smoky-savoury palate. A complete and balanced wine with fine tannins and harmonious acidity and layers of cassis, black cherry, mint, herbs, licorice, graphite, oak, vanilla bean, pipe smoke, sweet soil and spices.
Ready to go today, with attentive decanting, and will hold for many years in your cellar with further development likely (look for those graphite notes to bloom like aged, Left-Bank Bordeaux). Drink 2015-2020.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2012 Oldfield Series Merlot (Golden Mile Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $26.99
Alcohol: 14.9%
Production: 2076
Date Tasted: September 8th, 2015
Tasting Notes: A feminine, expressive example of Merlot, sourced from Tinhorn's sandy, Diamondback Vineyard along the Black Sage Bench, offering a silky-smooth approach to delivering the berry fruit and herb characters we've come to love and expect from the grape. Aged for 18 months in new and 2nd-fill French oak barrels prior to bottling, imparting toasty-caramel, vanilla and spice notes on the nose and enhancing the fine tannins on the well-balanced, refined, palate. Ready to go now, though, will hold for many years in your cellar with some further development. Drink 2015-2019.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2013 Merlot (Okanagan Valley) BC
Availability: Direct from winery here, BCLDB and VQA stores
Cost: $17.49
Alcohol: 14%
Date Tasted: September 8th, 2015
Tasting Notes: A crowd-pleasing, mellow, Merlot that opens with dark berry, oak, spice, cherry and vanilla-latte aromas on the ripe, approachable nose. The palate is 2 parts fruity and 1 part savoury, but never sweet or jammy. Soft, rounded tannins let the mixed-berry flavours and fresh acidity do the 'walking and talking, as it were. Finishes with lingering, tongue-tingling spice and residual, mouth-watering berry acidity. Ready to go now, though, it will hold for another 2 years. Drink now-2017.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2014 Gewurztraminer (Golden Mile Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Direct from winery here, BCLDB and VQA stores
Cost: $14.99
Alcohol: 13.5%
Date Tasted: September 3rd, 2015
Tasting Notes: Continues the 'plump' or 'gooey' style of Gewurztraminer that the winery employed in the 2013 edition, with an emphasis on fresh, floral aromatics and chewy, yet, vibrant textures. Aromas and flavours of peaches, lemons, apples, oranges blossoms, stonefruit and spice on the rounded, pleasant nose and the well-balanced, long-lasting, off-dry palate. Pair with spicy Asian food. Drink now-2016.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca
Michel Torino 2013 Don David Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Calchaqui Valley) Argentina
Availability: BCLDB Stores
Cost: $13.99 + taxes
Alcohol: 14%
Date Tasted: September 2nd, 2015
Tasting Notes: Another mass-produced, "reserve" Cabernet Sauvignon from Argentina, though happily, one with some character and good typicity for the variety. Opens with a dense nose of cassis, blackberry, anise, pepper, toasted oak and Brazil nut aromas. Followed by a palate with similar flavours and a full-ish body from residual sugar that just stops short of being too sweet thanks to well-proportioned, fresh berry acidity and impressive, dusty tannins - especially for the price-point. Drink now-2016.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca
Fairview Cellars 2013 Premier Series Cabernet Franc (Golden Mile Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Limited. Contact winery here
Cost: $29.90
Alcohol: 13.8%
Production: 300 casesDate Tasted: September 1st, 2015Tasting Notes: A stunning Cabernet Franc from an excellent vintage offering a memorable, feminine nose of ripe, wild berry, vanilla, mint, pot-pourri, dry herb and wild flower aromas. The dry, full-bodied palate that follows is youthful with burgeoning complexity from mixed berry, toasted oak, licorice, dark chocolate, vanilla, mint, spice and light forest flavours that are lovingly supported by mouth-watering acidity and fine, medium tannins through to a long finish with lingering cassis and herb notes.
Fulfilling to drink now, with a long decant, though, ideally this Franc would benefit from further bottle age to maximize its potential. Put one aside for another 2-4 years of bottle age for further, silky-smooth tannic integration and flavour development. Drink 2017-2021.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca
