SpearHead Winery 2017 GFV Saddle Block Pinot Noir - 89pts

SpearHead Winery 2017 GFV Saddle Block Pinot Noir (East Kelowna) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $33
Alcohol: 14%
Date Tasted: February 28th, 2019

Tasting Notes: Sourced from a single block of Pinot Noir vines (4 different Dijon clones) in the winery's home vineyard in south east Kelowna. The Saddle Block has been part of SpearHead's portfolio for years and offers distinctive characteristics from the winery's other Pinots, yet, an overall 'femininity' is uber-present and welcomed.

Classic red fruit and cedar notes are wrapped in a blanket of cola, spice and gentle floral aromas on the expressive nose. A similar mix of flavours follow on the lip-smacking, huckleberry-kissed palate where a touch of RS and glycerol enhances the body and a friendly wave of spice flows through to the tangy, moderate-plus finish. Light tannins are ready to go now. Drink 2019-2022.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca

SpearHead Winery 2017 Pinot Noir Cuvée - 91pts

SpearHead Winery 2017 Pinot Noir Cuvée (East Kelowna) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $38
Alcohol: 14%
Date Tasted: February 21st, 2019

Tasting Notes: SpearHead's love affair with Pinot Noir (and expertise) has reached new levels with the release of their 2017 portfolio which sees a whopping 5 unique labels of the heartache grape (though, one of the five is exclusive to wine club members). From single vineyard offerings to specific blocks of grapes and select blends of Pinot clones. A pinotphile's dream.

This Cuvée bottling represents the winery's best barrels of its many Dijon clones blended with an eye on elegance and depth. Opening with a youthful, layered nose of creamy raspberry, forest floor, huckleberry and sweet, smoky, BBQ Salmon crackling aromas. A full, yet, lively, dry palate follows with a similar mix of sweet and savoury flavours; dark cherry, cocoa, light smoke, vanilla and a touch of spicy oak and amaretto liqueur on the long finish. Ready to go now and could evolve further in the cellar over the next 2-3 years. Drink 2019-2023.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca

Painted Rock Estate Winery 2015 Merlot - 91pts

Painted Rock Estate Winery 2015 Merlot (Skaha Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from the winery here upon release
Cost: $34.99 + taxes
Alcohol: 14.7%
Date Tasted: February 26th, 2019

Tasting Notes: True to the house style, Painted Rock's Merlot is a sensual, feminine wine with an appealing profile of ripe and tangy blackberry fruit, dark chocolate covered blueberries, vanilla macaron, light spice and herbs on the layered nose and the lifted, grippy palate. 

The finish deserves its own paragraph even though you'll be done reading this long before the intense, mixed dark fruit, licorice and dark cocoa notes fade away. Though mouth-watering and brambly, at first, a wave of darkness emerges adding depth and delight.

Pair with a plate of your best dark chocolate or cocoa-rubbed filet mignon or enjoy this beautiful wine on its own. Ready to go now with a long decant, however, to make the most of your investment, give it another year in the bottle. Drink 2020-2022.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca

Masi 2016 Mas'Est - 87pts

Masi 2016 Mas'Est (Vigneti Delle Dolomiti IGT) Trentino-Alto Adige - Italy

Availability: BCLDB Signature stores
Cost: $22.99 + taxes
Alcohol: 13.5%
Date Tasted: February 24th, 2019

Tasting Notes: Made with the Teroldego grape, native to the Northeastern region of Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, the Mas'Est is a blue fruit and toasted vanilla scented, (mostly) full-bodied wine with a mineral and spice dominant palate. Food-friendly acidity drives the finish. Ready to go now. Drink now-2020.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca

Chateau Des Charmes 2016 Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir - 89pts

Chateau Des Charmes 2016 Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir (St. David's Bench) Niagara Peninsula - Ontario

Availability: Direct from the winery here
Cost: $38.95
Alcohol: 13%
Production: 541 cases
Date Tasted: February 16th, 2019

Tasting Notes: This single vineyard Pinot has great texture and presence in the mouth with good balance between its brambly fruit, chai spiced oak and earthy characters on the feminine nose and the medium-everything, dry palate. Ready to go now and pair with game or foild dishes. Drink now-2021.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca

Chateau Des Charmes 2017 Estate Bottled Pinot Noir - 87pts

Chateau Des Charmes 2017 Estate Bottled Pinot Noir (Niagara-On-The-Lake) Niagara Peninsula - Ontario

Availability: Direct from the winery here
Cost: $16.95
Alcohol: 13%
Production: 3540 cases
Date Tasted: February 16th, 2019

Tasting Notes: A solid entry-level Pinot Noir with a cherry and raspberry fruit leading nose with complimentary earthy-oak supporting notes. The similarly flavoured dry palate follows offering additional layers of smoky herbs and juicy plum through to a moderate finish with a touch of lingering, bitter boysenberry acidity. Ready to go now. Drink now-2021.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca

Casa Ferreirinha 2017 Planalto Reserva - 87pts

Casa Ferreirinha 2017 Planalto Reserva 4U (Douro DOC) Portugal

Availability: Private wine shops like Everything Wine
Cost: $15.99 + taxes
Alcohol: 13%
Date Tasted: February 14th, 2019

Tasting Notes: An early candidate for the best valued wine of the year, the Planalto is a refreshing, dry blend of native Portugese grapes: 35% Viosinho; 15% each of Malvasia Fina, Gouveio, Códega and Arinto; and 5% Moscatel. Clean, crisp and, admittedly, conservative, this reserved blend is anything but flashy with a good balance of mineral, acid and orchard fruit characters. An inexpensive, food-friendly wine to pair with seafood salads, sushi or light, whipped cheeses. Drink now-2021.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca

Teusner Wines 2009 Righteous Grenache - 91pts

Teusner Wines 2009 Righteous Grenache (Barossa Valley) South Australia - Australia

Availability: Limited
Cost: $95 (Aus), $130 (Can)
Alcohol: 15%
Date Tasted: February 14th, 2019

Tasting Notes: From the cellar. At 10 years of age the nose has fully matured with a developed, enchanting bouquet of black plum, prune, incense, sage, lavender and black raspberry seeds. The similarly flavoured, silky palate is beginning to grow thin with a fading finish of earthy spices and a touch of fleshy plum fruit. Drink now.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2016 Innovation Series Whole Cluster Cabernet Franc - 90pts

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2016 Innovation Series Whole Cluster Cabernet Franc (Anarchist Mountain) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here, BCLDB and VQA stores
Cost: $45 + taxes
Alcohol: 14.5%
Production: 250 cases
Date Tasted: February 13th, 2019

Tasting Notes: Tinhorn knows Cabernet Franc. They have been instrumental in popularizing the Bordeaux grape in BC as a single varietal wine. They have three Cab Franc based wines, including their excellent Rosé, why not a 4th? This one is sourced from a single vineyard on Anarchist Mountain (above the East bench of Osoyoos) and as the name suggests, the winery employed a whole cluster, natural fermentation which promoted an intense, rustic charm on the earthy, brambly-fruit driven nose and on the spicy, toasted herbs and, again, brambly fruit palate.

Ready to go now or hold for another 2-3 years. Drink now-2022.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2014 Oldfield Reserve Pinot Noir - 91pts

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2014 Oldfield Reserve Pinot Noir (Okanagan Valley) BC

Availability: (not yet released) Direct from winery here
Cost: $TBA
Alcohol: 14.7%
Date Tasted: February 11th, 2019
@TinhornCreek

Tasting Notes: Entering its 5th year, this newly released Pinot Noir is showing signs of its age with an unmistakable, pale garnet hue in the quarter rim and showing signs of well-earned development with a beautifully integrated bouquet of rich, red fruits and sensual, savoury herbs on the vanilla scented nose and on the full, yet, restrained, earthy-spicy palate. 

This multi-dimensional Pinot is both hedonistic and down-to-earth, a rare feat to achieve. Its only real blemish is a touch of 'hotness' on the otherwise, long and spicy finish, though, this is easily masked by enjoying this wine with food. Try maple-glazed, BBQ salmon or medium-intense, dark chocolate. Ready to go now as Tinhorn have done all the bottle ageing for you ("Thank you Tinhorn!"). Drink 2019-2022.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca

SpearHead Winery 2017 Chardonnay "Clone 95" - 89pts

SpearHead Winery 2017 Chardonnay "Clone 95" (Okanagan Valley) BC

Availability: Direct from winery here 

Cost: $30 + taxes

Alcohol: 14.5%

Production: 550 cases + 50 magnums

Date Tasted: February 9th, 2019

Tasting Notes: With grapes sourced from a vineyard on the Naramata Bench and from their home vineyard in East Kelowna, this Chardonnay, compiled of 100% clone 95 vines, offers a sensual and vibrant nose with rich, stone and citrus fruit aromas and a susurrus of macadamia nuts and green pineapple. A mouth-watering and RS-kissed, full-ish palate follows with a similar combination of bright and juicy fruit flavours and a wave of mineral and spice notes on the long finish.

Should hold for 2-3 more years, if desired, but ready to go now. Sealed with a Stelvin cap to lock-in freshness. Drink now-2022.

 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2016 Merlot - 88pts

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2016 Merlot (Black Sage Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here and BCLDB stores
Cost: $23.99 + taxes
Alcohol: 14%
Date Tasted: February 9th, 2019

Tasting Notes: A solid Merlot for all occasions with a pleasing, fruit-forward leaning balance of ripe, dark berry, dark cherry, tobacco, Nutella and sweet oak and spice characters. Dry, full bodied and lively with light, fine tannins and the perception of sweetness thanks to the prominent berry and cherry flavours. Ready to go now with your favourite BBQ dishes. Drink 2019-2021.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca

Black Hills Estate Winery 2017 Chardonnay - 90pts

Black Hills Estate Winery 2017 Chardonnay (Okanagan Valley) BC

Availability: Direct from the winery here
Cost: $29.90 + taxes
Alcohol: 13.5%
Date Tasted: February 2nd, 2019

Tasting Notes: A nicely balanced, cool-climate Chardonnay with expressive, orchard and stone fruit characters happily married to a touch of oak and MLF aromas and flavours. The palate is generous and round with fresh white peach and lime rind acidity forming a vibrant finish where a hint of spice, clove mostly, lingers with mineral notes. Drink 2019-2021+.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca