Quails' Gate Estate Winery 2018 Dry Riesling (West Kelowna) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Direct from winery here and VQA stores
Cost: $16.99 + taxes
Alcohol: 13%
Production: 3,600 cases
Date Tasted: May 29th, 2019
Tasting Notes: An aromatic and peachy, youthful bouquet greets you on the nose of this well-priced, bright'n'tingly Riesling. Off-dry levels of residual sugar are balanced, or rather dominated, by waves of citrus and fresh peach acidity on the crisp, mouth-watering palate. Pair with a contrasting texture of hard, white cheese like Gruyere to avoid palate fatigue. Drink now-2021.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca
Château des Laurets 2011 (Puisseguin Saint-Emilion) Bordeaux - France
Availability: Private wine shops like Everything Wine
Cost: $21-40
Alcohol: 14.5%
Date Tasted: May 27th, 2019
Tasting Notes: From the cellar. This 'bargain' Bordeaux (relatively speaking and forgiving the crazy import taxes over which it has no control) has aged beautifully, offering the pencil shaving, prune and tobacco/tar notes we love. Dark fruit still present throughout with iodine, earth and spicy, charred oak flavours dominating the intense, full-ish, and leathery-tannin palate.
If you have any in your cellar I would look to open them soon as you don't want to miss the boat to Peaked Island, the next stop, after all, is Waited-To-Long Cove, from whence the ferry shall never return, so get on it. Drink now-2020.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca
Stag's Hollow Winery 2017 Dolcetto (Okanagan Falls) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Direct from the winery here
Cost: $22
Alcohol: 12.9%
Date Tasted: May 26th, 2019
Tasting Notes: A bright, light and fruity wine with brambly, huckleberry and red currant characters throughout. A gentle susarrus of warming spice filters through the dominant, wild fruit notes on the peaty nose and the finish of the slightly, effervescent, light-bodied palate. Think tomato-driven dishes when pairing this wine; red sauce pastas and pizzas or a simple, Caprese salad. Drink now-2020.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca
Quails' Gate Estate Winery 2018 Gewurztraminer (West Kelowna) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Direct from winery here and VQA stores
Cost: $16.99 + taxes
Alcohol: 13.5%
Production: 5,900 cases
Date Tasted: May 22nd, 2019
Tasting Notes: A 'pretty' Gewurztraminer with a lovely, floral and stony pear scented nose, followed by a lean (for a Gewurz) and mouth-watering palate of Tropical and citrus fruit flavours. Dryer, in balance, than recent vintages of this wine, and slightly less textured. A hint of spice lingers on the bright finish. Drink now-2021.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2018 IconWines.ca
Quails' Gate Estate Winery 2018 Chasselas Pinot Blanc Pinot Gris (West Kelowna) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Direct from winery here, BCLDB Stores and VQA stores
Cost: $17.99 + taxes
Alcohol: 13%
Production: 18,300 cases
Date Tasted: May 20th, 2019
Tasting Notes: Clean, crisp and so refreshing, this blend of 60% Chasselas, 20% Pinot Blanc, and 20% Pinot Gris makes an excellent pairing for your next sun-drenched patio visit thanks to its cheerful, citrus and Asian pear scented nose and its mouth-watering, textured and lightly-spiced, stone fruit flavoured palate. Fresh salads topped with your favourite, grilled or poached seafood is the way to go, though, a tasty bag of Kettle chips is a close 2nd choice. Drink now-2021.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca
SpearHead Winery 2017 Coyote Vineyard Pinot Noir (West Kelowna) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $33 + taxes
Alcohol: 14%
Production: 200 cases
Date Tasted: May 16th, 2019
Tasting Notes: Another single-vineyard Pinot from SpearHead, this one from a site in West Kelowna planted to just one clone (115) and producing the most fruit-forward and lively Pinot of the portfolio. Savoury elements are more restricted to the oak-influence variety (spices, vanilla and oak notes themselves) with some mineral-y characters coming from the terroir. Well produced, as are all of SpearHead's Pinot, under the direction of former Quails' Gate winemaker Grant Stanley.
For a treat, order each of the winery's 5 distinct Pinot Noirs and open them all for your Pinot-loving friends and compare notes and scores. Everyone will have their favourite... will they line-up with our results?
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca
SpearHead Winery 2017 Golden Retreat Vineyard Pinot Noir (Summerland) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $33 + taxes
Alcohol: 14%
Production: 300 cases
Date Tasted: May 15th, 2019
Tasting Notes: Certainly a Pinot to appreciate in the glass, absorbing the layered, developing bouquet, prior to taking a sip. Possibly the most aromatic of the winery's single-vineyard Pinots with both feminine and frisky characters on the brambly berry, sweet earth and fizzy-cola candy scented nose. There's good continuity between the nose and balanced, full-ish palate with similar flavours supported by playful, black raspberry acidity, savoury spices and fine, mannered tannins. Finish is long with lingering spices. Drink now-2023.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca
Quails' Gate Estate Winery 2018 Chenin Blanc (Okanagan Valley) BC
Availability: Direct from winery here, BCLDB and VQA stores
Cost: $23.99 + taxes
Alcohol: 13.2%
Production: 3900 cases
Date Tasted: May 16th, 2019
Tasting Notes: A wonderfully crisp and refreshing wine with that telltale, unmistakable Chenin twang; a sassy blend of quince, stonefruit, lemon grass, brine and under-ripe peach. Blended with 8% Sauvignon Blanc to enhance the citrus and aromatic elements on subtle nose and the mouth-watering palate. Ready to go now. Drink now-2021.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca
Monte Creek Ranch 2017 Chardonnay - BC VQA
Availability: Not yet released. Direct from winery here
Cost: $17.49 + taxes
Alcohol: 13.9%
Production: 645 cases
Date Tasted: May 11th, 2019
Tasting Notes: Though based in Kamloops, Monte Creek Ranch's Chardonnay is produced with fruit sourced from two Okanagan Valley sites, one on the Naramata Bench and the other near McIntyre Bluff. The style is big and bold and will appeal to those who love some texture and oak influence in their Chardonnay. Nose is fantastically oaky and charged with MLF aromas (those love'em or hate'em, buttery popcorn notes) and lively, Tropical fruit. Finish is a bit short for such a flavourful wine but the balance is solid for this price-point. Enjoy this Chardonnay in its youth. Drink now-2020.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca
Tinto Negro 2017 Malbec (Lujan de Cuyo) Mendoza - Argentina
Availability: Private wine stores
Cost: $14.99 + taxes
Alcohol: 13.5%
Date Tasted: May 7th, 2019
Tasting Notes: A well-priced, entry-level Malbec, (mostly) dry with a rich and round demeanor, both 'juicy' and 'dark' with some pleasant red and black fruit notes, savoury spices and a touch of chocolate-vanilla. A little sharp on the concentrated, tannin-free, mouth-watering finish. Pair with BBQ sauce-drenched chicken wings. Ready to go now. Drink 2019-2020.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca
Kaiken 2015 Ultra Malbec (Lujan de Cuyo) Mendoza - Argentina
Availability: Private wine stores like Everything Wine
Cost: $30-32 + taxes
Alcohol: 14.5%
Date Tasted: May 6th, 2019
Tasting Notes: A dense and dark Malbec, very 'broody' on both the licorice'n'cassis scented nose and the ultra-concentrated palate where flavours of black plums, blackberries, wild herbs and plenty of spice are supported nicely by dusty, fine tannins and wild-berry acidity. Ready to go now. Drink 2019-2021.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca
Trivento 2017 Reserve Malbec (Mendoza) Argentina
Availability: BCLDB Stores
Cost: $14.99 + taxes
Alcohol: 13%
Date Tasted: May 2nd, 2019
Tasting Notes: Has a touch of candied fruit and fruit cake notes, a la Beaujolais, on the otherwise, perfume-y, spiced nose. More feminine in style for the 2017 vintage and, overall, better balanced between its spice, blue fruit and lightly smoked tannin characters. Ready to go now. Drink now-2020.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca
Bodega Norton 2018 Barrel Select Malbec (Luján de Cuyo) Mendoza - Argentina
Availability: BCLDB Stores
Cost: $14.49 + taxes
Alcohol: 13.5%
Date Tasted: May 1st, 2019
Tasting Notes: Though lacking concentration and a tad watery, this is an accessible, straight-forward and (thankfully) dry Malbec with a pleasing blend of berry fruit, sweet florals and layers of savoury spice and oak notes throughout. A touch of iron on the finish and low-ish tannins make this a nice pairing for leaner cuts of beef like filet mignon. Drink now-2022.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca
