SpearHead Winery 2019 Riesling - 88-89pts

SpearHead Winery 2019 Riesling (East Kelowna) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here 

Cost: $21 + taxes

Alcohol: 12%

Production: 500 cases

Date Tasted: March 20th, 2020

Tasting Notes: Clean, crisp and vibrant, this lip-smackin', off-dry Riesling shows lively, green apple, stonefruit and citrus aromas and flavours with homey notes of blossoms and unpasteurized honey adding depth on the nose and palate. Ready to go now or hold for another 3-4 years for further development. Drink 2020-2023+.

 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2020 IconWines.ca

SpearHead Winery 2019 Pinot Noir Rosé - 88pts

SpearHead Winery 2019 Pinot Noir Rosé (East Kelowna) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $21 + taxes
Alcohol: 13%
Production: 500 cases
Date Tasted: March 18th, 2020

Tasting Notes: An instantly enjoyable, strawberry-citrus flavoured and delicately textured rosé, made from Pinot Noir grapes, layered with vibrant grapefruit and lime zest acidity and a touch of lees. Well balanced and refreshing. Pair with seafood, salads or your favourite, salty snack. Drink now-2022.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2020 IconWines.ca

Villa Cafaggio 2010 Basilica Solatio Chianti Classico Riserva - 93pts

Villa Cafaggio 2010 Basilica Solatio Chianti Classico Riserva (Chianti Classico DOCG) Tuscany - Italy

Availability: Limited availability. Private wine shops like Everything Wine
Cost: $50-60 + taxes
Alcohol: 13.5%
Date Tasted: March 18th, 2020

Tasting Notes: At 10 years of age, this single-vineyard, Chianti Classico Reserva has matured beautifully and has started to peak, delivering nicely integrated, elegant and feminine, layers of smoke-kissed, dried red fruit and delicate, crushed flowers with a susarrus of rustic pine floating in the background. The structure is smooth and supple and finishes long. Ready to go now. Drink 2020-2022.
  - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2020 IconWines.ca

SpearHead Winery 2019 White Pinot Noir - 90pts

SpearHead Winery 2019 White Pinot Noir (Okanagan Valley) BC

Availability: Direct from winery here and select VQA stores

Cost: $25 + taxes

Alcohol: 13.5%

Production: 500 cases

Date Tasted: March 13th, 2020

Tasting Notes: SpearHead knows Pinot Noir. They produce several vineyard and clone specific releases of the 'heartbreak grape' as well as a rosé and this beautiful, fleshy, Blanc de Noirs which sees the winery control the colour with limiting skin contract during the crush. Both full bodied and vibrant with white peach acidity and plumpy fruit characters of honeydew melon and papaya. Pair with a white fish dish or try it at Easter brunch with your eggs Benedict. Drink now-2022.

 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2020 IconWines.ca

Averill Creek Vineyard 2015 Somenos Series Pinot Noir - 92pts

Averill Creek Vineyard 2015 Somenos Series Pinot Noir (Cowichan Valley) Vancouver Island - BC

Availability: Sold out. Other vintages available here
Cost: $50 + tax
Alcohol: 13.5%
Date Tasted: March 12th, 2020

Tasting Notes: A beautiful Pinot Noir, both sultry and vibrant with a smoky profile of lightly charred spices, warm earth and racy, bright cherry and blood orange fruit. Refined and long on the palate with an overall elegance that places it on par with the best Pinots in the Province. Drink now-2023.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2020 IconWines.ca

2008 Château Pontet-Canet - 94+pts

2008 Château Pontet-Canet (Pauillac) Bordeaux - France

Availability: Limited. Private wine stores special order
Cost: Average $144 CDN as per Wine-Searcher.com
Alcohol: 13%
Date Tasted: December 31st, 2019

Tasting Notes: From the cellar. At eleven years of age at the time of the tasting, this "Super Second" Bordeaux is still tasting youthful with prominent fruit characters supported by burgeoning graphite and iron notes. There is still plenty of life left in this blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Smooth, dense and oh so elegant. If this beauty is in your cellar, give it another 2-3 years and open it in its 15th year. Drink 2022-2024.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2020 IconWines.ca