River Stone Estate Winery 2017 Stones Throw - 89pts

River Stone Estate Winery 2017 Stones Throw (Oliver) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $29.90 (including taxes)
Alcohol: 14.4%
Date Tasted: September 23rd, 2020

@drinkriverstone

Tasting Notes: A masculine counterpart to the winery's more feminine Corner Stone, the Stones Throw is meaty and mineral blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot with layers of dark fruit, prickly pepper, capsecum, chewing tobacco, blackened vanilla and elegant oak. Pair with leaner cuts of meat to match the vein of iron that runs through this tasty, long-lasting wine. Drink now-2023. 

 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2020 IconWines.ca

River Stone Estate Winery 2017 Corner Stone - 90-91pts

River Stone Estate Winery 2017 Corner Stone (Oliver) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here

Cost: $38.90

Alcohol: 14.1%

Date Tasted: September 22nd, 2020

@drinkriverstone

Tasting Notes: A sensual, rounded and generous, Right Bank inspired blend (Merlot leading with lesser amounts of the remaining 4 Bordeaux reds) oozing with ripe, red and dark fruit, lightly toasted oak, warm vanilla mocha and aromatic spices on the feminine nose and maturing, toasty-tannin palate. Already approachable at 3 years of age, has the bones to age gracefully with some further development, if you're patient. Drink 2021-2026.

 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2020 IconWines.ca

River Stone Estate Winery 2018 Cabernet Franc - 88-89pts

River Stone Estate Winery 2018 Cabernet Franc (Oliver) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here

Cost: $31.90

Alcohol: 13.1%

Date Tasted: September 19th, 2020

@drinkriverstone

Tasting Notes: The 2018 vintage of River Stone's Cabernet Franc has vegetal notes intertwined with lovely, floral and red currant aromas on its nose and its spice and wild berry textured palate. A touch of iodine and toasted oak lingers on the longe finish. Pair with a juicy, rare tenderloin and look for further integration down the road. Drink 2022-2025.

 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2020 IconWines.ca

River Stone Estate Winery 2019 Pinot Gris - 88pts

River Stone Estate Winery 2019 Pinot Gris (Oliver) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $20.90 (including taxes)
Alcohol: 13.5%
Production: 258 cases
Date Tasted: September 17th, 2020
@drinkriverstone

Tasting Notes: River Stone is a charming, family-owned and run Estate Winery just North of Oliver and produces amazingly consistent wines each vintage, no matter what Mother Nature throws their way. The house style of their Pinot Gris release is defined by a straightforward approach in the vineyard and cellar; good fruit, no oak, texture and body from lees contact and their choice of yeast. Nothing flashy, nothing trashy. Good, honest Gris just like the family that produced it. 

Ready to go now and sealed with a Stelvin cap to help lock in its refreshing, orchard-to-citrus fruit ratio. Drink now-2023.

 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2020 IconWines.ca

SpearHead Winery 2018 Pinot Noir Cuvée - 91pts

SpearHead Winery 2018 Pinot Noir Cuvée (East Kelowna) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $40
Alcohol: 13.5%

Production: 450 cases
Date Tasted: September 17th, 2020

Tasting Notes: SpearHead's flagship Pinot Noir is a barrel select blend of multiple clones and vineyard sites and checks all the right boxes for an outstanding BC Pinot Noir; brooding cherry notes, earth and forest tones, smoky tannins and wildberry acidity. Put this beauty down for 2 more years to further integrate and mature. Drink 2022-2028.

 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2020 IconWines.ca

River Stone Estate Winery 2019 Sauvignon Blanc - 89pts

River Stone Estate Winery 2019 Sauvignon Blanc (Oliver) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $21.90 (including taxes)
Alcohol: 12.7%
Production: 555 cases
Date Tasted: September 16th, 2020
@drinkriverstone

Tasting Notes: Having tasted this consistently well-produced Sauvignon Blanc since its inception, the two words that always pop up as notes are, 'pleasantly pungent' and the 2019 is no different, continuing the house style of punchy herbs, citrus zest, ripe melons and exotic, tropical fruit. Finishes dry with a tangy and crisp medley of lemon-lime, green apple, tin and honeydew melon flavours. Very refreshing and palate cleansing. Pair with sweet crab meat or something salty. Drink 2020-2022.

 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2020 IconWines.ca

Gold Hill Winery 2015 Cabernet Franc - 91pts

Gold Hill Winery 2015 Cabernet Franc (Golden Mile Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $34.99 + taxes
Alcohol: 15.9%
Date Tasted: September 14th, 2020

Tasting Notes: A supremely intense, hedonistic Cabernet Franc with loads of floral, spice and sweet earth notes on the nose and densely layered, concentrated red and blue fruit on the tobacco-flavoured, full-bodied palate. Slight, California Primitivo vibe without all the sweetness; just the right amount of extreme extraction to off-set the whopping, 15.9% alcohol. Smoky, cigar box and toasted spice notes linger on the long finish.

Unlike any other BC Cabernet Franc you're likely to find. Despite the bottle shot attached, the wine is sealed with a Stelvin cap enclosure. Ready to go now, but should hold for a few more years. Drink 2020-2023.

 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2020 IconWines.ca

SpearHead Winery 2018 Chardonnay "Clone 95" - 89pts

SpearHead Winery 2018 Chardonnay "Clone 95" (Okanagan Valley) BC

Availability: Direct from winery here 

Cost: $30 + taxes

Alcohol: 13.5%

Production: 576 cases

Date Tasted: September 14th, 2020

Tasting Notes: A blend of clone 95 Chardonnay grapes sourced from the Naramata Bench and the winery's home vineyard in East Kelowna, fermented and aged in oak (40% new) and allowed (or encouraged) to go through a secondary, malolactic fermentation. The resulting wine is crisp (as all Chardonnay should be), well-balanced, smooth and rich without ever feeling over-done or heavy. Look for both refreshing notes of acidic, orchard fruit and savoury, flavours of macadamia nuts and vanilla-kissed scones. 

Ready to go now, though, it should hold for 2-3 more years. Sealed with a Stelvin cap to lock-in freshness. Drink now-2023.

 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2020 IconWines.ca

Gold Hill Winery 2014 Syrah - 90pts

Gold Hill Winery 2014 Syrah (Golden Mile Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $34.99 + taxes
Alcohol: 15.6%
Date Tasted: September 12th, 2020

Tasting Notes: This 2014 vintage Syrah from Gold Hill has aged nicely, still showing some years of service ahead with some potential for further development. Using a Stelvin enclosure on this robust, masculine wine has proven to be a wise decision. Look for spices, cured meats, olives and cherry cola aromas on the intense, dense nose. The equally dense palate that follows offers similar flavours with additional layers of vanilla, toasted oak and more prominent fruit; black raspberries, black cherries and red currant. Finish is long and uber spicy. Ready to go now. Drink 2020-2024.

 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2020 IconWines.ca

River Stone Estate Winery 2018 Merlot - 89pts

River Stone Estate Winery 2018 Merlot (Oliver) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here

Cost: $25.90

Alcohol: 13.9%

Date Tasted: September 11th, 2020

Tasting Notes: This Oliver sourced Merlot opens with a lovely, expressive, spice'n'everything nice nose. These feminine characteristics are followed by a more masculine palate, not one void of fruit, but decidedly more firm and edgy with earthy tones, a touch of mineral and meaty, toasted oak tannins. Perfect for late Summer BBQs. Drink now-2023.

 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2020 IconWines.ca

Gold Hill Winery 2019 Rosé - 84pts

Gold Hill Winery 2019 Rosé (Golden Mile Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC 

Availability: Direct from the winery here
Cost: $19.99 + taxes
Alcohol: 14.1%
Date Tasted: September 10th, 2020

Tasting Notes: A rosé produced using the traditional, saignée method from Cabernet Franc grapes which has produced a red fruit scented nose and similarly flavoured palate. Off-dry with orchard fruit acidity and a hint of minerals balancing the sweetness, but the overall profile is dominated by the lingering taste of alcohol. Pair with something spicy to cut the residual alcohol. Ready to go now. Drink now-2021.

 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2020 IconWines.ca