IconScores.ca: May 2022

La Frenz Winery 2021 Chardonnay - 88pts

La Frenz Winery 2021 Chardonnay (Naramata Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here and private wine shops

Cost: $23.99 + taxes
Alcohol: 13.6%
Date Tasted: May 22nd, 2022
@LAFRENZWINERY

Tasting Notes: Always a crowd-pleaser, except for only the most fervent of the ABC militia, the 2021 La Frenz Chardonnay holds to the winery's "Peaches and Cream" style delivery comfort food in-a-glass. There's a bit more (and very welcomed) stone fruit acidity on the well balanced and approachable palate with juicy, fruit-cup characters throughout and a nice combination of bright, orchard fruit and creamy, baked pear flavours on the satisfying finish. Drink now-2025.

Lake Breeze Vineyards 2019 Alizé Roussanne - 88pts

Lake Breeze Vineyards 2019 Alizé Roussanne (Naramata Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $25 + taxes
Alcohol: 13.5%
Date Tasted: May 22nd, 2022

Tasting Notes: Very little Roussanne is grown in the Okanagan Valley and even less is bottled as a standalone varietal. Lake Breeze, with their Alizé release, gives us the rare opportunity to experience how the Rhone grape fares away from its traditional home. This Naramata grown version might be missing the unctuousness of its French brethren, but it succeeds in delivering a complex nose of stone fruit, floral tea and unpasteurized honey with similar flavours on the relatively full-ish and refreshing palate.

The current vintage is already 3 years old and ready to go. Drink now-2024.

Tenuta Il Poggione 2020 Lo Sbrancato Rosé - 89pts

Tenuta Il Poggione 2020 Lo Sbrancato Rosé (Montalcino) Tuscany - Italy

Availability: Marquis Wine Cellars in Vancouver
Cost: $21-28 + taxes
Alcohol: 12.5%
Date Tasted: May 15th, 2022

Tasting Notes: A juicier, fuller blush when compared to the light and lean, minimalist style which dominates most restaurant menus. Made from 100% Sangiovese grapes, this is robust rosé without ever feeling heavy and one that can pair with fresh pasta and white meats. Typical blush characters of red fruit, floral and citrus throughout, with just a hint of Sangiovese' unique tomato stock on the nose and a touch of fleshy, cumquat on the palate. Drink now-2024.

Quails' Gate Estate Winery 2020 Lucy's Block Rosé - 89pts

Quails' Gate Estate Winery 2020 Lucy's Block Rosé (East Kelowna) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here and VQA stores
Cost: $29.99 + taxes
Alcohol: 11.5%
Date Tasted: May 21st, 2022

Tasting Notes: Quails' Gate's premium blush, Lucy's Block, is a subtle and mineraly rosé which gets its light salmon colour from brief skin contact of its Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes (a 70-30% split, respectively) sourced from the winery's East Kelowna vineyard. Though delicate and pretty, this is a very refreshing rosé with layers of rose water, fresh red fruit, steel and lime zest aromas and flavours and impressively low alcohol. Drink now-2023.

Liquidity Wines 2019 Pinot Noir - 89pts

Liquidity Wines 2019 Pinot Noir (Okanagan Falls) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from the winery here
Cost: $30 + taxes
Alcohol: 13.5%
Date Tasted: May 7th, 2022

Tasting Notes: A beautifully fragrant BC Pinot Noir with a robust nose of mellow blue fruit, savoury wild sage and sweet cedar. The medium-everything palate that follows offers more prominent fruit notes with a welcomed dash of spice adding complexity to the layers of plum, toasted earth, dried cranberries and vanilla-kissed oak. Drink now-2024.

SpearHead Winery 2021 Pinot Noir Rosé - 90pts

SpearHead Winery 2021 Pinot Noir Rosé (Okanagan Valley) BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $25 + taxes
Alcohol: 13%
Production: 500 cases
Date Tasted: April 15th, 2022

Tasting Notes: A rich and opulent rosé made from Pinot Noir grapes, opening with a peachy-strawberry scented nose followed by a refreshing, yet, plump palate of similar flavours, additional mineraly, grapefruit notes and enough cranberry acidity to keep the finish light and crisp. Just about everything you want from a BC blush. Drink now-2024.

Bartier Bros. 2021 Rosé - 86pts

Bartier Bros. 2021 Rosé (Summerland) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: BCLDB stores and direct from the winery here
Cost: $18.99 + taxes
Alcohol: 12.5%
Production: 3402 cases
Date Tasted: May 4th, 2022

Tasting Notes: A dry, refreshing, blended blush produced by combining Gewurztraminer (41%), Chardonnay (30%) and Pinot Gris (25%) with a touch of Syrah (4%) to contribute the needed colour and tannins. Clean and crisp with only 12.5% alcohol, this rosé offers excellent value and plenty of food-pairing possibilities for your Summer, patio parties. Drink now-2014.

Pages

Search For A Wine