IconScores.ca: September 2022

Winemaker's Cut 2020 Bohemian Riesling - 89pts

Winemaker's Cut 2020 Bohemian Riesling (Oliver) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from the winery here
Cost: $26 + taxes
Alcohol: 11%
Production: 200 cases
Date Tasted: September 27th, 2022

Tasting Notes: A vibrant and well-balanced Riesling with an expressive nose of pineapple, nectarine and unpasteurized honey aromas followed by an off-dry, yet, dry-finishing palate with similar fruit flavours and additional notes of tangy peach, lemon-lime and a hint of ginger. A refreshing wine to be served on its own or as a nice counter-balance to hard, white cheeses like Gruyère. Drink 2022-2024+.

Gold Hill Winery 2021 Charisma Pinot Gris - 86pts

Gold Hill Winery 2021 Charisma Pinot Gris (Oliver) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from the winery here
Cost: $21.99 + taxes
Alcohol: 12%

Date Tasted: September 26th, 2022

Tasting Notes: A straight-forward, pleasantly crisp, Pinot Gris with no oak influence and citrus and stonefruit characters throughout. There's a hint of gripiness on the moderate finish due to citrus rind flavours or a touch of grape skin tannins. Should pair nicely with salads and a hot deck. Drink now-2023.

Gold Hill Winery 2018 Syrah - 89pts

Gold Hill Winery 2018 Syrah (Golden Mile Slope) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here

Cost: $42.99

Alcohol: 15%

Date Tasted: September 26th, 2022

Tasting Notes: Intensely aromatic and dense on the nose with concentrated, black cherry, violet, lavender and blackened spice aromas. Equally intense and concentrated on the dry, full palate where high levels of blood orange acidity and bold, blackened tannins make this Syrah less of an elegant, standalone sipper and more of a fancy, accompagnement to your favourite BBQ meats. Still tasting youthful and fresh at 4 years of age due to the Stelvin enclosure. Should hold for 3-4 more years but don't expect much development. Drink 2022-2026.

Gold Hill Winery 2021 Charisma Pinot Noir Rosé - 86pts

Gold Hill Winery 2021 Charisma Pinot Noir Rosé (Golden Mile Slope) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from the winery here
Cost: $21.99 + taxes
Alcohol: 12%

Date Tasted: September 8th, 2022

Tasting Notes: A vibrant and refreshing rosé made from Pinot Noir grapes. Classic red fruit aromas grace the herb-encrusted nose while the watery, mouth-watering palate offers subtle flavours of cran-apple, steel and white peaches. A nice, Summer drink. Drink now-2023.

SpearHead Winery 2020 Golden Retreat Vineyard Pinot Noir - 89pts

SpearHead Winery 2020 Golden Retreat Vineyard Pinot Noir (Summerland) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $38 + taxes
Alcohol: 13.5%
Production: 506 cases
Date Tasted: September 23rd, 2022

Tasting Notes: Sourced from a vineyard in Summerland, the Golden Retreat Pinot Noir is the art-school attending cousin to the classically training Saddle Block label. More quirky and outspoken but perhaps with a little less depth for this 2020 release. Sour plum and cherry notes throughout with brambly acidity, dusty tannins and earthy chocolate and spices in supporting rolls on the feminine nose and boisterous palate. Ready to go now or hold for 2-3 years. Drink 2022-2025.

SpearHead Winery 2020 Saddle Block Pinot Noir - 90pts

SpearHead Winery 2020 Saddle Block Pinot Noir (East Kelowna) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $38 + taxes
Alcohol: 13.5%
Production: 443 cases
Date Tasted: September 23rd, 2022

Tasting Notes: Keeps with the label's style of being the earthiest Pinot Noir in the winery's portfolio of single-vineyard bottlings. The 2020 Saddle Block offers the comfort of earth and forest notes beautifully supported by rich, pruny fruit and incense on the pleasant, elegant nose. A dry, medium-everything palate follows bringing similar flavours and layers of textures from dark chocolate tannins to Christmas spices to tangy, dried-cranberries. Vanilla and spice linger on the finish. Ready to go now or hold for 3-4 more years. Drink 2023-2026.

Wild Goose Vineyards 2020 Riesling - 87pts

Wild Goose Vineyards 2020 Riesling (Okanagan Falls) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $23 + taxes
Alcohol: 12.6%
Date Tasted: September 14th, 2022

Tasting Notes: Sourced from winery's 37-year-old Riesling vines on their Okanagan Falls vineyard, this wine offers a subtle expression of the variety on the nose with a combination of peach pit and other stone fruit aromas and light, joyful aromatic notes. The star here is the slightly, off-dry palate with lots to enjoy from tangy, fresh peach acidity to playful, lemony-spices and a touch of herbs. Ready to go now. Drink 2022-2024.

Burrowing Owl Estate Winery 2019 Athene - 89-91pts

Burrowing Owl Estate Winery 2019 Athene (Black Sage Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from the winery here
Cost: $40 + taxes
Alcohol: 13.5%
Date Tasted: September 11th, 2022
@BurrowingOwlBC

Tasting Notes: A blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon (52/48) sourced from the winery's Black Sage Bench vineyard, the Athene is an uber-dark and brooding wine with lovely eucalyptus notes adding levity the dark fruit, black pepper and toasted oak scented nose.

The palate delivers great continuity, offering a similar flavour profile with plenty of mouth-watering, balsamic acidity and temperamental tannins in need of a nap (cellar time). Ready to go now (with a pairing of dark chocolate) if you want something fairly raw and gnarly, but best to wait another 2+ years for added development and integration. Drink 2025-2028.

Burrowing Owl Estate Winery 20219 Viognier - 89pts

Burrowing Owl Estate Winery 2019 Viognier (Black Sage Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from the winery here (new vintage available)
Cost: $40
Alcohol: 13.5%
Date Tasted: August 31st, 2022

@BurrowingOwlBC

Tasting Notes: A pleasantly aromatic and vibrant Viognier with a nose that offers blossom, melon, Asian pear and a medley of orchard fruit followed by a mouth-watering, full-ish palate with similar flavours and an impressive wave of spice and citrus on the bright finish. Ready to go now thanks to 3 years of ageing. Drink 2022-2023.

Pages

Search For A Wine