Monte Creek Ranch 2017 Pinot Noir - 86pts

Monte Creek Ranch 2017 Pinot Noir - BC VQA

Availability: Sold out. Direct from winery here
Cost: $??
Alcohol: 14%
Date Tasted: October 20th, 2019

Tasting Notes: A light and fruity Pinot Noir with some nice spice and oak throughout and a little added weight from the 14% alcohol. Quite drinkable and food-friendly with a touch of lingering, wild berry acidity which refreshes the palate befor your next bite. Sealed with a Stelvin cap to lock in the fresh, lively presentation. Drink now-2020.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca

Monte Creek Ranch 2018 Riesling - 88pts

Monte Creek Ranch 2018 Riesling (Kamloops) - BC VQA

Availability: Not yet released. Direct from winery here
Cost: $18.49 + taxes
Alcohol: 11.7%
Date Tasted: May 11th, 2019

Tasting Notes: A white gold coloured Riesling bursting with intense citrus and green apple flavours and acidity whilst off-dry levels of residual sugar (8.9 g/l) mount an counter offensive to bring balance to The Force, though, somewhat failing short... this is not a Riesling for the faint of heart. It's an adventure, one best attempted on a hot Summer's day.

Look for layered aromas and plenty of texture from the spent yeast and an overall effervescent-ness, making one think of slightly under-ripe peaches, torn from the vine, split apart and hurriedly munched as the juice spills down your arm. 

Consider pairing with a hadr white cheese like Le Gruyere. Drink now-2022.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca

On a side note: The winery's website lists the 2016 vintage of this Riesling as a new release still, so it's not clear when this new vintage will become available.

Monte Creek Ranch 2017 Chardonnay - 87pts

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

Monte Creek Ranch 2014 Hands Up Red - 86pts

Monte Creek Ranch 2014 Hands Up Red (Kamloops) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $16.49 (including taxes)
Alcohol: 13%
Date Tasted: January 17th, 2017

Tasting Notes: Opens with a fresh nose of dark fruits and brambly berries with briny undertones and a touch of oak. The palate is bright, even slightly sharp, with tangy, wild berry flavours and acidity and a savoury-rustic layer of earthy spices and oak. As recommended by the winery, the natural pairing for this wine is blackened, BBQ Salmon. Drink 2018.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2017 IconWines.ca

Monte Creek Ranch 2015 Hands Up White - 88pts

Monte Creek Ranch 2015 Hands Up White (Kamloops) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $15.49 (including taxes)
Alcohol: 13.2%
Date Tasted: September 17th, 2016

Tasting Notes: Following a similar recipe as the 2014 edition, the new vintage sees 61% Frontenac Blanc, 25% La Crescent, and 14% Viognier blended to produce a tangy, off-dry wine with an aromatic and orchard fruit-driven nose and a well-balanced, citrus-infused palate with ripe fruit flavours of pear, peach and nectarine. Moderate finish leaves your mouth watering for the next sip. Drink now-2017.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2016 IconWines.ca

Monte Creek Ranch 2015 Frontenac Gris - 87pts

Monte Creek Ranch 2015 Frontenac Gris (Kamloops) BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $15.49 (including taxes)
Alcohol: 12.5%
Date Tasted: September 15th, 2016

Tasting Notes: Be sure you're looking for a fully off-dry white if you decide to take a flyer on this fruit-forward hybrid that was designed by the University of Minnesota for regions with hardy winters. Monte Creek's peach'n'melon scented Frontenac Gris is packed with 25.6 g/l of residual sugar, yet, the palate is nicely balanced by mouth-watering, citrus acidity and tangy, Tropical fruit flavours with a hint of spice on the moderate finish. Pair with spicy noodle dishes. Drink now-2018.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2016 IconWines.ca

Monte Creek Ranch 2015 Riesling - 87pts

Monte Creek Ranch 2015 Riesling (Kamloops) BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $16.99 (including taxes)
Alcohol: 12.5%
Date Tasted: September 14th, 2016

Tasting Notes: More aromatic and expressive on the nose than last year's release, the 2014 Riesling offers a nice blend of orange blossom, raw honey, peach, lemon and mineral aromas followed by a crisp, dry, grapefruit and peach driven palate with plenty of citrus acidity and cool mineral flavours.

Though line rind notes linger in the mouth the fruit characters fade quickly on the finish. Pair with hard cheeses to fill the gap. Drink now-2017.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2016 IconWines.ca

Monte Creek Ranch 2015 Rosé - 85pts

Monte Creek Ranch 2015 Rosé (Kamloops) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $15.99 (including taxes)
Alcohol: 13.5%
Date Tasted: May 26th, 2016

Tasting Notes: A brilliant, dark pink, fully off-dry rosé from 100% Marquette grapes (a hybrid cross developed at the University of Minnesota) with an in-your-face style, bursting with spicy, strawberry-rhubarb crisp aromas and flavours and finishing with mouth-watering, cran-apple acidity and lingering alcohol notes. Drink 2016.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2016 IconWines.ca

Monte Creek Ranch 2014 Rosé - 85pts

Monte Creek Ranch 2014 Rosé (Kamloops) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $15.99 (including taxes)
Alcohol: 14.2%
Date Tasted: March 29th, 2016

Tasting Notes: A pleasant, fruity rosé with strawberry-rhubarb aromas and flavours with added citrus, cranberry and mineral notes. Balance is refreshing with cran-apple acidity, though, sadly, the finish is short. Drink 2016.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2016 IconWines.ca

Monte Creek Ranch 2013 Hands Up Red - 85pts

Monte Creek Ranch 2013 Hands Up Red (Kamloops) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $15.50 (including taxes)
Alcohol: 13.6%
Date Tasted: January 31st, 2016

Tasting Notes: Though a blend of hybrid and Bordeaux varieties, the Hands Up Red opens with a traditional, albeit muted, Cab-Merlot nose of cassis and blackberry aromas with a pleasant, susurrus of earthy, oak-spice in the background. 

The palate is a little less traditional with a palpable wildness to the blend of berry fruit, oak and dry herbs'n'spice. The backbone of this wine is its tangy, wild berry acidity, rather than its tannins, which are very light indeed. As recommended by the winery, the right pairing for this wine is BBQ Salmon. Drink 2016.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2016 IconWines.ca

Monte Creek Ranch 2014 Riesling - 86pts

Monte Creek Ranch 2014 Riesling (Kamloops) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $16.99 (including taxes)
Alcohol: 12.9%
Date Tasted: October 6th, 2015

Tasting Notes: This is an appealing, straight-forward, off-dry Riesling with lasting, mineral flavours and grapefruit acidity which (mostly) off-set the lemon-flavoured, residual sweetness. Think lemon San Pellegrino with slightly obvious alcohol.

Though muted on the nose when chilled, if allowed to warm up, aromas of citrus fruit and raw honey will appear. Finish is moderately long, but, a touch too sour. Enjoy this wine in its youth with hard a cheese like Gruyère which will help mask the lingering sour notes and emphasize the tangy citrus fruit. Drink now-2017.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca

Monte Creek Ranch 2014 Hands Up White - 85pts

Monte Creek Ranch 2014 Hands Up White (Kamloops) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $13.49 (including taxes)
Alcohol: 13.2%
Date Tasted: August 17th, 2015

Tasting Notes: A unique, tangy blend of hybrid varieties (Frontenac Blanc and LaCresent) and Viognier that will be sure to get your mouth pumping saliva with every sip. This lightly-bronzed wine, sourced from the winery's vineyard near Kamloops, opens with a candied apple and apricot nose, followed by an off-dry palate with melon, peach and pear flavours and major, citrus and green apple acidity. 

The finish is sharp and a little overwhelming when consumed on its own. Pair with hard cheeses to add some equilibrium to the palate (aka, a protective coating). Then this truly unique wine can be appreciated to its fullest. Drink now-2016.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca

Monte Creek Ranch 2014 Chardonnay - 86+pts

Monte Creek Ranch 2014 Chardonnay (Kamloops) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $15.99 (including taxes)
Alcohol: 12.9%
Date Tasted: July 21st, 2015

Tasting Notes: A partially oaked, medium bodied Chardonnay from Kamloops-based winery Monte Creek Ranch, opening with muted aromas of apple skins, grapefruit flesh and a little bit of smoky flint on the nose. Palate is a little disjointed at the moment with acidic, bitter, mineral and fruit elements not yet fully in-synch. Another 6 months of bottle age should promote further integration. Finishes with just a touch of residual sweetness beneath lingering lemon zest notes. Drink 2016-2018.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca