Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2015 The Creek (Okanagan Valley) BC
Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $55 +taxes
Alcohol: 14%
Production: 1474 cases
Date Tasted: March 7th, 2019
@TinhornCreek
Tasting Notes: Tinhorn's entry into the Icon Wine market, The Creek, will see its 2nd vintage of this Left Bank inspired, New World Meritage released this year. The 2015 edition is a gorgeous and beautifully layered blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot, 7% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot.
Opening with a perfumed nose of sun-warmed cherries, potpourri, sweet and savoury spices, blueberry compote, hazelnuts and vanilla, this charming, age-worthy wine offers good continuity of flavours with fine, lightly-smoked tannins and tangy, blackberry acidity framing the full-bodied, long-lasting palate. Simply delicious.
This wine will develop further over the next 2-3 years, however, if you can't wait that long, enjoy a bottle now, but not too quickly as this beauty changes in the glass throughout the night. Drink 2019-2023.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2014 The Creek (Okanagan Valley) BC
Availability: Direct from winery here, BCLDB and VQA stores
Cost: $55 (including taxes)
Alcohol: 14%
Production: 1474 cases
Date Tasted: October 20th, 2017
@TinhornCreek
Tasting Notes: Tinhorn's new, self-coined "flagship" wine, The Creek, is a well-balanced blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 9% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot offering pleasant, ripe aromas and flavours of dark and blue fruits with a warming wave of herbs and sweet spices on the nose and fine, mannered tannins and smooth, berry acidity on the rounded, refined palate. Toasted oak, light spice and black cherry notes linger on the finish through to the next sip.
When I think of Tinhorn Creek's true flagship wine, I think of the winery's pungent, character-to-spare Cabernet Franc. Perhaps this tasty, refined wine can change that Funky Franc association over time, though, since the fruit for the blend is sourced, predominantly, from the winery's Black Sage Bench vineyard, maybe The Bench would have been a better name;). Drink now-2022.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2017 IconWines.ca
