Bench 1775 Winery 2013 Whistler Late Harvest Chardonnay (Naramata Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Direct from the winery here or select VQA storesCost: $29.90 (375ml)Alcohol: 11.3%Date Tasted: December 22nd, 2014Tasting Notes: A fully sweet dessert wine that makes for a (relatively speaking) economical alternative to ice wine, this late harvest wine is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes that hung on their vines well into the Winter. Typical Chardonnay aromas and flavours are present, orchard and tropical fruit, with added notes of sweet honeycomb, raisins and peaches from the extended ripening and dehydration the grapes experienced on the vine. Lemon/lime acidity keeps the palate's sweetness from overloading your taste buds and improving this wine's function as an aperitif. Drink now-2016.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca
Fort Berens Estate Winery 2012 Cabernet Franc (Lillooet) Fraser Canyon - BC
Availability: Direct from the winery hereCost: $27Alcohol: 14%Production: 482 casesDate Tasted: December 21st, 2014Tasting Notes: A quaffable Cabernet Franc with sweet, blue fruit puree and savoury, herb garden aromas to enjoy. Shows its masculinity side on the dry palate where the fruit'n'herb theme from the nose is matched with mineral, oak and bell pepper flavours. Wild berry acidity and firm tannins frame the long finish where tongue-tingling spice and toasted oak notes linger. Drink now-2017.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca
The following wines received the 25 highest scores on IconScores.ca during the calendar year of 2014. Release date was not considered with some wines sourced from the cellar or tasted at special events. For the list of our Top 25 Wines of 2014, where more than simply the tasting score is considered, please visit the main IconWines.ca site.
#1
Glaetzer Wines 2010 Amon-Ra - 97pts
This intense, impressive specimen begins its journey to your cellar via vineyards in the Ebenezer sub-region of the Barossa Valley whose dry-grown vines range from 50-130 years of age and are cropped to a measly 1-tonne per hectare. A paltry amount that yields crazy, OMG-concentration on the sublime, rabbit-hole deep nose and the powerful-yet-refined palate.
Full Review
#2
Bodegas Vega Sicilia 2008 Pintia - 94-95pts
Vega Sicilia's "affordable" wine is sourced from the Toro region of North-Western Spain and sees 12-15 months in French and American oak (usually a 70/30 split). This 100% Tempranillo wine yields a complex nose of espresso, minerals, red fruit, sweet tobacco, leather, toasted oak, dried grass and subtle spices.
Full Review
#3
Château de Beaucastel 2011 Chateauneuf-du-Pape - 94+pts
Perhaps lacking in the power department when compared to the opulent and dense 2010, the 2011 thrives on subtle layers of sweet red and dark fruit, dry rock, fragrant flowers, warm garrique and smooth tobacco aromas and flavours. Classic, quietly intense and long with ultra-fine tannins and an elegant character.
Full Review
#4
Bodegas Muga 2009 Selección Especial - 93-94pts
This beautiful, spicy, femme-fatale from Rioja is a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, 7% Mazuelo and 3% Graciano and oozes sex appeal on the nose with powerful, layered aromas of pot-pourri, raspberry, cherry, anise, cardamom, vanilla, dusty rocks and toasted oak.
Full Review
#5
Painted Rock Estate Winery 2012 Red Icon - 93+pts
Though the components change year-to-year, Painted Rock's Red Icon is an exceptionally consistent, high-end blend that successfully executes its but de vie to deliver complex, New World flavours wrapped in an elegant, Old World structure.
Full Review
#6
LaStella 2011 La Sophia - 93+pts
This is near, pitch-perfect, cool-climate Cabernet with a lovely balance between its concentrated, dark berry fruit and its complex, vegetal'n'herbs components. The feminine palate is smooth with fine, ripe tannins and hints of graphite, vanilla, coffee grinds and cherry-cola. Herbs and cassis purée linger on the long, long, smoky finish. Will evolve over a decade-plus.
Full Review
#7
2007 Château Troplong Mondot - 93pts
Smoky goodness oozes from the glass, enveloping your nose in a feminine, seductive blanket of chocolate mocha, floral and graphite aromas, through which, a column of gentle, pure red fruit presses its advance. It is a charming bouquet with some age, but ultimately, still in development.
Full Review
#8
LaStella 2011 Maestoso "Solo" Merlot - 93pts
Supremely elegant and nuanced, LaStella's flagship wine, Maestoso, proves that 100% Merlot wines can be just as memorable and complete as equally priced Cabernet Sauvignon when handled with as much care and detailed attention that the Osoyoos Lake winery applies to this beautiful wine.
Full Review
#9
Painted Rock Estate Winery 2013 Chardonnay - 93pts
My favourite words for the Painted Rock Chardonnay are "consistency", "pure" and "effortless". And its the last word of the bar-setting trio that makes this wine such a stand out. The nose is generous with layers of pure fruit (orchard, citrus, tropical) supported by French oak, minerals and light brioche aromas, but it is the effortless palate that is most memorable.
Full Review
#10
Bodegas Breca 2010 Old Vines Garnacha - 92+pts
At first sniff, you might think you're about to dive into a fine Port due to the intense and matured, spicy-plum, sweet-incense and anise aromas seeping from the glass. This 100% Garnacha (Grenache) is sourced from vineyards ranging from 70-100 years old and offers an equally intense palate where the spicy-plum profile continues supported by cherry-cola, vanilla-bean and mineral notes.
Full Review
Fort Berens Estate Winery 2013 Late Harvest Riesling (Lillooet) Fraser Canyon - BC
Availability: Direct from winery here and VQA stores
Cost: $20 (375ml)
Alcohol: 11.4%
Production: 450 cases
Date Tasted: December 18th, 2014
Tasting Notes: Also sourced from the winery's home vineyard in Lillooet, this late harvest Riesling makes for an intriguing (and cost effective) aperitif bridge between an off-dry white and a fully sweetened dessert wine.
Many late harvest wines are as sweet as their more expensive ice wine cousins, but the Fort Berens version, though bursting with intense, candied lychee and ripe peach flavours, does not overwhelm the palate with unctuous, syrupy fruit. Offers a pleasant 'grapey'-ness, like a fine, off-dry Muscat. Drink now-2016.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca
Fort Berens Estate Winery 2013 Chardonnay (Lillooet) Fraser Canyon - BC
Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $20
Alcohol: 13.5%
Production: 602 cases
Date Tasted: December 18th, 2014
Tasting Notes: Another superb Chardonnay from Fort Berens' home vineyard in Lillooet that offers a nice blend of orchard and tropical fruit, citrus and mineral characters on the expressive nose and the mouth watering, yet, rounded palate. Pears, papaya, white peach, river stones, slate and lemon/lime aromas and flavours will match nicely with scallop dishes, while hints of French oak and spice on the long, tangy finish make you crave another sip. Drink 2014-2017.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca
