Black Hills Estate Winery 2017 Addendum (Black Sage Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Wine club exclusive. See winery for details here
Cost: $49.90 + taxes
Alcohol: 13%
Date Tasted: March 12th, 2019
Tasting Notes: Black Hills new Addendum is its Right Bank inspired, Merlot-dominant cousin to their flagship, and Left Bank influenced, Nota Bene. Dark and broody with an inky-black, violet core and a masculine-leaning profile of black cherry, cassis, mint, dark chocolate, herbs and French vanilla. Full bodied and concentrated with fine, medium tannins, good acidity and decent length. Ready to go now. Drink 2019-2022.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca
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
SpearHead Winery 2017 Club Consensus Pinot Noir (East Kelowna) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Club members only. Winery website here
Cost: $25
Alcohol: 14%
Production: 100 cases
Date Tasted: March 4th, 2019
@spearheadwinery
Tasting Notes: As the story goes, SpearHead invited its wine club members to participate in a blending session for a club-only Pinot label, selecting from barrels of different Pinot clones from the winery's two primary vineyards; their home vineyard in East Kelowna and the Golden Retreat Vineyard in Summerland.
Percentages of the 667, 777 and 828 clones selected for the finale blend have been withheld, but tasting the finished product, the consensus was, seemingly, to construct a vibrant, yet, approachable, red fruit and floral scented Pinot with front-loaded weight on the palate and a clean, crisp finish. Ready to go now. Drink now-2021.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca
Carpineto 2013 Riserva (Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano DOCG) Tuscany - Italy
Availability: Private wine stores
Cost: $45-50
Alcohol: 13.5%
Date Tasted: March 2nd, 2019
Tasting Notes: This is the ultimate steak wine. Now, if you are not steak (or meat of any kind) inclined than you might consider imagining a beautifully grilled, olive-oil kissed, portobello mushroom as you proceed with this review;)
What is pepper to salt? What is charred carbon to grease? Perfect companions? Brothers in arms? If the battle is to win 'taste', than let me put forth my twin-headed champion: the Carpineto Riserva and a lean, mean, beef tenderloin machine.
The silky-smooth, Sangiovese blend, Carpineto is well-suited to grilled foods of all kinds with a balanced and complex profile which perfectly marries its red fruit and floral characters with layers of spice, worn leather and prominent iron notes like it had once been used to quench a burning blade of steel. Already 6 years of age, yet, still years from peaking with further development very likely. Drink now-2023.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca
Painted Rock Estate Winery 2016 Syrah (Skaha Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Not yet released. Direct from the winery here
Cost: TBA
Alcohol: 14.5%
Date Tasted: March 2nd, 2019
Tasting Notes: An intense and ripe, dark and red fruit driven Syrah with prominent spice notes on the New World fashioned profile with added layers of sun-dried earth, blood orange, mint, toasted oak and vanilla. With time in the glass to open up, a susurus of cola and chocolate aromas show on the developing nose and cigar box and black pepper flavours linger on the long finish.
Could improve with further time in the cellar, but, ready to go now and through the next 5-6 years. Drink 2019-2024.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca
