Mission Hill Estate Winery 2007 Perpetua - 90pts

Mission Hill Estate Winery 2007 Perpetua (Osoyoos) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: New release for October, 2009

Cost: $32.99

Alcohol: 13%

Date Tasted: October 7th, 2009

Tasting Notes: Mission Hill's Perpetua is designed as a vineyard-specific, terroir-driven wine meant to showcase the flavours and aromas a BC Chardonnay can offer. The 2007 vintage does this admirably but not as well as the 2006.

This light straw coloured wine has youthful aromas of honey, butter, orchard fruit and notes of citrus acidity. Flavours of lemon, pears, apple mix with mineral notes on the palate.

This wine has excellent fruit intensity and flavour complexity which balances well with the acidity and creates a lovely, long finish. This Chardonnay will benefit from a year in your cellar before opening. Drink 2010-2015. - LC

Mission Hill Estate Winery 2006 Quatrain - 89-90pts

Mission Hill Estate Winery 2006 Quatrain (Oliver & Osoyoos) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: New release for October, 2009

Cost: $47

Alcohol: 13%

Date Tasted: October 7th, 2009

Tasting Notes: The 2006 release increases the amount of Syrah and lowers the Merlot creating a final blend of Syrah 41%, Merlot 32%, Cabernet Franc 14% and Cabernet Sauvignon 13%. The spicy Syrah aromas are prominent on the very lovely and inviting nose. Aromas of pepper, chocolate, pencil shavings and floral notes seduce the nose in anticipation of the palate to come. However, the complexity and intensity of the nose does not entirely carry through to the palate where flavours of cassis, sour cherries and pepper are on offer.

The wine is aged in French oak barrels for 15 months, with 45% new oak leading to milder tannins than the wine's Legacy Series red cousins. Approachable now. Drink within 5 years. - LC

Mission Hill Estate Winery 2006 Oculus - 93+pts

Mission Hill Estate Winery 2006 Oculus (West Kelowna) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: New release for October, 2009

Cost: $70
Alcohol: 14%
Date Tasted: October 7th, 2009

Tasting Notes: Mission Hill's signature wine carries huge expectations. The winery wants this wine to gain international recognition and wants it to complete on the world stage. Very high expectations indeed. The 2005 vintage did not live up to these expectations but I am happy to report that the 2006 vintage does. Where the 2005 tasted washed-out and limp, the 2006 is full of vibrant complexity and tastes of a wine that has had each grape cluster hand-picked and selected.

Great concentration of flavours on the nose and palate with a final blend of 51% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and 8% Petit Verdot. Each component is aged separately in 100% French oak barrels for 14.5 months. The seductive nose offers youthful aromas of dark berries, chocolate and cassis. The palate displays flavours of candy nibs, coffee, leather, cassis and has a very long and elegant finish.

This is a wine that will need some time in the cellar before opening; 2-3 years. With good tannin structure and acidity this wine will easily last 10-12 years. Drink 2011-2020.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2010

Mission Hill Estate Winery 2006 Compendium - 92pts

Mission Hill Estate Winery 2006 Compendium (Oliver & Osoyoos) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: New release for October, 2009

Cost: $40

Alcohol: 13.5%

Date Tasted: October 7th, 2009

Tasting Notes: A Bordeaux-style blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that spent 13 months aging in 100% French oak separately before the final blend (52%, 19%, 19% and 10% respectively). This medium-ruby coloured elegant wine then spent another 12 months at the winery aging in the bottle before its release this month. You can immediately appreciate the aging and care that went into this wine on the nose and palate.

The nose is approachable and enticing offering youthful aromas of cherry nibs, raspberries, pencil shavings, vanilla and floral notes. The palate offers loads of cassis and dark berries with a touch of earthy notes and pencil shavings. Well structured tannins and acidity contribute to a long and satisfying finish. Very approachable now and drinkable over the next 4-5 years. - LC

Deutz NV Brut Classic - 87pts

Deutz Non Vintage Brut Classic (Marne) Champagne - France

Availability: Widely available at private and BCLDB stores

Cost: $64.99

Alcohol: 12%

Date Tasted: October 5th, 2009

Tasting Notes: The Deutz Brut Classic is a quality Champagne with strings of fine pearl bubbles that offers aromas of cabbage, citrus, yeast and canned-mushrooms fried in butter. Made with the three permitted Champagne grape varietals, Chardonnay (1/3), Pinot Noir (1/3) and Pinot Meunier (1/3), each component adds texture or flavour to the wine. On the palate this light-gold coloured wine has a developed autolytic character with intense flavours of green banana, lemon peel, cabbage with toasty notes.

Despite aging for only 15 months on the lees, the autolytic flavours dominate the palate yet the wine offers layers of complexity that will endear it to many. Drink now. - LC

Sku: 56358 UPC: 3359952005005