Monthly Picks: December 2010

For the month that brings us Christmas dinner and New Year's Eve parties we've got a selection of big (and mostly red) wines for the Monthly Picks selection. Share these beauties with friends and celebrate in style.

Viñas Centenarias 2006 Sabor Real Tempranillo (Toro) Spain - $15
A raw, unfiltered, unbridled and meaty wine from the Toro DO region of Spain. This 100% Tempranillo wine may turn out to be the best valued bargain of the year with a rustic bouquet of dark cherry, minerality, dried fruits and loads of toasted oak and earthy notes.
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Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2008 Cabernet Franc (Golden Mile Bench) Okanagan Valley - $17
Intense aromatics of savory herbs, dark fruit, vanilla and oak. A juicy texture on the dry palate with good continuity of flavours from the nose. Medium-plus tannins and acidity help create structure and frame the fruit flavours nicely.
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La Frenz Winery 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon (Naramata Bench) Okanagan Valley - $28
Round tannins and big dark berry flavours on the palate. Intense aromas of cassis and other dark fruits on the nose plus wanted oak notes.
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Fairview Cellars 2008 The Bear (Golden Mile Bench) Okanagan Valley - $35
The richness from the nose is carried through to the dry palate where the concentration of the dark fruit flavours hits you with the perception of sweetness. The fruit is followed by savoury toasted oak and mineral flavours with fine, integrated tannins.
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Château des Charmes 2007 Equuleus (St. David's Bench) Niagara Peninsula - $40
With 12 months in French barriques, the Equuleus is full of grainy oak aromas and flavours. The medium-intense nose does offer some nice dark berry notes, but they are mixed in with the savoury and aromatic characters of flowers, green coffee beans, vanilla, smoke and leather. The dry palate is easily characterized as "Old World" with earthy flavours, tomato stalk, bell pepper, dark berry and good minerality.

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Poplar Grove Winery 2006 The Legacy (Naramata Bench) Okanagan Valley - $50
A blend of 70% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon with intense aromas of dark fruits, oak and prunes with aromatic, perfume notes. The dry palate is supremely textured with concentrated flavours - good continuity from the nose. A touch of pepper spice lingers on the long, balanced finish.
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Rollingdale Winery 2007 Pinot Noir Ice Wine (West Kelowna) Okanagan Valley - $60
Massive concentration of fruit aromas and flavours (apricot jam, strawberry, fuzzy peaches candy and raspberry cremesicle) are nicely contrasted with impressively high acidity. This leads to a very long, balanced and satisfying finish.
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Meyer Family Vineyards 2009 Micro Cuvée Chardonnay (Naramata Bench) Okanagan Valley - $70
The long white wine in the monthly picks section is certainly a special occasion wine. The balance of fruit-to-acid-to-minerality is exquisite. Orchard fruits mingle with savoury oak notes and meld with citrus and melon characters. Highly concentrated on the palate with good continuity of flavours from the refined nose. The texture reminds one of a great cigar in the way it envelopes your mouth while never being overbearing.
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 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2010

Meyer Family Vineyards 2009 Micro Cuvée Chardonnay - 92-93pts

Meyer Family Vineyards 2009 Micro Cuvée Chardonnay (Naramata Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here. Select private and VQA stores
Cost: $70
Alcohol: 13.5%
Production: 72 cases
Date Tasted: November 14th, 2010

Tasting Notes: The Meyer Family Vineyards' 2009 Micro Cuvée Chardonnay comes from the same Old Main Road Vineyard on Naramata Bench that yields their excellent Tribute Series release. To make the grade as the Micro Cuvée, a small lot release of 72 cases, the winery selects the barrels which offer the best balance and greatest expression of terroir. The result is a Chardonnay that exudes character and pushes the quality benchmark for BC Chardonnay. In short, it's an "experience" wine.

The balance of fruit-to-acid-to-minerality is exquisite. Orchard fruits mingle with savoury oak notes and meld with citrus and melon characters. Highly concentrated on the palate with good continuity of flavours from the refined nose. The texture reminds one of a great cigar in the way it envelopes your mouth while never being overbearing.
This Meyer Family Vineyards Chardonnay strives for the same thing that the Grand Cru wines of Burgundy do - be the ultimate expression of terroir - that French term to describe everything that encompasses a wine's sense of place. That is not to say that the wines are doppelgangers, as comparing BC's youthful and varied vineyards to the thousand year old agricultural knowledge and meticulously planted landscape of Burgundy is irresolvable, but the attention to detail and the pursuit of excellent is - at the fraction of the price.

Enjoy this Chardonnay on its own with friends as a showcase. As with other 2009 releases, it is drinking well in its youth and has the finesse and pedigree to last a long time. Drink 2011-2020.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2010

Sandhill 2009 Small Lots Program Viognier - 88-89pts

Sandhill 2009 Small Lots Program Viognier (Southern Okanagan) BC

Availability: Direct from winery here. Select VQA stores
Cost: $24.99
Alcohol: 14.9%
Production: 615 cases
Date Tasted: November 11th, 2010

Tasting Notes: Pouring a glass of Sandhill's excellent Small Lot Program Viognier you'd swear it was heavily oaked and aged. Neither is correct. This 2009 vintage (an admirable follow-up to the outstanding and award-winning 2008 release) has seen no oak and was released in April. The apple juice-like, amber-gold colour and touch of oaky tannin richness likely comes from the whole-cluster pressing used during the crush.

When served chilled, but not cold, the intense aromas of apricots, pear, peaches, cardamom and tropical fruit will come alive in the glass. The equally intense, off-dry and full-bodied palate follows with good continuity of flavours and good pineapple tartness. At 14.9% alcohol, a reflection of the heat from the 2009 summer, the wine's balance tips towards too hot, but only a bit as the intensity and the smoky texture of the palate masks the alcohol, mostly.

Pair with roasted mushroom and smoked bacon creamy pasta. Drinking beautifully now or hold for further development. Drink 2010-2014.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2010

Quinta Da Garrida 2006 Vinho Tinta - 88pts

Quinta Da Garrida 2006 Vinho Tinta (Dao) Portugal

Availability: Limited. Select BCLDB stores
Cost: $12-17
Alcohol: 14%
Date Tasted: October 31st, 2010

Tasting Notes: Savoury, smoky and earthy in character with some dark berry fruit notes on both the nose and palate. Very smooth with well-structured medium tannins and acidity. A moderate-plus finish with lingering spicy-oak.

This red blend of native Portugal varietals Tinta-Roriz and Touriga-Nacional has aged beautifully. Definitely a wine to snatch-up, if you can find it, and enjoy as an over-delivering mid-week treat. Drink 2010-2012.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2010

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2009 Oldfield Series Kerner Icewine - 86-88pts

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2009 Oldfield Series Kerner Icewine (Golden Mile Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC

Availability: Direct from winery here. Select VQA stores
Cost: $29.99 (375ml)
Alcohol: 12.6%
Production: 302 cases
Date Tasted: September 30th, 2010

Tasting Notes: When conditions cooperate Tinhorn Creek produces icewine from their block of Kerner grapes (a winter-hearty cross of Riesling and Trollinger). In 2009 conditions were met and the result from the Golden Mile winery is a tasty treat of a dessert wine but one that lacks the overall intensity of the top icewines produced in BC.

The nose offers aromas of apricot, lemon rind, maple, slate mineral and smoky notes. The fully-sweet palate follows with a citrus medley of tangerine, orange rind and lemon flavours. This Oldfield Series release is appropriately priced as an entry-level icewine - one that can be enjoyed on its own or served over vanilla ice cream. Drink 2010-2016.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2010