Le Vieux Pin 2012 "Cuvée Violette" Syrah (Black Sage Bench) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Direct from the winery here
Cost: $29
Alcohol: 13.4%
Production: 616 cases
Date Tasted: December 30th, 2014
Tasting Notes: Over the past 4-5 years, Le Vieux Pin has established itself as one of the best producers of Rhone Valley varietal wines in the Okanagan. Most of their Syrah releases have been designed to be cellar-worthy time capsules. With the "Cuvée Violette" we get a wine focused more on 'the now' rather than on future development.
Beautifully layered, feminine aromas of flowers (yes, violets, as the name suggests), raspberry, vanilla, white pepper, pot-pourri, pink grapefruit, cherry dust and warm fuzzies. The medium-bodied palate offers a nice balance of elegant, smooth spices and clean, red fruit flavours supported by bright acidity and moderate, fine tannins. Ready to be enjoyed now but should hold over the next 2-4 years if you want to wait it out (why?). Drink now-2018.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca
Fort Berens Estate Winery 2012 Pinot Noir (Lillooet) Fraser Canyon - BC
Availability: Direct from the winery here
Cost: $26
Alcohol: 13.5%
Production: 475 cases
Date Tasted: December 29th, 2014
Tasting Notes: Sourced from their home vineyard in Lillooet, this Pinot Noir has a wildness on the nose from alpine berry fruit and raw herbs and spices. Dark raspberry and cherry aromas round out the lightly oaked bouquet.
The bright, mouth-watering palate follows with a little less pronounced fruit and an increased presence
of earthy, terroir-influenced flavours. The bone dry finish is a tad bitter but satisfying. Pair with game or a turkey roast. Drink 2015-2017.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca
SpierHead Winery 2013 Pinot Noir (East Kelowna) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $24
Alcohol: 12.4%
Production: 600 cases
Date Tasted: December 27th, 2014
Tasting Notes: SpierHead has come a long way with their handling of Pinot Noir since their first vintage of estate grown fruit in 2010. Just three years later and the East Kelowna winery is making a name for itself with multiple Pinot Noir labels in their portfolio: some single vineyard, some blends. This release is their largest production at 600 cases and is a blend of their different East Kelowna vineyards, revealing a minimalist, fruit-forward approach with a pleasant balance of red fruit and earthy notes on the sweetly scented nose and the smooth, yet, mouth-watering palate. Dry herbs and spice add depth throughout. A hint of bitterness and sagebrush lingers on the moderate finish. Drink now-2017.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca
Graham's N/V Six Grapes Reserve Port (Douro Valley) Portugal
Availability: Widely available at BCLDB stores
Cost: $24-28
Alcohol: 20%
Date Tasted: December 22nd, 2014
Tasting Notes: The name "Six Grapes" is a reference to the winery's visual, quality classification for barrels of years past ('6' was the highest). This is a reserve ruby port, meaning it is a composition of multiple vintages of ruby port wines blended together to consistently represent the brand, year-in, year-out (not dissimilar to house-style Champagne). Whether the port was bottled this year or in 2011, it should taste the same, though, word to the wise, ruby port is not meant to be aged for future development like its famous sibling, vintage port. Drink it within a year or two from purchase.
Sourced from multiple estates in the Douro and compiled of the four noble Douro grapes, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barroc, plus small parts of other native grapes, the 'Six Grapes' offers intense red fruit, plum and licorice aromas supported by notes of mint, flowers and Ferrero Rocher confections. The fully sweet palate offers good continuity from the nose, though, with more focus on sweet berry and cherry fruit flavours. The finish is long and boisterous. Drink now-2016.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca
SpierHead Winery 2013 Pinot Noir Cuvée (East Kelowna) Okanagan Valley - BC
Availability: Direct from winery here
Cost: $33
Alcohol: 13.5%
Production: 100 cases
Date Tasted: December 23rd, 2014
Tasting Notes: A handsomely packaged, small lot Pinot Noir, made from a blend of the favoured barrels pulled from the winery's vineyards and aged in 100% French oak. On the engaging nose you'll find a lovely, feminine blend of red and dark berries, tea leaf, French vanilla cream, roses and a touch of wildness from boysenberry and huckleberry fruit that foreshadows the mouth-watering experience ahead.
The entry on the medium-bodied palate is lush, continuing the feminine, fruity'n'sensual theme from the nose until a wave of bright wild berry acidity temporarily overwhelms your mouth before a wave of spice, earth, leather, plum and raspberry flavours linger on the long finish. Intriguing. Drink 2015-2017.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca
