Looking to buy for the B.C. wine lover in your life?
Here’s a clutch of interesting but not-that-hard-to-find wines that individually and collectively show just how much the bar has been raised in the last few years. These bottles will appeal to anyone who has a passion for the Okanagan (or Similkameen) and are highly affordable for the value and quality they deliver. Prices shown are from the wineries and will vary by store.
Spierhead Pinot Noir 2013
This small east Kelowna producer has truly hit its stride with a focus on small batch wines, all hand harvested. Bright, up-front red berries are followed by a well-balanced, juicy palate with raspberry and cherry notes wrapped in balanced tannins, judicious oak and a lengthy finish. A very stylish and well integrated pinot for the money ($24, 91 points).
Black Cloud Pinot Noir Altostratus 2011
Altostratus 2011 sports dark berry notes and spicy hints up front with a very smooth, fruit-forward entry, supple palate of dark cherry and earthy hints, underpinned by firm acidity, with an elegant, lingering close. You can find the wine in private stores around town. And if you really want to spoil that B.C. wine lover sign them up for the Cloudy Day Club, which delivers three times a year. Or buy them a magnum. Call 778-476-1655 ($35, 92 points).
Maverick Estate Rubicon 2012
This is a relative newcomer to the south Okanagan landscape, but there’s no shortage of expertise and mature plantings behind this family-owned winery that consistently over-delivers in the hands of winemaker-owner Bertus Albertyn. Deep garnet in the glass before a palate of peppery red and black fruit with velvet plushness from Cabernet Franc and structure from Cabernet Sauvignon before a lengthy end. Truly a well-balanced blend that offers great value at $25 (92 points).
Stag’s Hollow Syrah 2011
Distinctive, earthy-gamy and blackberry aromas with a soft, elegant entry before a palate of black fruit mingled with some smoky hints and assertive tannins. Hand-picked and co-fermented with eight per cent viognier; aged for 17 months. Inspired by Saint-Joseph but very much Okanagan in style, says winemaker Dwight Sick. Again, superb value (consider a case) at $25 (92 points).
Seven Stones Row 128 Merlot 2011
Blink and you might well miss George Hanson’s beautiful winery, just east of Cawston, which has become a Similkameen standard-bearer. If you’re in the area, drop by to be amazed by his newly built cellar. This intense merlot (Hanson dropped 60 per cent of the fruit) sports aromas of black cherry and leather followed by a plush and plummy palate, with mocha hints and that distinctive Similkameen mineral streak before a lengthy, polished finish ($25, 92 points).
I am going to sneak in a white, here, just to be polite but this is a distinctive wine as befits the company.
Terravista Figaro 2013
Bob and Senka Tennant were part of the team that founded Black Hills, but nowadays they own Terravista Vineyards and make only two wines, using a handful of white varieties.
They describe Figaro, a Roussanne-viognier-marsanne blend (just released), as their winter white. This, surely, is one of the Okanagan’s most unique, interesting and worthy whites.
Aromas of white flower and peach, mouth-filling and generous but not clumsy, it coats the palate with elegant viscosity, showing orchard and stone-fruit notes with a gentle nutty hint, before a vibrant, fruity but clean finish. They say try it with Thai style chowder, roasted ling cod with caper sauce, or seasoned roast chicken, and I couldn’t agree more ($23.90, 91 points).
Tim Pawsey writes about wine for numerous publications and online as the Hired Belly at hiredbelly.com. Contact: [email protected].
