SOWF #10: Tinhorn Creek

Day two started off with a couple of false starts. From Penticton we headed south to do the Oliver / South Okanagan area. Our first stop was Hidden Chapel, but we were a little eager and got there before they opened. So then we drove up to Fairview, which was closed as well. Not wanting to waste any more precious tasting time, we headed over to the closest winery, which was Tinhorn Creek. We hadn't planned to stop there, and usually we give this winery a pass since it's definitely one of the big players and you can find their wines almost anywhere.

There is so much going on at Tinhorn I don't want to even get into it here. Apparently the restaurant Miradoro is very good if $17 for a grilled cheese sandwich doesn't bother you. Usually this place is busy, but at 11 o'clock on a Friday morning we had the tasting room to ourselves. Although Tinhorn is usually pretty reliable, I didn't find any wines that really impressed me.

• Pinot Gris 2011 ($18)

We are striving to make a fruity dry wine with aromas of citrus, crisp acidity with a good amount of body for added mouth feel. 100% of this wine is fermented in Stainless Steel with 30% fermented in Stainless steel barrels and undergoing Malolactic fermentation giving the wine some added texture (mouth feel).

89 points.

• Chardonnay 2010 ($18)

23% of this vintage was placed in new French barrels for 2 months and was stirred twice a week. This allows the wine to have contact with the lees and develop a silky mouth feel. The remainder of the Chardonnay was aged in stainless steel tanks to develop fruit characteristics.

89 points. Decent, mellow.

• Gewurztraminer 2011 ($18)

Our aim is to show case the varietal characteristics of the Gewurztraminer grape. This includes floral and Lychee aromas with hints of spice. No oak aging or Malolactic fermentation. 100% of this wine is cold fermented in Stainless Steel tanks. This wine is made in a drier fruity style.

88 points. I found this tasted soapy.

• Pinot Noir 2008 ($20)

The grapes were harvested in the early morning cool temperatures. This helps keep the fruit characteristics of the grape at their peak. The grapes then sat on their skins for several days in stainless steel tanks. The wine spent 10 months in older American oak and then two years in bottle before release on Canada Day!
 
87 points. Dry, thin, just sort of flavourless.

• Cabernet Franc 2009 ($20)

Our Cabernet Franc comes 100% from our Diamondback Vineyard on the Black Sage Bench. The 2009 Cabernet Franc was brought in at cooler temperatures and after sitting on its skins for several days, yeast was added to start fermentation. After fermenting, the Cabernet Franc spent 12 months in American oak barrels prior to bottling in May 2011.

The 2009 Cabernet Franc is a vibrant dark cherry colour and is elegant and aromatic. There are aromas of blackcurrant and stewed cherries with forest floor characteristics. The palate is elegant and soft with luscious blackberries and black cherry flavours with muted expressions of pine and moss. A finely balanced wine with soft tannins and a lingering finish.

87 points. Cough syrup, fruity.

• Oldfield 2Bench White 2010 ($23)

The 2Bench is a complex blend of 17% Semillon,  44% Chardonnay, 26% Sauvignon Blanc, 12% Viognier and 1% Muscat. The crisp acidity of this wine compliments rich seafood dishes. The white peach, citrus, melon and mineral flavours beg to be enjoyed on a sun drenched patio.

87 points. Kris liked this one much more than I did.

• Oldfield 2Bench Rosé 2011 ($23)

This wine is made from 100% Cabernet Franc. It will be a dry wine with light salmon pink in colour and have strawberry aromas and flavours with a hint of black pepper. The grapes are pressed off their skins allowing for the right amount of colour to be released. Cold fermented in Stainless Steel tanks without ML ensures the fruity aromas and flavours are preserved. This wine is made in a style that can be enjoyed on its own or good with light summer foods. 

88 points.

• Oldfield 2Bench Red 2008 ($35)

The 2008 Oldfield Series 2Bench Red is the second vintage of this wine to be released. It is a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 20% Cabernet Franc. The varietals for this wine are kept separate throughout harvest and fermentation. It spends approximately 18 months in new French oak barrels before being bottled and then aged for an additional 18 months in bottle before release.

The 2008 Oldfield Series 2Bench Red is densely extracted and ruby in colour. It is powerfully concentrated with black cherries, blackberries, black currant and notes of leafy tobacco, and menthol aromas. This wine has flavours of racy black fruit and delicate herbs. Firm tannins and refreshing acidity ensure that this wine will stand the test of time.

87 points. Lots of tannins, a little musty tasting.

SOWF #5: Eau Vivre

Our next stop on our Similkameen journey was Eau Vivre. This is a very unassuming little winery, presumably a husband and wife operation although I have very little background on this place. I think they only make four wines, and we got to try them all. Holy smoke - what a find! And for around twenty bucks these were some of the very best value wines we came across.

Our rule of thumb is to try to purchase one bottle per winery, since they all have to be brought back on the plane. We bought three here, everything but the Gewurz (I just can't bring myself to call it "goo"). We have a family vacation planned for the Okanagan in July; we may just have to drag the kids out to Cawston to scoop up a few more bottles.

• Gewurztraminer 2009 ($17)

Light in colour, with intense nose of white flowers, orange blossoms and candied fruit.  The palate is equally balanced with soft acids and lush fruit mouth feel that is produced in the classic dry but fruity style.  Designed with medium body and plush rich fruit this wine has the profile of a much sweeter wine.  This small lot production of 2009 Gewurztraminer is made from 100% Similkameen grapes.  With only 200 cases produced, this very popular wine is building a following of fans and will surely sell out.

89 points. Floral but not syrupy. Fresh.

• Chardonnay 2008 ($18)

A nice pale straw colour shows that this wine has a great aging potential. The nose smells of honey, with a baked pastry component, leading to apple pie and pear. Hints of citrus and stone fruit on the nose as well. The palette is intense and balanced, with apple and lemon curd, white peach and nectarines, showing a full round mouth feel but enough acidity to give it good length and freshness. Very versatile food wine, that can pair well with seafood, but has the acidity to cut through creamy dishes as well. 

90 points. Complex, sweet and tart, bright, good acidity balance.

• Pinot Noir 2008 ($19)

On the nose it is constantly developing, starting with typical cherry and cranberry before leading into more earthy tones and the darker side of this wonderful variety. The longer this is open the more complex it becomes as the fruit nose subsides and the leathery and soy notes come forward. Built with some considerable structure, despite having very little oak on nose or palette. The wine has great intensity and length, tannins taking the fruit and acidity long into the finish. Great balance. Drinking well now and will age wonderfully for years to come. 

91 points. Only two other wineries had a 91 point wine on our tour - Fairview and Laughing Stock. That's pretty exclusive company for Eau Vivre. "Warm, smooth, chocolate and sweet tones. Wow." (That's a direct quote from my notes.) A preposterous value.

• Cabernet Franc 2009 ($22)

Fermented on the skins for 18 days to extract deep dark color, this wine was aged in French Oak barrels. The aromas boldly convey the grape variety's floral and herbal character, in this case suggesting tobacco and spice. On the palate spice and pepper enhance those characteristics and finish dry. This wines style has serious charm and complexity and will excite fans of cool-climate Cab Franc fans. Only 270 cases produced in 2009 from 100% Okanagan Valley grapes.

90 points.
      

SOWF #4: Seven Stones

I can't remember the last time we visited the Similkameen valley, but it's been a few years. It's seems like a long way to go but it's only 20 minutes west of Osoyoos on highway 3, and not much longer to drive from Keremeos up to Penticton. There are maybe ten wineries out here, including two fruit wineries. Some of the best wines we tasted the entire weekend were from Similkameen, and I suspect they might be growing grapes that are as good or better than the Okanagan. If you've never been out here, or it's been a while, you won't regret taking the extra few minutes drive to check out the wineries in Cawston and Keremeos.

A quick travel note: if you're driving west from Osoyoos, you have to check out Spotted Lake about ten minutes along the Crowsnest. This is a small lake with high concentrations of minerals and salt in the water that somehow form large circles on the surface. It's truly unique and worth a stop for a picture or two.

Seven Stones was the first of our six stops on our loop. There is a whole story about the seven stones of the Similkameen, but the winery website is down right now so I don't have the details. Something about glaciers and native legends. Instead of doing any serious research, I stole a photo from another website of the mural in the Seven Stones wineshop showing the seven stones on a map of the valley. Now then, on to business: the wines we tried here were mostly outstanding. I can't explain why but I got the feeling that the terroir here produces some outstanding fruit. The combination and complexity of flavours here was quite amazing.

• Pinot Rosé 2010 ($19)

Intense strawberry aromas; a delicate balance of citrus and exotic fruit flavors on the palate along with a pleasing natural acidity and minerality and a soft dry finish. This wine is reminiscent of the Rosés found in the south of France. Perfect for the deck!

88 points. I found this one a bit musty, with some grapefruit in addition to the strawberry.

• Chardonnay 2009 ($25)

The 2009 vintage is a bit softer and creamier than the 2008 vintage yet it retains the same vivid mouth-feel and delicate balance of citrus and tropical fruit flavors permeated with an earthy minerality that had become the signature of our Chardonnays. Sur-lies aging and barrel fermentation give this wine a luscious toasty and buttery finish.

90 points. If I recall there were two different yeasts involved in the making. I thought I tasted some pineapple. Long, lingering, creamy finish. Beautiful. We brought back this one.

• Row 128 Merlot 2009 ($25)

Aged for 17 months in French and American oak barrels Row 128 Merlot offers seductive aromas of cherry, mint, olive and leather followed by a soft mouth-feel and flavors of plum, chocolate and blueberry .The finish is smooth and long lasting. 

90 points. Wish we'd bought this one too. A very unique and interesting Merlot. I did indeed taste most of the flavours listed above, including olive.

• Cabernet Franc 2009 ($28)

The nose features fragrances of plum, black pepper, raspberry and toasty vanilla. Layers of elegant and well structured flavors of  raspberry , chocolate and coffee on the mid-palate are followed by a soft spicy finish.  Aged 17 months in new French oak barrels.

89 points. Feisty, peppery, lively, bold.

• Meritage 2008 ($32)

This blend consists of 58% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot aged 17 months in new and 1 year old French oak barrels. The 2008 Meritage has round juicy flavors, a soft velvety mid-palate and an elegant finish that is prolonged by fine grained tannins and reveals hints of chocolate, espresso and raspberry. 

89 points.

• Syrah 2009 ($35)

Enticing aromas of smoked meat and white pepper on the nose; layers of ripe blackberry, spicy licorice and bittersweet chocolate on the palate; well integrated tannins and a long smooth finish. 17 months in new French oak barrels. Small lot production 

88 points. Kris liked this more than I did, likely the pepper. I remember it tasting like tart cherry juice.
           

Sumac Ridge 2006 Cabernet Franc

To set the scene: we've had an usually long and brutal winter here in Edmonton. Our winters are usually several months long and, yes, cold. But this one was exceptional, with tons of snow, and people have reached their limits. Now, yesterday and today, the temperature has finally climbed a few degrees above zero, the snow is melting with a vengeance, and the sun is out. Winter is over.

All of which reminds me, we are about a month away from our annual Okanagan wine pilgrimage. Each year, for no deliberate reason, we start the wine fest off at Sumac Ridge, probably because it's open early and on the way to our accommodations. One year our friend Paul worked there and he overserved us greatly, but we survived his generosity.

Cab franc is becoming one of my favorite BC varietals; in the past couple of years I've been impressed with cab francs from various wineries in the Okanagan. The Sumac Ridge Black Sage line is their Cadillac grapes from near Osoyoos, and I've never had one that wasn't excellent. And this one is too.

Probably my imagination, but I smell some of the wild sage that grows in the very southern part of the valley - you have to get out of Kelowna to see it. I almost detect a blueberry aroma as well. The bouquet is full and pungent and promising.

The taste is robust and delicious - not the body-slam of a shiraz but much more heft than a pinot noir or a merlot. Sublime and surprising with a little muscle - a Taylor Hall wine. There's a definite acidity to the wine, but it's balanced by some sweet flavours like vanilla and dark fruits. The winery notes plum, cherry and cedar as well. Yup - a dee-licious wine. I won't even suggest a food pairing - drink it by itself.

91 points. $20 from the winery.