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 #7: Orofino

A very short drive to our next destination, Orofino. Another husband-and-wife team, the Webers are non-farmers from Saskatchewan who decided to relocate to the Similkameen over ten years ago and start making wine. A courageous move, but it seems to be working out quite well judging from the quality of their wines. They have a dog Cooper (so do we), the name probably inspired from their barrels.

Orofino uses their own grapes and those from four other Cawston vineyards plus one in Kaleden just south of Penticton. In addition to the wines tasted below, Orofino also makes a Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and a Bordeaux blend called Beleza which appears to be their flagship red. We ended up purchasing two bottles of Syrah.

• Moscato Frizzante 2011 ($25)

Our first sparkling wine release! This refreshing bubbly is a blend of Muscats, with just a little bit of Riesling and Pinot Gris all grown in Cawston. Some of these vines are over 20 years old. The wine exhibits exotic orange blossom notes and tropical flavours with a clean, dry finish. Our intention was to create a versatile wine that is enjoyable on its own and with a variety of foods. It is a beautiful bottle that we are proud to offer.

88 points. Surprisingly dry considering the Muscat.

• Riesling 2010 ($20)

The Orofino style of Riesling focuses on opulent flavours and expression of the Similkameen dirt. The wine has a rich mouth feel with a fine balance of acidity with a small amount of residual sugar. Lime, mango, pineapple, green apple.... this wine has a multitude of potential food pairings from baked ham to seafood, to summer salads. The grapes are sourced from our vineyard's old vines, our neighbour's vineyard and a one acre Riesling planting just south of Cawston. This is Riesling terroir! 

88 points. Also quite dry, very drinkable.

• Pinot Gris 2011 ($20)

The grapes for this wine were grown in 3 separate vineyards. The Hendsbee Vineyard and Blind Creek Vineyard are beside Orofino on the hot Cawston Bench. The Scout Vineyard grapes come from a block grown right beside the Similkameen River about 10kms south of our winery. The wine was pressed after several hours of skin contact and was then fermented in stainless steel. It shows orchard fruit with melons and a pronounced minerality. Very dry with good acidity makes this an excellent food wine. 275 cases produced. 

88 points. Dry, mineral, heavy mouthfeel. My favorite of the whites.

• Red Bridge Merlot 2010 ($25)

The premium Merlot grapes for this wine were grown by Chris Scott in his fabulous 5 acre Oak Knoll vineyard. It was aged in the finest American and French barrels for 16 months and then bottled unfiltered. This is the sixth vintage we have put Oak Knoll Merlot exclusively into Red Bridge! This vintage shows big aromatics and complex flavours. This label has become a "go to" wine over the years and this vintage will not disappoint! 

89 points. Medium oak, cherry, actually a little sweet but fresh. Little finish. Very nice.

• Syrah 2010 ($29)

This single vineyard syrah is grown just south of the Cawston Bench at the picturesque Scout Vineyard. The grapes are grown in rocky soils and cropped to under 2 tons per acre. The resulting wine is awash with brambly fruit, gamey notes and black pepper playing a supporting role. Aged 15 months in French and American oak barrels and is silky and very drinkable. A terrific follow-up to our gold medal winning 2009 syrah!

90 points. There's a lot going on in here, red berries and peppery. Unique.

SOWF #3: Young & Wyse

It's not the Young & Wyse Winery, or Cellars, or Vineyard: it's a Collection. Hmm. Well, seems a little vague but I guess it's different. A partnership on several levels between Stephen Wyse, whose family runs Burrowing Owl, and Michelle Young. Fortunately their surnames form an interesting and provocative combination, unlike the ill-fated partnership of John Old and Susan Idiotic. Apart from the name, the wines are terrific and it's worth a visit to the south end of Osoyoos if you're in the area.

I have to confess that even though I have a few notes, I don't seem to have written down any scores for the four wines we tasted. It was not even noon when we tasted. We purchased the Amber and the Cab Sauv. When we open them up I may come back and update this entry. But my recollection is that all of them were very good, in the 89 point range. Here are the winemakers' notes.

• Pinot Gris 2011 ($20)

An intriguing nose that combines cantaloupe and apple blossom aromas with hints of stonefruit, citrus and dried summer herbs. The palate is dry with crisp, refreshing acidity launching into an intense combination of lemon, nectarine, apple, grapefruit and a complex white pepper note that lingers on the long finish.

• Amber 2011 ($20)

This special blend is named after our daughter Amber. The jasmine and rose petal aromatics of Viognier and Gewurztraminer combine intriguingly with the citrus, grapefruit and anise notes of Pinot Gris. Aromas of orange, cinnamon, and melon add further complexity. The palate is dry combining apple, pineapple and apricot flavours with lemon and orange notes. The finish is long and complex with essence of gingerbread and minerality.

• Merlot 2010 ($22)

A bouquet of fruit, floral and spice aromas, displaying black cherry, red raspberry, lilac, exotic spice and even a touch of minerality. On the mouth, the wine coats and lingers with a sumptuous viscosity and beautifully ripe tannins. Bottled without fining or filtration.

• Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 ($27)

This Cabernet has distinct flavours of black currant, blueberry, blackberry and cassis with enticing aromas of mocha and nutmeg. Notes of smoke, cedar and tobacco round out the lingering finish. Bottled without fining or filtration.

[Edit May 16: Well, that didn't take long. We opened this up last night. A very nice cab, robust but smooth and it does indeed have a long finish as advertised. If we didn't already drink it, it would improve with age. 90 points.]