“Hey, you’ve been good for three whole weeks now – why not reward yourself with a fun evening with wine, cheese, and a bunch of other like-minded BC wine lovers? For food, we’ll be providing a selection of platters of cheeses, meats, crackers and breads from our friends at Les Amis du Fromage.”
When you get an invitation like this in your inbox, how can you refuse? Not me, that’s for sure, so off I headed to the first BCWAS event of the year. I started the evening with Brut Gold Label, a delicious bubbly from Blue Mountain, delightful with brioche, toast and lees on the nose. Well balanced and followed by bright citrus on the palate and a medium-long finish.
This was followed by five white wines. I began with a 2013 Pentage Pinot Gris. This is classic pinot gris. The nose displays stone fruit aromas. Well balanced with good mouthfeel. Fruit and mineral on the palate followed by lingering minerality on the finish.
Next, it was on to the 2014 Ruby Blues Viognier, very impressive with peach and minerality on the nose. Well balanced with refreshing acidity. White peach flavours followed by a medium-long finish with lingering fruit.
On to Wild Goose’s 2014 Gewürztraminer; rose petal and lychee on the nose with stone fruit in the background and a hint of rosemary. Good balance and good mouth feel. The flavours echo the nose. A slight gew bitterness on the finish
Then it was time to try the 2012 Mile’s Edge White from Intersection, a blend of sauvignon blanc and viognier. Lemon yellow with medium-light intensity. Lemon gum drops and pineapple on the nose and palate followed by a medium plus finish. (See photo below)
The last white was the 2014 Little Farm Chardonnay Mulberry Vineyard. This wine is unoaked and terroir driven and not what many people expect from a chardonnay. It had a delicate nose showing hazelnut, dried herbs, citrus and minerality. Good balance, dry and slightly austere followed by citrus, herbs and minerality on the palate and a medium plus finish.
Then it was time to sample some red wines. First up was the 2014 Desert Hills Gamay. Some Gamay’s tend to be lighter in body, close cousins to Pinot Noir, but Desert Hills takes the ‘go big or go home’ approach, and this is a bold Gamay. There is ripe fruit, especially cherries and spice on the nose and palate followed by a medium plus finish.
Next, it was time to try a syrah, the varietal that got so much attention at last summer’s Judgment of BC challenge that featured Steven Spurrier of Decanter Magazine. On hand was a 2008 Laughing Stock Syrah. It was garnet black with deep intensity. There was black berry, black pepper and floral notes on the palate. A medium-long finish.
Then a comparison of two BC cabernets. First, Painted Rock’s 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon. Garnet red with deep intensity. Red and black fruit and sweet spice on the nose. Good balance with firm ripe tannins. Fruit on the palate followed by a dry medium finish. This is an elegant wine and a good example of what BC can do with cabernet. Should peak in another 3-7 years. Bordeaux in style compared to Fairview’s Warm climate style.
2009 Fairview Cabernet Sauvignon. This was a warm year and the fruit here is ripe. Garnet red with deep intensity. Good balance with enough tannin to warrant further aging. Fruit on the palate and a medium plus finish.
2008 Black Hills Carmenère. Best wine of the evening. Garnet red with medium deep intensity. The nose is layered with red berries, pepper and spice along with floral notes. Mouth-watering layers of fruit on the palate followed by a lingering finish with hints of chocolate.
2010 Sperling Old Vines Foch Did not sample, ran out of time.
All these wines were very good to excellent and my favourite of the evening was the 2008 Black Hills Carmenére. This wine, appropriately a little lighter in body that the others, was bursting with aromas and flavours.
Break my resolution? Mission accomplished.
