2018 Viognier
Vanessa Vineyard
Cawston, BC
$24.99
Pale straw with medium-light intensity. Ripe white peach on the nose and palate. Well balanced with good mouthfeel. A medium-long finish with flavours lingering. An impressive example of this variety.
2016 Malbec
Catena
Mendoza, Argentina
$24.99
High altitude grapes are the reason this wine is so good. Garnet coloured with a purple rim and medium-plus intensity. Red and black fruit, sweet baking spice and earthy aromas on the nose. Good balance with smooth ripe tannins. Bold, ripe fruit on the palate followed by a medium-long finish with lingering fruit and cocoa notes.
2014 Living Desert Red
Bordertown
Osoyoos, BC
$25.00
Living Desert Red is a Bordeaux styled blend of 45% Cabernet Franc, 355 Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Garnet red in colour with medium-deep intensity. The nose is a medley of aromas including red and black fruit, chocolate, savoury spice and wild herbs. Very good balance. Red and black fruit on the palate interlaced with dark chocolate. A medium-plus finish with lingering sandalwood notes. This wine will age well for another five to eight years. An impressive good buy that paired well with dry rub short ribs.
2015 Merlot (Oldfield Reserve)
Tinhorn Creek
Oliver, BC
$28.99
The fruit for this wine comes from the Golden Mile Bench. A small amount – 15% – was added to the merlot to add complexity. The wine was fermented with wild and added yeasts and later spent 18 months in French oak. The wine is garnet red with medium-deep intensity. The nose opens with aromas of sweet baking spice, raspberry and boysenberry, cassis, fig and dust. The wine is well-balanced with ripe tannins. Jammy ripe fruit – black cherry and red berries – cinnamon, clove and vanilla on the palate followed by a medium-long finish with lingering cocoa powder. An excellent accompaniment to peppered beef tenderloin.
2015 Syrah
Vanessa Vineyard
Cawston, BC
$34.99
Estate fruit grown in the Similkameen Valley and co-fermented on Viognier skins as is done in the Rhine Valley of France. The wine was aged for 20 months in new and second use French and American oak barrels, each of which imparts different nuances to the wine. Garnet/black in colour with deep intensity. This wine benefits greatly from decanting allowing the nose to reveal layers of aromas including plum, ripe berries, dust white pepper and baking spice with hints of meat and smoke. Well balanced with smooth ripe tannins. The flavours echo the nose followed by a medium-long finish. This wine paired nicely with marinated flank steak.
