2020 Sauvignon Blanc
Mayhem
Okanagan Falls, BC
$20.00
Pale straw with medium-light intensity. The nose shows aromas of peach, grass, gooseberry, minerality, lime zest, and delicate banana notes. Good balance. Refreshing on the palate followed by a medium-plus finish with flavours lingering. Tasting this makes me think of seafood, salmon, white fish, and prawn and scallop salads. Perfect!
2019 Rosé
Fort Berens
Lillooet, BC
$19.99
Completely made from estate-grown pinot noir. Cherry red with medium-plus intensity. Delicate cherry, strawberry, minerality, and orange zest on the nose. Very good balance. Cherries, juicy wild strawberries, cranberry, rhubarb, and raspberries on the palate. A nice bit of refreshing astringency on the finish. This is a great food wine and will make a believer out of anyone who pooh-poohs rosés.
2018 Cabernet Sauvignon (Max Reserva)
Errazuriz
Valle de Aconcagua, Chile
$16.99
Garnet/black in colour with deep intensity. Well-integrated fruit on the nose including blackberry, blueberry, cassis, and black olives. Good balance with ripe tannins. Classic cab palate with plum, dark berries with a touch of dust, and no under-ripe green character followed by a medium-plus finish. It leans more to a California style than Bordeaux, though I appreciated that there was no over-ripe fruit character with this wine. It is very approachable, especially with decanting.
2019 Meritage
Noble Ridge
Okanagan Falls, BC
$25.49
This blend of 84% Merlot and 16% Cabernet Sauvignon is garnet red with medium-plus intensity. Berries, black tea, beetroot, and earth on the nose. Good balance with medium-plus body. Pleasing fruit on the palate followed by a medium finish.
2018 Cabernet Franc
TIME
Penticton, BC
$34.99
Garnet red with medium-deep intensity. The nose is a cacophony of aromas including dusty herbs, plums, chocolate, black pepper, mint, spice, sandalwood, and pencil shavings. Very good balance with smooth ripe tannins. Spice, raspberry, cherry, and vanilla dominate the palate followed by a medium-long finish. Impressive right now but will be even better with a few more years to age. Be sure to decant so this wine can show its true colours. Only 535 cases were produced.
(All photos – Sam Hauck)
