2020 Chardonnay
Nostalgia
Oliver, BC
$24.99
Pale straw with medium-light intensity. Ripe yellow apple, butter, lemon curd, nectarine, a hint of pineapple, and vanilla. Well balanced with a creamy texture. Butter, toast, honeydew, citrus, dominate the palate with a splash of spice. Flavours linger on the medium-long finish.
2020 Pinot Gris (Quill Label)
Blue Grouse
Duncan, BC
$21.99
The Quill label is for wines that are not made from estate grapes. Most often that means they come from other vineyards in the Cowichan Valley. Very pale straw with medium-light intensity. Nectarine, lime, honeydew melon, and pineapple on the nose. Light and crisp with good balance. Pleasing fruit on the palate with flavours echoing the nose followed by a medium-plus finish. This is a very versatile food wine and it shows its best when served as part of a meal – chicken, seafood, creamy pastas, and much more.
2017 Pinot Noir
Wynnwood
Wyndel, BC
$22.00
This wine is a first for me from this winery located in Wyndel, just north of Creston on highway 3A in the Kootenays. Thanks to my friends, Duncan and Pam for bringing me this bottle on their holiday return. Garnet red with medium-plus intensity. Dried flowers, strawberry, cherry, plum, vanilla, pencil shaving and a hint of forest floor on the nose. Good balance with medium-plus body. Red cherries, raspberries, plums and chocolate on the palate followed by a medium finish.
2017 Les Aspres
Gérard Bertrand
Narbonne, France
$23.99
This blend of Syrah, Mouvedre, and Grenache is garnet red in colour with medium-deep intensity. The nose is interwoven with aromas of juicy red and black fruit, spice, smoke, black olives, and cola undertones. Very good balance with well-integrated tannins. The flavours reflect the nose followed by a medium-long finish with lingering dark chocolate and black olives. This wine delivers very good value for its price.
2018 The Leap (Bordeaux Blend)
Nagging Doubt
Kelowna, BC
$23.99
Garnet red with a slight hint of brick and medium-deep intensity. Cherries, raspberries, a hint of cranberries, along with bramble, smoke and spice on the nose. Well balanced with soft ripe tannins. The palate shows flavours of vanilla, plum, black cherries, red berries, and spice. A medium-long finish with flavours lingering. This is an impressive wine for a very reasonable price.
(All photos – Sam Hauck)
