NV Vinho Verde
Casal Garcia
Penafiel, Portugal
$13.99
Pale straw in colour with medium-light intensity. Lemon, beeswax, lime zest, melon, and a delicate hint of pineapple. Good balance and good body. Citrus, apricot, tangerine, and yellow plum on the palate followed by light medium-plus finish. Serve lightly chilled. This is a lovely good value luncheon wine at only 9.5% ABV
86 Points
2017 Merlot
Wynwood Cellars
Wynndel, BC
$20.00
Garnet red with medium-deep intensity. Aromas of cherry, spice, black olive, earth, violets, cashew, pencil shavings, and vanilla on the nose. Good balance with firm ripe tannins. The palate echoes the nose along with plum, pepper, blackberries, and rhubarb followed by a medium-plus finish. Give this one lots of time to breathe so it can show its best.
89 Points
2021 Chardonnay
Solvero
Summerland, BC
$30.00
The grapes, clones 76 and 95, come from the Garnet Valley vineyard. The yield was only one ton per acre. The wine spent 12 months in 15% new French oak. Daily battonage (stirring) through fermentation, and once a month through aging gives the wine a creamy texture. Lemon yellow with medium-minus intensity. The nose is a lovely interplay of oak and fruit, butter, dark toast, lemon balm, melon, and a hint of vanilla. Very good balance. The flavours echo the nose followed by a medium-long finish. Pair with crab cakes, clam chowder, or creamy chicken dishes. Only 50 cases were made.
92 Points
2020 Cabernet Franc
Nagging Doubt
Kelowna, BC
$31.90
Garnet/black with deep intensity. The nose shows aromas of black currant, dust, raspberry, plum, leaf, sandalwood, nuts, and a touch of spice. Good balance and body with firm ripe tannins. The flavours echo the nose followed by a medium-plus finish. Good cellaring potential.
90+ Points
2018 Merlot
Liber Farm and Winery
Osoyoos, BC
$34.99
Garnet/black with deep intensity. This organically grown, French oak-aged wine is rich and luscious with aromas of spice, cherries, earth, ripe raspberries, stewed plums, chocolate, leather, tobacco leaf, and pencil shavings. Very good balance with ripe tannins. A little tight on the palate with flavours waiting to emerge. This is a young, bold wine that will shine with a few more years of age. If enjoying it now, decant it and give it time to breathe.
91 Points
(All photos – Sam Hauck)
