2020 Sauvignon Blanc
Wild Goose
Okanagan Falls, BC
$21.79
Golden yellow with medium-minus intensity. Grapefruit, grass, honey, Granny Smith apple, gunflint, lemon, and melon on the nose. Good balance. Pleasing on the palate with flavours echoing the nose followed by a medium-plus finish.
90 Points
2020 Rotberger
Intrigue
Lake Country, BC
$21.00
What an absolute delight to find a tasty wine with this low alcohol level. Perfect for a luncheon or late afternoon patio aperitif. No nap time is necessary. Intrigue is one of the very few wineries to have ever made wine from this grape a cross developed in Germany (and not to be confused with Rotburger, another name for Zweigelt). As long as they are balanced, I love lower-alcohol wines, especially in the summer and this 10% rosé fits the bill. Pale cherry/orange in colour with medium-light intensity. The nose greets you with gentle aromas of citrus, white peach, nectarine, red fruit, and a hint of pie crust. Good balance with medium-light body. Delicate fruit on the palate followed by a medium, slightly creamy finish. This rare bird is a delightful luncheon/patio wine.
89 Points
2023 Blanc de Noir (White Rhino)
The View
Kelowna, BC
$25.95
This tasty blend of Pinotage and Pinot Noir has a golden/copper colour with medium-minus intensity. An inviting fruit-forward nose that displays aromas of peach, melon, warm spice, gooseberry, and orange blossom. Very well-balanced. Juicy on the palate with flavours mirroring the nose along with lime, grapefruit, and tangerine. An excellent accompaniment to fettuccini with asparagus and shrimp.
91 Points
2021 Lacrima Di Mooro d’ Alba
Umani Ronchi – Fonte Del Re
Osimo, Italy
$22.97
I bought this wine on the advice of an LDB product consultant who said it was quite rare and he knew I was open to weird and wonderful new wines. “From Wikipedia: Lacrima is a rare red wine grape that is native to the Marche region of Italy. It is almost entirely found in the Italian DOC Lacrima di Morro d’Alba. The grape’s name (meaning “tear” in Italian) is derived from its tear-like shape, or, alternatively, its thin skin that allows tear-like drops of juice to drip from the grape. Lacrima is low in tannins and is considered usually best for drinking young.” Garnet/black with a purple rim and deep intensity. The nose is earthy with some red fruit (cherries and raspberries) and bramble notes. This is a wine that could easily appeal to those who normally don’t like red wines with its lower acidity and tannins. The pleasing fruit aromas are carried over to the palate followed by a medium finish with some lingering woody character lingering. This is a rustic wine that is approachable right away. Worth sampling for those who appreciate easy-drinking reds and wine geeks with a sense of adventure.
84 points
2022 Merlot (Anarchy)
Mayhem
Okanagan Falls, BC
$45.00
Wow! The 2022 vintage of this wine is the best ever. Garnet red with deep intensity. The aromatic nose is rich and layered with aromas of blackberry, black currant, cherry, raspberry, and cinnamon bark, along with touches of earth, plum, leather, and pencil shavings. Very good balance. The flavours follow the nose. A medium-long finish. How can a wine be so good at this tender age? Impressive. Buy it while you can.
94+ Points
(All photos – Sam Hauck)
