It’s almost Valentine’s Day where your heart, and mind, go to things you love. For me when it comes to wine, my first love is Riesling. I like all kinds of Riesling; classic, traditional, sec, off dry, and late harvest. I love them all from starkly crisp to dessert sweet. Plus, don’t discount that wonderful aroma of diesel. What?! Yes diesel, it’s a thing and no it is not a turnoff but an indicator of what’s to come, and trust me what’s to come is delicious.
Upper Bench Winery & Creamery have been featured on MyVanCity.ca many times. I dove through the archives to find one of my descriptions of the Upper Bench Riesling and I don’t think I wouldn’t change a thing of what I said about their 2021 Riesling. The quality and consistency of the Upper Bench Riesling brings me to conclude that I couldn’t improve on what I said then, and it still resonates today with their 2023 Riesling.
Seeing that Valentine’s is on the horizon it is only fair to also include the counter part for red wine lovers. The Upper Bench 2022 Pinot Noir. These two make the perfect couple. Both steeped in romance.
I enjoyed both of these wines with different dishes. Both of these wines pair beautfully with so many possibilities. One night it was a Roasted Cauliflower and Garliic Soup paired with the Riesling. That was an interesting taste experience. Both the cauliflower and garlic were tossed in olive oil and roasted to caramelized crispy sweetness. For this dish you could easily pair the Upper Bench Pinot Noir too. So what hit the spot for the Pinot Noir? A vegetarian lasagna made with zucchini and tomatoes roasted together with Italian seasoning until the zucchini was lightly browned and the tomatoes bursting. No noodles, just the zucchini layered with the roasted tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and a touch of tomato sauce. That really hit the spot and was perfect with the Upper Bench 2022 Pinot Noir.
MyWineCanada.com is currently running a promo with Upper Bench where you can save the tax + get free shipping on bottles of 3, 6, and 12. Full details here. It’s timely, save the gst offer runs until February 15th. Happy Valentine’s Day.
2023 Riesling
This Riesling is beautifully clean, crisp and dry and is as versatile as they come – enjoy it as a patio sipper or pair with seafood, grilled meats or charcuterie. Riesling is also a surprisingly great pairing with our King Cole blue cheese.
Nose: Granny Smith apple, pineapple, lemon meringue, whipped cream, pear
Palate: Bright acidity, Spartan apple, lemon, honey, gooseberry
A very pleasant expression of Riesling with good body and nice acidity. Aromas of straw and melon, apricot and allspice, just a hint of cinnamon. A bit of cut grass opening up to stone fruits, with a delicate peach scent.
Rich with depth and straight out delicious. Wonderfully lingering on the palate. Although I wouldn’t totally suggest the wine is dry but it would satisfy those looking for dry as well as those who prefer an Alsace. Complex, so many fruit flavours, pink grapefruit and mandarin oranges.
I tried this wine on its own and then paired with a miso, pork dumpling soup. The soup wasn’t overly spicy but some dumpling bites added a touch of heat.
This is a Riesling I could drink again, either on its own or paired with a Camembert or creamy Brie.It would be interesting to pair this with one of Upper Bench’s own cheeses.
The 2022 Riesling is currently available online $26.00.
2022 Pinot Noir
Medium bodied with bright red fruit, Upper Bench 2022 Pinot Noir was made from grapes sourced entirely from the Naramata Bench. Traditionally fermented and cellared in older, neutral French Oak, this classic Pinot is the perfect pairing for our Okanagan Sun Cheese.
On the nose is wild raspberry and violets, delicate but tantalizingly fresh. As it sits a hint of stone fruit and an ever so slight strawberry scent.
An inviting blend of cherry, raspberry and cranberry fruit on the palate with a complex finish. Interesting with numerous essences that change between scent and taste. Light tannins and a nice level of acidity.
This is a Pinot that is pleasant and enjoyable now but would also benefit from some cellaring.
Definitely one to pair with an Upper Bench cheese. For me my pick would be the Grey Baby, a creamy blue.
Upper Bench Winery & Creamery
Award-winning wine is grown in the vineyard. Upper Bench’s hand-tended vines are meticulously farmed without the use of synthetic herbicides, fungicides, or pesticides. Known for producing big, bold reds and crisp, dry, whites that reflect the vintage and soil from the vineyard in which they are grown. Upper Bench’s grapes are sourced from our 9.5 acres of Estate Vineyard and select growers situated within the Naramata Bench sub-geographical region.
Hand-tended. Meticulously made. Award-winning. Minimalist Wines.
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MyWineCanada.com is currently running a promo with Upper Bench where you can save the tax + get free shipping on bottles of 3, 6, and 12. Full details here. It’s timely, save the gst offer runs until February 15th.
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Wine notes courtesy of the winery. My notes (in bold italics) Images: MyVanCity. I received complimentary wines to facilitate this feature.
