In addition to the weekly wine review and the various other, usually wine-related, articles I write for My Van City, I am going to include a new one that will appear from time to time. I’m calling it, ‘From the Cellar’.
It will be similar to the wine reviews, except that it will feature wines that have been aged. I am a big advocate for aging BC wines.
It came to my attention that in an earlier review, I included a wine that is no longer made by a certain winery. They were very happy with the mention and my positive comments, but they were concerned someone might try to track down a bottle and be disappointed when they found it wasn’t being produced any longer. So, from now on I will keep the Wednesday Wine Review to recent vintages that should still be available and From the Cellar for those that I have to blow the dust off of. There are no hard and fast rules. A few years ago, I bought a couple of reds at my local private liquor store that were ten-year-old vintages (and at their release prices!). While most people drink what they buy in a matter of days, if not hours, more and more people are realizing the benefits of holding on to some of their wines and are enjoying the benefits of doing so.
Prices indicated are the costs when purchased.
2020 Rosé (Pinot Noir)
Free Form (Haywire)
Summerland, BC
$28.99
Cherry red with tinges of orange and medium-plus intensity. An inviting nose showing aromas of burnt orange, strawberry and cream, orange blossom, and huckleberry. Good balance with lots of body. Mouth-watering on the palate with strawberry, just ripe cherry, spice, minerality, rhubarb, and cranberry. Bright, juicy flavours linger on the finish. This is no wimpy rosé.
92 Points
2020 Brouilly (Gamay)
Chateau d Pierreux
Brouilly, France
$28.99
Garnet red with medium-deep intensity. Red fruit, minerality, graphite, pomegranate, violets, and savoury notes on the nose. Good balance. Cherries, cranberries, rhubarb, and blackberries on the palate, followed by a medium-plus finish.
91 Points
2016 Beaujolais
Chateau d Pierreux
Brouilly, France
$21.99
This is the same wine as above, but from an earlier vintage. The wine has improved noticeably from when I first tasted it in 2019 and is much smoother in character. Garnet/brick with medium-deep intensity. The nose is similar to the later vintage, but with greater depth and intensity and reflection of terroir. Very good balance with smooth ripe tannins. Well-integrated fruit on the palate followed by a medium-long finish.
93 Points
2018 Pinot Noir
Arrowleaf
Lake Country, BC
$23.59
Garnet red tinged with brick and medium-deep intensity. An appealing nose of dried strawberry and cherry, beetroot, black currant, black tea, forest floor, and a subdued smoky note. Very good balance. Tasty on the palate with flavours following the nose and a medium-plus finish. Very nicely aged.
92 Points
2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (Sagemoor Vineyard)
Pacific Breeze
New Westminster, BC
$40.00
From the Sagemoor vineyard and aged in 100% American oak for 27 months, this hearty wine is garnet red with medium-deep intensity. A big nose showing aromas of blackberry, black currant, dark cherries, spice, plum, tea leaf, cedar, and chocolate. Very good balance with a slightly sweet entry (due to the 15.2% ABV) and a full and silky body. The flavours echo the nose echoed with a medium-long finish.
94 Points
(All photos – Sam Hauck)