Being a long time fan of Little Engine wines it has been my pleasure to begin to review their current selection of wines.
When reviewing wines I tend to take a little extra time which includes pairing the wine with a dish I think will bring out the best characteristics of the varietal. For this second of my reviews I chose the mainstays of their portfolio and the varietals which I am most familiar with while adding a red blend that was new to me.
Please join me as we explore this selection of fine wines from Little Engine.
2025 SILVER CHARDONNAY
A fresh & elegant Chardonnay!
TASTING NOTES
A richly layered chardonnay with an inviting nose of ripe white peach, banana, and pineapple, lifted by a hint of orange blossom. On the palate, tropical fruit gives way to indulgent notes of crème brûlée and warm biscuit, with a clean, mineral salinity on the finish that keeps it fresh and elegant.
Best enjoyed upon release through 2029 under ideal cellaring conditions.
VINEYARD NOTES
The 2025 growing season got off to a beautiful start, with a mild winter and no extreme cold events — a welcome relief for the vines. Bud break arrived right on cue in the third week of April on the Naramata Bench, and gentle spring temperatures encouraged strong, steady early growth. After the challenges of the previous year, it was incredibly encouraging to see such even, healthy bud break and balanced shoot development across the vineyard. Late spring rolled into a warm, vibrant summer that kept the vines thriving. With only a handful of days above 35°C, the season delivered consistent, uninterrupted growth. A touch of humidity kept us on our toes, making thoughtful canopy management essential to maintain airflow and fruit quality — hands-on work that always pays off in the glass. Then came a burst of classic Okanagan heat. Late August and early September brought a stretch of hot, dry weather, naturally accelerating ripening and leading to an early start for some varietals. The warm, dry harvest conditions were nearly ideal, allowing us to pick at peak flavour, with beautiful tannin maturity and concentration across the board. The harvest began a bit early with the first pick for LEW on Sept 5th being our Chardonnay clone 76 on the winery property.
WINEMAKER NOTES
Our Estate Chardonnay blocks were hand harvested and either whole cluster pressed or pressed after overnight skin contact, settled and fermented in stainless steel tanks and a variety of seasoned French oak barrels. Fermentations were long and cool to preserve aromatics, and a variety of yeasts were used to encourage complexity of flavours. The final blend includes 70% barrel fermented (no new oak) and matured on lees for 6 months with bâtonnage for palate development.
Little Engine really put the cap on Chardonnay. All levels of their Chardonnays, some are excellent, some are exceptional, all are meant to be enjoyed.
The Silver Chardonnay is no exception. It ticks all the boxes for flavour and body. A perfect expression of what works best in a Chardonnay. Any hints of oak are so subtle as to be almost indistinguishable. That allows the flavour notes to present themselves in a sophisticated and cultured way. Part of the reasoning behind the description of excellence.
The vibrant stone fruit in the wine is so enticing and satisfying. This is perfect for those who look for a high quality yet subtle expression of Chardonnay.
Deliciously smooth on the palate with a level of body that makes the wine so desirable. You must taste this wine, it is truly meant to be enjoyed.
$45.00 available online or at the winery
2022 GOLD CHARDONNAY
This wine offers up a delectable nose of warm sun-ripened peaches, persimmon, and crème brûlée with a cream cookie base.
PRODUCTION NOTES
Each vineyard is hand-harvested, and the grapes are cooled overnight. Most lots are whole cluster pressed. The riper fruit is de-stemmed and kept cool with about 12 hours of skin contact before extracting the juice. Free and press run juices are separated and settled for up to 36 hours.
TASTING NOTES
This wine offers up a delectable nose of warm sun-ripened peaches, persimmon and crème brûlée with a cream cookie base. The palate is luscious yet perfectly balanced, with notes of melon, white peach and preserved pears and a lingering salinity on the bright lemon finish. We recommend drinking now through 2028.
VINEYARD NOTES
The fruit for this wine is 100% Naramata Bench and was sourced from three of our vineyards. The grapes for this wine were harvested at different times, late September and early to mid October, based on flavours in the vineyard. This encourages complexity in flavours and acidity. This Chardonnay is 100% Estate farmed fruit from the Naramata Region. It is crafted from clones 95 and 548 which are harvested at different times to enhance complexity in flavours and acidity.
WINEMAKER NOTES
Fermentation is long and cool, using a variety of yeasts, in 100% French Oak Barrels that are complementary to the fruit character. Some barrels undergo partial or complete malolactic fermentation to add palate richness. The wine is barrel-aged for 17 months on lees to build a full and creamy texture. The final blend is composed of 27% new French oak barriques and puncheons, with the balance in 2nd & 3rd fill barrels to provide a layered and complex Chardonnay.
OTHER NOTES
This is a lavish wine. Elegant, rich – a modern classic. Little Engine are easily producing some of the best wine in our country. Their premium chardonnays are utterly hedonistic. – Scott Cowan, Head Sommelier, Restaurant Pearl Morissette
Just reading the winery notes makes my mouth water for just one more glass of this exceptional Chardonnay. It is hard to top excellence yet it has been done with the Gold Chardonnay.
This is an exquisitely refined Chardonnay that will have you singing its praises. This wine is meant to be savoured and celebrated. No matter which dish you choose to pair this Chardonnay with it the wine will be the standout of the occasion.
I felt it opened with wonderful fruit that dances on the nose. Just a hint of oak makes itself known as you swirl the wine in your glass. Some delectable brioche scents join in.
For me the stone fruit was the standout on the palate. So rich and ripe, absolutely delicious. It’s hard to put all the expressions into words as the wine tends to render you a bit speechless by its exquisitely high quality.
The wine shows depth with refined body and mouth feel that is like velvet on the palate. Lingering to awaken your senses of all this Chardonnay has to offer.
As I often do, the wine was tasted after some air exposure with special emphasis on the serving temperature of a suggested 10-13º that allows the optimum enjoyment of the flavour palate. If the wine has been refrigerated a readjustment of the temperature by waiting about 20 minutes is my recommendation.
$59.00 available online and at the winery note: Gold Chardonnay is also avaiable in a demi size
2022 SILVER PINOT NOIR
Fresh strawberries, rose petals and subtle note of cocoa bean
TASTING NOTES
This expressive Pinot Noir opens with an elegant bouquet of fresh strawberries, rose petals, and a subtle note of cocoa bean. On the palate, lively acidity and a juicy texture showcase vibrant flavors of red cherry and dried cranberry, accented by a delicate hint of black pepper. The finish is youthful and fresh, leaving a bright, lingering impression of purity and finesse.
VINEYARD NOTES
Harvest began about 2 – 3 weeks later than usual. October was warm and dry and this was crucial in ripening fruit that was significantly delayed. The result was a longer time on vines for most varieties and some beautiful flavours with vibrant acidity. The fruit for this wine is 100% Naramata Bench and was sourced from five of our vineyards. The grapes for this wine were harvested at different times, late September and early to mid October, based on flavours in the vineyard. This encourages complexity in flavours and acidity.
WINEMAKER NOTES
Pinot Noir clones in blend: 115, 943, 91, Wadenswil,117, 828, Mt. Eden Hand harvested and sorted in the vineyard, the Pinot Noir grapes were destemmed only into one-ton fermenters ensuring a high proportion of whole berries. After 6-7 days cold soak, the musts are gradually warmed up to initiate natural fermentations. Daily hand plunging keeps the caps moist and ensures colour and tannin extraction. The fermentation temperatures are maintained cool early and later elevated to aid in phenolic extraction.
Another favourite of mine having been first introduced to the Little Engine Pinot Noir in 2020. So of course my expectations were high and I can confirm that they were not just met but exceeded.
The Pinot Noir is so expressive and has all the flavour notes I hope to find. Fruity with ripeness, dark fruits and berries linger pleasantly on the nose. Just the right amount of earthy and subtle woodsy notes.
On the palate the scents develop exhibiting dark, riipe fruit such as berries with just a touch of cranberry that lightens the smooth body. As it lingers the blackberry and the richness of the mix of fruits mingle in a superbly delightful finish complimented by the right level of acidity making the wine fresh and delicious. At the same time the richness makes the wine delightedly mellow and smooth as silk in the mouth.
This Pinot Noir is really so beyond good it sets a benchmark for excellence.
For me this wine is best after decanting, up to two hours. To maintain a good temperature I recommend that one hour before serving the wine spend 30 minutes in the refrigerator followed by 30 minutes at room temperature to bring out it’s best qualities.
$47.00 available online and at the winery.
2022 UNION
A delicious, complex red blend.
TASTING NOTES
In the glass, this wine shows a deep violet hue, hinting at its concentration. The nose is inviting, with aromas of ripe cassis layered with subtle notes of vanilla. On the palate, dark berry fruit unfolds alongside herbal nuances and a gentle touch of tobacco. Balanced acidity and soft, supple tannins provide structure and harmony, leading to a smooth, satisfying finish. 80% Merlot, 14% Syrah, 6% Cabernet Franc
VINEYARD NOTES
Grape ripening was rapid in October and harvest was completed on October 20th. Sourced primarily from estate grown Merlot grapes at our Corbishley Vineyard, and Cab Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon from Estate farmed vineyard on the Naramata Bench with Malbec coming from Osoyoos. Harvest dates were at the end of October based on flavour and tannin ripeness in the vineyard. Crop yield was 3 tons per acre for Merlot and 1.5 tons per acre for the Cabernets, to ensure fruit concentration.
WINEMAKER NOTES
The grapes for this wine were hand harvested and sorted in the vineyard. Some lots were whole cluster pressed while others were destemmed and held with skin contact for up to 15 hours prior to pressing. Free and press run juices are separated and cold settled for 36 hours prior to racking. The wines in this blend were 100% barrel fermented in neutral oak barrels and maintained on lees for 15 months to create a full and creamy texture.
This was my first time tasting the Union blended wine. The wine stands alone and maintains a level of quality expected from Little Engine. With a shimmering dark ruby in the glass it is immediately an inviting wine. Beautiful scents of Italian plum and some berry notes.
I was pleased to experience dark berries like ripe, wild blackberries with a touch of boysenberry and a delicate richness in the mouth. Complex and dry with a touch of herbaceousness with some balsamic notes. Smooth and deliciously lingering with well intigrated tannins make for a enticing red blend that will pair with summer fare like bbq ribs, or just as well, with a salad of ripe tomatoes from your garden, buratta, a quality olive oil and fresh basil.
$49.00 available online or at the winery
MAKING GREAT WINES
Every decision comes down to the grape.
Individual lots and clones are fermented and aged completely separately, giving us an extraordinary palette to work with come blending time. Occasionally, a lot will prove too exceptional to blend — and those become special releases for our Wine Club Members.
The Whites
With our white wines, the goal is simple: let the fruit speak. Loudly. Clearly. With precision. Extended skin contact before pressing builds aromatic complexity, while long, cool ferments lock in the delicate flavours and natural acidity that make Okanagan whites so compelling. Fragrant, balanced, and built to hold your attention. Though our whites are all partially naturally fermented, any inoculated yeast selection is done to complement specific varietals and clones and enhance their character.
The Reds
Our reds are built for depth, and every step of the process reflects that ambition. A lengthy cold soak before fermentation draws out colour and flavour before the yeast enters the picture. Select reds go further with submerged-cap ferments for added structure. Throughout, we rely on natural fermentation — because when the fruit is this good, the best thing we can do is trust it. Our reds are bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Oak & Barrel Program
Oak is a tool, not a flavour. Sourced from six French cooperages, our barrel program gives us over ten combinations of finish and toast — letting us dial in precisely the right influence for each wine. For our Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, we’re evolving toward puncheons, imparting oak more gently and allowing the wine’s natural character to lead.
Our wines are vegan — no animal fining agents are used — and we use minimal sulphites for clean, expressive results. Little Engine Reds are bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Wine notes courtesy of Little Engine Wines. note: Union notes (2021). Images MyVanCity. I received complimentary wine to facilitate this feature.