In addition to the weekly wine review and the various other, usually wine-related, articles I write for My Van City, I am including a new one that will appear from time to time. I’m calling it, ‘From the Cellar’.
It will be much like the wine reviews, except that it will feature wines that have been aged.
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 I have to blow the dust off. There are no hard and fast rules. I recently bought a couple of reds at my local liquor store that were over five years old (a great deal in my eyes). 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.
Prices indicated are the costs when purchased.
2018 Chardonnay (Reserve)
Coolshanagh
Naramata, BC
$34.00
Lemon yellow with medium-minus intensity. Well-balanced oak and fruit on the nose with aromas of buttered toast, lemon cream, yellow delicious apple, lemon, tropical fruit, honey, and vanilla. Very good balance. Flavours of citrus, vanilla, pineapple, lemon, and lime on the palate. A medium-plus finish with lingering flavours of lemon cream and toast. An elegant wine.
92 Points
2014 Merlot
Bordertown
Osoyoos, BC
$22.90
Garnet red with medium-deep intensity. The nose is full and layered with aromas of cherry, plum, raspberry, violets, and hints of earth, leather, mint, and cedar. Well balanced with good structure. The palate is juicy and full with ripe fruit followed by a mouth-watering medium-long finish.
94 Points
2013 Iconoclast
Fairview Cellars
Oliver, BC
$119.90
Unlike the other wines that appear in ‘From the Cellar’, I didn’t age this one. Fairview owner and winemaker, Bill Eggert did. I bought it in the fall of 2021 when I visited the winery and was delighted to see a ‘library’ wine on offer. This wine is from six barrels of Cabernet Sauvignon that were left for an extra year of aging. Garnet black with a hint of brick and deep intensity. The nose is rich and varietal with aromas of black currant, blackberry, blueberry, plum, nutmeg, dried herbs, a whiff of cinnamon, earth, and dark chocolate. Very good balance with smooth ripe tannins. The flavours echo the nose followed by a slightly warm medium-plus finish. This wine was recommended to be opened after 2020, but I think opened it far too early. I plan on holding on to the remaining one for several more years (6-10). This is a big wine.
91 Points
2013 Merlot (Skaha Vineyards)
Kraze Legz
Kaleden, BC
$25.85
Garnet red-tinged with brick and medium-deep intensity. Beautifully aged with lots of tertiary character. The nose is interwoven with lots of varietal character. Well balanced with smooth ripe tannins. Luscious on the palate with white pepper, plum, cherry, earth, raspberry, and sage flavours followed by a medium-long finish. A delight to drink.
92 Points
2010 Killer Cab
Pacific Breeze
New Westminster, BC
$21.24
This Cabernet Sauvignon has aged beautifully for 14 years. Patience pays! Garnet/black with deep intensity. The nose is layered and complex with well-integrated aromas of dark fruit – blackberry, blueberry, plum, cherry, raspberry, beetroot, black olives, spice, chocolate, and vanilla. Well balanced with velvety smooth ripe tannins. Rich on the palate with flavours mirroring the nose, followed by a medium-long finish. At its peak.
96 Points
(All photos – Sam Hauck)
