Overlooking the Okanagan Lake in West Kelowna is Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery. Established as a grape growing business in 1968 and founded as a winery in 1999, Mt. Boucherie operated a modest tasting room until 2020, when it opened the 15,000-square-foot facility my husband and I visited last week.
The modern but classic tasting room is down the steps from the on-site restaurant, the Modest Butcher. We were welcomed by sommelier and assistant manager Jerome Jyusen for an extensive tasting of the portfolio. We sat on the patio, with a view of the lawn and picnic area but thankfully well shaded from the summer sun.
The 2020 Modest Vines Rosé kicked off our tasting experience. Mainly offered in the restaurant and with very limited quantities remaining, this small-batch 100% Pinot Noir Rosé is fruity but dry. While we enjoyed it as a palate cleanser, Jerome suggests pairing it with charcuterie or grilled seafood.
Next up was the 2022 Old Vines Chardonnay. As its name and label indicate, the grapes are from plantings in the 1990s. Aged 50% in oak and 50% in tank, this chardonnay offers biscuity notes and orchard fruit. Its bright acidity makes it a great pairing for fatty foods, including truffle fries and cheeses.
The Summit 2023 that followed is a Bordeaux-style white, made of 61% Semillon, and supported by Sauvingnon Blanc and Chardonnay. Not normally big on still whites, I was mesmerized by this wine’s beautiful pale colour, richness and smooth balance. Mt. Boucherie uses the Summit label for its showcase wines. While usually a red Bordeaux blend, this white-blend iteration is nonetheless age worthy. Enjoy it now or in three to five years with scallops, oysters, lobsters or mussels.
Speaking of red wine, let me jump into the 2024 White Label Pinot Noir. White Label wines are made in an approachable style meant for early consumption. This PN saw no barrel aging, is very dry with notes of red cherry and a hint of spice. Serve it slightly chilled for a refreshing sip.
While we have enjoyed a variety of White Label reds from BC LIQUOR with family over the years, this visit was our first opportunity to taste the estate’s Reserve and Summit wines. We were especially interested in the 2020 Reserve Pinot Noir and were kindly obliged.
2020, our knowledgeable guide told us, was a balanced year. With no forest fires or cold winter snap, the growing season was moderate and long. And indeed, some of the best BC wines we’ve had are from this vintage. Now having tasted it, this Reserve has been added to that list. Aged 14 months in French oak and three years in the bottle, the dark cherry and vanilla nose is intoxicating. This medium-bodied, Oregon-style Pinot Noir, with its dark fruit and spice notes, would go superbly with our roast duck recipe and is drinking beautifully now.
Next on the Reserves were the 2022 Syrah and Petit Verdot. We were informed that 2022 is the last 100% Syrah vintage for Mt. Boucherie, as the winery is planning GSM blends in the future. The Syrah was elegant, with red and purple fruit, and subtly floral.
While it was a cooler year, the summer of 2022 also stretched until October, giving an opportunity for Petit Verdot, a very tight, astringent, thick-skinned grape according to Jerome, to ripen fully. As Petit Verdot is usually a minority grape in Bordeaux blends, it was a first for us to taste it on its own. Now three months since its release, this wine is showing jamminess, dark fruit flavours, with floral, vanilla, mint and sweet spice notes. My husband especially loved this wine so we bought him a bottle.
And finally, we arrived at the Summit 2019, a Bordeaux-style red made of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and 1% Syrah. Aged two years in barrel and two years in bottle, this premium, age-worthy wine showcases black and red fruit, as well as cedar. I longingly eyed the case of Summit wines, but the vertical tasting will have to wait until our budget allows.
Mt. Boucherie’s portfolio of wines is extensive and impressive. We enjoyed our visit immensely and appreciate that each wine, whatever the tier, has been crafted with quality in mind.
Thank you @mtboucheriewines for having us.
Contributor for @myvancity.ca