I was thrilled to receive a delivery of Synchomesh wines to taste and review. I really must admit that my first love is Riesling. I love all types of Rieslings; dry, off dry, and late harvest. Tasting these wines was like heaven. Every one of the three Rieslings I have had the opportunity to taste so far, I fell in love with.
Each of the wines had some differences in taste and aromas while still ticking all the boxes I want to find in a Riesling. Every wine was first sniffed, then sniffed again, at close to room temperature, from the wine fridge and also directly from my kitchen refrigerator. Each of those times tells a different story.
Each wine was paifred with a dish prepared after an initial tasting. The dishes were chosen, to not just go well with the wine, but also to challenge the wine. I tasted the wines at least over a few days for each wine, to see what a little air would do, and to see what kind of longevity I could expect over that time period. Appreciating each wine for its individual characteristics. Each of the wines were enjoyed for almost a week to evaluate them after time. Riesling is such a forgiving varietal.
Each Riesling tasted so far has been distinct to itself, fresh and delicious. All were excellent alone and each one had some similar characteristics in common. The quality held over the three to five days that I spent comparing and testing each wine.
Some pairings were spot on although one of the dishes was maybe a bit of a miss in terms of pairing with one of the wines. I thought that particular dish would work but really it didn’t. But with food pairings you really don’t know until you try.
The one common trait – every wine was outstanding.
2025 Riesling
A thoughtful blend fruit from 3 Riesling properties in the Naramata, Okangan Falls and Oliver area. This wine is a careful assembly of 3 properties farmed for Riesling, aimed at capturing the character of each site in one vibrand fruity wine.
On the nose I picked up some spiciness with hints of ginger, followed by honey, cinnamon and a touch of barnyard.
The wine was initially a little cooler than I would normally be drinking it.
On the palate a honeycomb flavour with very pleasant acidity with a lighter body when cold. Later the body was more medium, smooth and a bit lush. There was an underlying flavour of citrus and dates.
After the wine had some time to open up its complexity starts to present itself and any sweet notes are more subdued.
Concluding with a smooth finish with flavours of hard candy.
2025 Long’s View Vineyard Riesling
Owners Charles and Linda Long oversee organic farming practices on this Riesling block, located up above e the Naramata Village on an alluvial fan of mostly calcium carbonate. The gentle southern slope provides very even and balanced ripening with great acid retention and gentle structure as well as a propensity for botrytis.
The wine showed with a lovely pale gold in the glass. A mix of faint diesel with a mix of delicate floral notes in the background. On the nose also ripe stone fruit and cut green apple.
On the palate some honey and citrus notes with good acidity, a little salinity and minerality. Velvety smooth in the mouth. A lingering finish with citrus and stone fruit with a bit of honey dew melon and kiwi.
The wine showed more flavour when not too chilled..
2025 Storm Haven Riesling
Storm Haven vineyard is the 107-acre home and heart of Synchromesh. With large elevation changes and varying geology, we are able explore very different expressions of Riesling from each block. This wine is a selection of fermentations from Block 3, Block 2 and Gold Digger.
The wine opened with stone fruit and a touch of light oakiness. The scents are subtle.
In the mouth this wine is powerful. With a little time the wine mellows and shows considerably fewer sweet notes with more subtle flavours.
My very first introduction to Synchromesh came when hubby and I were enjoying a wine touring trip through Okangan Falls. During a visit to the Meyer Family Vineyards tasting room where we were enjoying their range of Pinot Noirs and I happened to ask if there were any wineries that featured Rieslings. So began our journey.
For our first visit to Synchromesh we were introduced to the lineup of wines by Alan’s father John Dickinson. John was so enthusiastic about the wines and it soon became evident why. I loved the Rieslings immediately and continue to appreciate them all.
Whenever I encounter a Synchromesh Riesling while out and about I never hesitate to order a bottle. Even if I only intend to have a glass or two the wines are so good, and sometimes hard to come by, so I am happy to take the bottle home with me to enjoy the next day. The last two places I ordered a Synchromesh Riesling were Stable House in South Granville, Vancouver and Wind Cries Mary in Bastion Square, Victoria. I highly recommend both of these spots for a cool glass of wine.
In Alan’s own words :
After some rough winters, we had a beautiful growing season in 2025. Clear skies, steady warmth and no major heat spikes made for a welcome change from some recent vintages. The hard work and difficult decisions we made to ensure strong recovery, wine and ecosystem health have paid off and we enjoyed normal crop levels across all vineyard sites.
Our Rieslings of 2025 are notably complex and expressive in fruit character. The mellow and long season led to structured but slightly more moderate pH and acidity than some years. The result is wonderfully textured wines that are drinking well immediately despite long cellar potential for aging.
(edited)
Synchromesh
We are a boutique, family run winery that focusses on exploring our unique and complex vineyard blocks through the lens of Riesling and Cabernet Franc. We farm over 30 acres of vines ranging from the North end of Naramata to the Golden Mile in Oliver with the bulk of our vineyards situated on 107 acres in Okanagan Falls.
We practice a holistic philosophy in both farming and winemaking, meaning no synthetic inputs and following organic methods. Wines are fermented naturally to capture the expression of each property and vineyard block in it’s purest form.
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Wine Shop Hours: Gates open 12pm to 5pm for walk-in tastings (last tasting at 4:30pm), $15 per person. Closed Tuesdays/Wednesdays.
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Vineyard Tour & Portfolio Tasting: Thursday – Monday, 10am (by appointment only for 90-minute experience). Book here.
Wine Shop Season Open: through August or until sold out.
Note: Not yet tasted for review; 2023 Storm Haven Gibson-Block 3 Riesling, blue label $45.00 (wine club exclusive); 2025 Storm Haven Vineyard Riesling Dry, white label $30.00 and the 2023 Storm Haven Vineyard Pinot Noir, black label $40.00. These wines will be featured soon.
Notes courtesy of the winery and the (edited) notes from the 2026 release notes for the wine club. My notes (in italics). Images: MyVanCity. I received complimentary wines to facilitate this feature.