Wine Club Canada November Featured Wines: Monte Creek Winery

Wine Club Canada subscriptions make the process of exploring wines, you can’t find in a wine shop, the smart way to get your hands on the wines you know and love. The subscription also gives you the opportunity to try highly rated wines you’ve only read or heard about but haven’t been able to find.

Monte Creek Winery 2026 Subscription wines  are included in the monthly subscription November 2026. A special offer for our MyVanCity.ca readers and followers: eceive a 10% discount by using code VALERIE10

Monte Creek Living Land Frontenac Gris Organic 2025

Sometimes you just know you are going to love a wine even before you’ve tasted it. That was the case for the Monte Creek Living Land Frontenac Gris Organic 2025. This Thompson Valley Gris is something special.

Even though I formed an opinion before the tasting I still put the wine through it’s paces just to be sure my instincts were right.

First, the colour, a light yellow with a very slight green tinge, but clear as crystal as it shimmers in
the glass. That was intriguing itself but still the wine had more to reveal.

The scents of the wine are beyond heavenly, floral with fresh pear and underlying citrus, some honey notes. Faint essence of freshly chopped parsley adds interest to the clean, pure aromas as the wine sits in the glass. The tiniest hint of oak.

If the wine sounds unique and perhaps a bit of an outlier you would be right. That was one of the characteristics that makes it so special.

On the palate the first thing that hits is the richness of the oak that follows from the nose. Beautifully lush but never heavy nor too crisp.

Enticingly fresh and the citrus keeps it tight. This is an incredibly refreshing wine. Focused with an acidity that never quits.

The wine just gets more flavourful and delicious as it sits a little bit. I started with the wine directly from the refrigerator and it was beautiful right from the first sip. After a few minutes as the wine has time to breath it becomes even richer but never loses its terrific level of freshness.

The citrus is lingering keeping the wine from losing its balance.

This wine is fabulous on its own but would pair beautifully with fresh seafood, scallop crudo, Dungeness crab. Any dish that matches its richness would be perfect.

A Monte Creek Winery November Feature

Monte Creek Ancient Waters Riesling 2022

What can I say? I am a died in the wool Riesling fanatic and when I find one that I could make my official house wine you have to know this is a dandy of a Riesling.

It starts with how it looks in the glass, a pale clear gold. This has to be a sign that “gold” is the best description for Ancient Waters Riesling.

What am I always looking for in a Riesling? If you know me you don’t have to guess so…opening with the delicious scent of diesel is the first sense that hits the nose. Followed by some pleasant tangy citrus, white grapefruit and a touch of kiwi, finishing with light brioche. Yum.

The palate follows the nose with the diesel and citrus mingle together with a base of acidity. As it sits and breathes the stone fruit is showing itself.

As the wine sits in the glass and it is not so cold the diesel continues to be prominent as the wine also becomes richer in the mouth. Smooth and with some depth.

This wine is an excellent Riesling that would be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys a traditional, flavourful wine. Fresh and just delicious.

Decanting is not necessary but Riesling does benefit from a bit of air. This will allow the wine to
toss off it’s chill and reward you with its most flavourful self.

Fall afternoons call for a seasonal picnic pairing the wine with Charcuterie and an assortment of soft cheeses. Here on the West Coast the weather has been so mild that we are still enjoying the outdoors but a little stinky cheese, charcuterie and a glass of Ancient Waters Riesling is also deliciously good next to a cozy fireplace.

A Monte Creek Winery November Feature

Monte Creek Living Land Chardonnay Organic 2025 

I don’t mind admitting that I can find some Chardonnays to be challenging to my palate. But, that being said, there are always exceptions to the rules. The Monte Creek Living Land Chardonnay Organic 2025 definitely falls into that exception category for me.

First you notice a pleasantly clear and pale yellow colour in the glass. That’s good sign for what’s to follow.

A delicate hint of oak, just light enough to be there, adding a pleasant underlying aroma to the scents of crisp apple. An enticing floral note, a bit sweet like the scent of Jasmine.

In the mouth the wine is more serious as the apple adds to the mix of fall flavours with Bartlett pear and some savoury notes. An elegant body that lingers on the palate with a mix of freshness from fall fruit and a slight touch of the tropics. Creating a fresh but mellow finish combined with the light touch of oak.

For this rich Chardonnay I would lean towards equally rich seafood, like scallops. Even opting for Coquille Saint Jacques, or Oysters Rockefeller.

A brief decant will allow the aromas of the wine to better show themselves and of course take the chill off the wine giving you a better appreciation of the depth and richness of this Chardonnay.

A Monte Creek Winery November Feature

From the Vineyard to Your Home