Okanagan Trip – Naramata

I was recently able to package a few days of wine tasting in the Okanagan Valley around some meetings I attended in Kelowna. I’ve been to the Valley many times, so this trip I wanted to focus on places I had never visited before, especially hidden gems or up-and-comers. I was centred in Penticton, which is a small city about an hour’s drive south of Kelowna at the bottom of Okanagan Lake.

I have divided my report into two postings (the second will come out in a few days). This posting will focus on the Naramata Bench, located on the doorstep of Penticton and stretching along the southeastern shore of Okanagan Lake. The next posting will collect visits to wineries near Kelowna, Oliver, and Okanagan Falls.

For the Naramata portion of my tasting tour I was assisted by Tina Baird, Marketing Director for the Naramata Bench Winery Association. The region is the most recent area within the Valley to earn a sub-Geographical Indication (along with Golden Mile Bench, Okanagan Falls, and Skaha Bench). I was able to visit five wineries from Tina’s list of wineries which met my criteria (new to me, hidden gem or up-and-comer).

Upper Bench Winery & Creamery

I started my Naramata tour with lunch and a tasting at Upper Bench, just a few minutes outside Penticton. Upper Bench produces its own cheese along with wines, and wine tastings include paired tastings with their cheeses.

Pinot Blanc 2018 – lots of appley flavours, good acidity, fresh. $18 ♥♥+

Riesling 2018 – light but varietally typical nose, burst of acidity in mouth, lime on palate. $20 ♥♥

Chardonnay 2017 – 50% French oak for 3 months and no malo; intense sort of burgundy style; Winner of best BC varietal in a recent show. $25 ♥♥+

Rosé 2018 – made from pinot noir and riesling; very fresh strawberry aromas and flavours. $20 ♥♥

Merlot 2015 – 18 months in barrel; big fruit presence on nose and palate, fresh plums, tight young tannins. $28 ♥♥

Yard Wine 2016 – 60% merlot, 28% cab franc, 12% cab sauvignon, 18 months in barrel; intense Bordeaux (right bank) style but the Cab elements seems to dominate; delicious fruit aromas, lovely palate, with big tannic attack, needs more time. $30 ♥♥

Daydreamer Wines

Marcus Ansems is one of only a five Canadians who has earned the designation of Master of Wine. His winery is located near the village of Naramata, perched high above the waters of the Lake. Higher end wines carry the Marcus Ansems name.

Rosé 2018 – pinot noir, syrah, and merlot; all fruit is hand-picked, left on skins for 18 hours, lovely deep red fruit nose. $25 ♥♥

Marcus Ansems Rachel’s Vineyard Viognier 2017 – 11 months new oak; mild apricot with some peach in the aroma. $30 ♥♥

Pinot Gris 2018 – lovely and fresh, lychee aroma. $25 ♥♥+

Riesling 18 – not a big nose but showing tropical fruit. $28 ♥♥

Jasper 2017 – 18 months French oak, 72% merlot, 28% cab sauvignon; big plummy fruit, with blueberries, and maybe sage? could use a little more age. $30 ♥♥♥

Marcus Ansems Shiraz 2017 – 18 months oak, 90% French and 10% US – deep rich flavour, but not heavy in the mouth, is it okay to describe this as a “classic” high-end Aussie style shiraz wine? $50 ♥♥♥

Kettle Valley Winery

Kettle Valley produces about 10,000 cases a year and is the oldest winery on the Bench. It is near the village of Naramata, but they also own a vineyard in the Similkameen Valley. They seem to prefer later releases on many of their wines – note the Reisling!

Adra Station Chardonnay Reserve 2016 – partial French oak aging, Naramata grapes; ripe apples, peaches and cream, intense, oak showing now but may integrate. $30 ♥♥+

Riesling 2013 – Naramata grapes, tank fermentation and aging – amazing petrol notes, mild lime, good fruit, juicy acidity. $26 ♥♥♥

Great Northern Zinfandel 2014 – full malo, 20 months oak, Similkameen Valley grapes; wonderful spice and refined fruit, not jammy at all. $24 ♥♥♥

McGraw Estate Merlot 2014 – 19 months oak; chocolate in the finish, a bit short. $38 ♥♥

Caboose – fortified port-like wine made from 50% malbec, and 50% petit verdot, blend of ten vintages, local brandy made from their distilled lees; very much port aromatics and flavours, fruit forward. $24 ♥♥+

Tightrope Winery

Tightrope is a truly small operation, having only started in 2014 and currently producing about 5,000 cases annually.

Riesling 2016 – juicy acidity, touch sulphur but otherwise a true riesling nose, fades a little in the mouth. $22 ♥♥

Tip-Toe 2018 – blend of gewurztraminer, riesling, chardonnay, and semillon; nice nose and acidity for the style. $22 ♥♥

Rosé 2018 – 94% pinot noir and 6% barbara; fresh strawberry and rhubarb nose, maybe black currant too? $25 ♥♥+

Pinot Noir 2016 – interesting cherry flavours, good fruit, good acid, a long way from burgundy but interesting. $35 ♥+

Merlot 2016 – lovely plums and spice, not far off a fresh right bank. $30 ♥♥+

Equipoise 2016 – 40% merlot, 40% syrah, 20% cab franc; well balanced fruit, acidity, structure – needs time. $45 ♥♥

Terra Vista Vineyards

Terra Vista was started by the folks who created the well-respected Black Hills winery between Osoyoos and Oliver. After selling that property a little over a decade ago, they have developed a new property on the Naramata Bench and concentrated on some less common white varietals.

Albariño 2018 – rich fragrant nose, brilliant acidity, lemon and nectarine, abundant nose. $21.66 ♥♥♥

Fandango 2018 – 63% albariño, 37% verdejo; abundant aroma clearly shows the albariño, nice juicy acidity. $21.66 ♥♥♥

Viognier 2018 – a real viognier character, good acidity, apricot, peach. $20 ♥♥+

Figaro 2017 – 53% roussanne, 34% viognier, 13% marsanne; some oak, freshness, good acidity. $22.60 ♥♥♥