After completing my quick exploration of new locations (for me) in Naramata, I fanned out across the Valley over the next couple of days, north to Kelowna, and south as far as Oliver. Once again, I was concentrating on wineries that were new to me, with the lone exception of an old favourite.
I visit Fairview every time I make it to the Okanagan, and this must have been my fifth or sixth time stopping by. If you ever need proof that Canada can grow excellent cabernet sauvignon, you can collect the evidence here. I have placed Fairview reds in blind tastings and people have trouble believing such wines are being made in this country.
Gruner Veltliner 2018 – nice sweet nose, not so much grass or acidity as an Austrian version. $20 ♥♥
Sauvignon Blanc 2018 – delicious! Wonderful acidity and typical varietal flavours; with 15% semillon. $23 ♥♥+
Pinot Noir 2017 – good acidity, light cherry, tasty, no bitterness. $27 ♥♥+
Merlot 2017 – sweet fruit, smooth tannins, lovely, more than just plums, soft and plush. $25 ♥♥+
Syrah 2016 – lovely deep fruit, black fruit, violets, black currant, touch of red fruit; very good. $35 ♥♥♥
Tempranillo 2016 – lovely and fresh, lots of red fruit flavour. $33 ♥♥+
Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 – deep flavour and fruit. $50 ♥♥♥
Pendiente de la Terraza 2014 – great cab with perhaps a touch of herbal elements. ♥♥+
This winery is located on the Black Sage Road side of the wine region in and around Oliver (which, by the way, refers to itself as the wine capital of Canada – I won’t say they are wrong!). This lower end of the Canadian part of the Valley tends to be the warmest and driest, and is where I say you will find Canada’s best red wines. The winery has sandy soils mixed with some volcanic ash.
My opening tasting at the winery was a lovely unoaked chardonnay which I purchased to enjoy with supper, but I ended up being a little disappointed in the wines which had seen some oak. I’m not sure what it was, but there was something not quite right (to me) – a sort of bitter rough undertone.
Unoaked Chardonnay 2015 – delicious aroma and mouth-feel, good fruit intensity – peach! $20 ♥♥+
Oaked Chardonnay 2016 – 16 months in 30% new oak, 80% French and 20% US; barrel fermented; too much oak for my taste. $20 ♥+
Mistura Branca 2017 – 40% muscat, 60 gewurztraminer; tropical fruit, rose, and floral aromas – lovely. $20 ♥♥
Rosé 2017 – made from merlot, both cabernets, malbec, and syrah; it has a touch of sweetness; spicy, red fruit aroma and flavour. $20 ♥♥+
Merlot 2013 – 22 months in barrel, 30% new; a splash of malbec included; nice mellowed fruit, smooth tannins. $30 ♥♥
Merlot Cabernet 2013 – 20 months in barrel, 35% new; 55% merlot, 25% cab sauvignon, 20% cab franc; bright fruity start, strange (barrel) after taste. $30 ♥+
Alagria 2012 – 20 months in barrel, 20% new; 20% merlot, 15% cab franc, 20% cab sauvignon, 25% malbec, 10% petite verdot, 10% zinfandel; loads of fruit with the barrel undertone. $30 ♥+
Syrah 2012 – 18 months in barrel, 45% new; splash of viognier; nice smoky start; delicious fruit flavours undercut by barrel. $30 ♥+
Syncromesh is a small operation which strongly believes in what the land gives. All the wines are fermented with the wild yeast from the vineyards. Partially for this reason the alcohol levels are quite low by today’s standards, and the riesling in particular is quite reminiscent of the German style. Most wines seem to sell out shortly after release!
Riesling 2018 – 9% alcohol; blend of four vineyards; light aroma, but brilliant fruit in the mouth; touch of sweetness for balance; light in the mouth, lime, and touches of tropical fruit. $23 ♥♥♥
Bob Hancock Vineyard Riesling 2018 – 8.3% alcohol, juicy acidity, just a touch of sweetness, lime and pear nose, with sweet orange (mandarin) in the mouth. $28 ♥♥♥
Thorny Vines Vineyard Riesling 2018 – 8.2% alcohol; clay soils and northern exposure; tropical fruit on nose and palate, juicy acidity and touch of sweetness. $28 ♥♥+
Cachola Family Cabernet Franc Rosé 2018 – 12.5% alcohol, currant (red, white, or black?), earthiness in the mouth, cranberry, rhubarb, savoury. $28 ♥♥+
Cachola Family Cabernet Franc 2017 – “atypical for BC”, shows some similar character with the rosé, light in the mouth, some red fruit, earthiness, tomato, smooth tannins. ♥♥
Turtle Rock Farms Tertre Rouge 2015 – 14.3% alcohol; cabernet franc and merlot; from stony soils in Naramata; herbal tone, lovely red and juicy fruit, this is delicious! $40 ♥♥+
Storm Haven Vineyard Pinot Noir 2017 – 10.6% alcohol, very young vines; red cherry aroma, edgy tannins, red cherry and maybe sour cherry flavours, earth/smoke. $40 ♥♥+
It was a busy tasting room on a Friday after work timeframe. It was a “cool” place to be, wines were quite quaffable but did not seem to be aiming for a high bar.
Lifecycle of a Hobo 2018 – müller-thurgau grape; banana candy aroma and flavour, good acidity, light, a little pricey. $26 ♥+
Muscat 2018 – dry version; light floral nose, more floral on the palate, okay acidity, light body. $23 ♥+
Dynasty White – mostly chardonnay, some semillon, barrel-fermented, transferred to stainless steel, touch of muscat; light matchstick nose shifts to somewhat bordeaux in the mouth, interesting! $30 ♥♥
Merle – merlot; light plum nose, quite puckery tannins, sharp, tight – hmmmm. $25 ♥+
Dynasty Red – 60% malbec, 30% syrah, 10% merlot; delicious fruit nose, youngish tannins, best wine of the flight and probably will improve. $47 ♥♥+
A chateau located in the middle of a vineyard – a wonderful setting on the edge of Kelowna.
Block Party 2018 – 60% chardonnay, 25% riesling, 10% pinot gris, 5% pinot noir; attractive sunny apple aroma with cream, banana candy, great acidity – lovely! $21 ♥♥+
Pinot Gris 2018 – light aroma, light green apple and fresh apple, lots of acidity. $22 ♥♥
Chardonnay 2017 – neutral oak for 6 months; slight matchstick aroma, sort of green apple aromas and flavours. $24 ♥♥
Esther’s Block Riesling 2017 – cooler vineyard setting; touches of petrol and lime in abundant aroma; light-medium body, mouth-filling, good acidity. $25 ♥♥+
Maria’s Block Riesling 2017 – warmer vineyard setting; still lime, but with a touch more tropical fruit; sweeter, with light-medium body; mouth-filling with great acidity. $25 ♥♥+
We had been interested in setting a date for a dinner and tasting with our two close-by friends, but it was derailed by the recent omicron surge! Instead, we arranged to dine separately, but using the same wine selection, and then connect on Zoom over the dessert wine and discuss the wines, and the match […]
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Steve Delaney
July 25, 2019
Canada
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