Recent releases that have crossed my desk make it obvious
that Pinot Noir is succeeding very well in British Columbia .
That is hardly a new insight, either for me or for others
who following the British Columbia
wine scene. But I don’t mind repeating it, since the Pinot Noir offerings are
getting better all the time.
That is not to take anything away from the other reds we do
so well: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and occasionally Cabernet Sauvignon. The
best of those come from sun-bathed terroirs around Oliver, Osoyoos and the Similkameen Valley .
Satisfying Pinot Noirs come from almost anywhere else that
grapes grow in British Columbia , with the best
coming from Okanagan Falls , Naramata Bench, Kelowna
and Lake Country . Recently, producers have been
releasing wines from 2011 and 2012, vintages that yielded elegant Pinot Noirs
in the former case and bold Pinot Noirs in the latter.
There are also some exceptional white wines being released. I am adding notes on those as well as for the fine Pinot
Noirs.
The two Quails' Gate wines are from winemaker Grant Stanley's last vintage at that winery before moving on to become a partner at 50th Parallel Winery at Carr's Landing. What a magnificent exit interview!
Black Cloud Winery
Altostratus Pinot Noir 2011 ($35 for 1,208 bottles). The wine is made with
fruit from the Remuda Vineyard at Okanagan
Falls . Bradley Cooper,
the co-owner and winemaker for Black Cloud, now has made four vintages of
Altostratus. Those who had the wit to collect it are lucky indeed. Dark in hue,
this is a full-bodied Pinot Noir with the depth and structure for aging; it is
premature to open this wine for at least two years unless for a review. It
shows deep spicy cherry aromas and flavours framed by toasty oak. 90.
Black Cloud Winery
Fleuvage Pinot Noir 2012 ($25 for 1,176 bottles). The fruit for this is
from Loveridge Ranch on the Naramata Bench. Light and delicate, this is a charmer
made in a style often called feminine. It has notes of cherry and raspberry
with a lingering fruity finish and a silken texture. 88.
Quails’ Gate Stewart
Family Reserve Pinot Noir 2012 ($45 for 1,775 six-bottle cases). The 14%
alcohol and the dark colour signal that this is a bold ripe wine. Black cherry
aromas are lightly framed by well integrated oak. The flavours are intense,
showing black cherry and raspberry with spice and nuts on the finish. The
finish is exceptionally long. The texture shows firm, polished tannins well on
the way to silkiness, but with the power to give this wine eight to 10 years
cellar aging. 94.
Quails’ Gate Stewart
Family Reserve Chardonnay 2012 ($35 for 1,130 six-bottle cases). This
barrel-fermented wine begins with aromas of pear, tropical fruit and
butterscotch. On the palate, there are flavours of peaches, nectarines, and
mangoes with cloves and butterscotch on the finish. The wine has a generous
texture. Just a hint of its alcohol, which is 14%, peaks through the ripe
flavours. 90.
Tightrope Pinot Noir
2012 ($32 for 150 cases). This is the first Pinot Noir from a Naramata
Bench winery that expects to open a tasting room this fall. Tightrope released
impressive whites ands a rosé last summer and this wine rises to similar
standards The texture is silky. It begins with exuberant cherry aromas mingled
with toasty oak. This vibrant wine delivers a bowl of cherry and raspberry
flavours, leading to a spicy finish. The fruit is so intense that it fools the
palate into thinking this is a slightly sweet wine. 90.
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