Intrigue Wines: more winning wines from 2025

Photo: Roger Wong of Intrigue Wines

Intrigue Wines is a low-key Lake Country winery run by Roger Wong and partners that deserves a higher profile for the solid, good-value wines it produces. Roger recently sent some samples which inspired my comments.

“We are particularly excited about the 2025 vintage as we have been able to craft the wines as we would in the perfect season,” Roger writes. “Great growing conditions and no smoke.” It was a welcome change from 2024 and that year’s notorious January freeze. “In 2024, our vineyards and many of our contract growers were severely affected by the cold snap,” Roger continues. “We looked at all our available options including bringing fruit in from outside of Canada. The way that the program was rolled out [by the government] left too many uncertainties for us to make a commitment.”

Contracting imported grapes, which some Okanagan wineries began doing as early as February 2024, was quite risky under the existing regulations. The resulting wines would have been uneconomic. It was not until July that the government relaxed the markup rules, enabling wineries to use imported grapes in 2024 and 2025. Roger Wong chose not to gamble in 2024. “Ultimately, we were very fortunate to find some fruit from the Cowichan Valley (from the family who now owns David Godfrey’s vineyard),” he writes. “We also purchased some Muscat from the lower mainland.”

He continues: “Our vineyards did not suffer significant vine loss, just crop loss for the 2024 vintage. In the 2025 vintage we had spectacular growing conditions and since our vines had fully recovered they produced excellent fruit. We were even able to produce some wines that had been absent from our portfolio for a while. We were able to do overnight skin contact for our Pinot Gris and most of our Riesling crushes. The ‘coral hue’ of the Pinot Gris is quite evident but more importantly, the rich character of the fruit is present in the glass. Our Rotberger (grown at Brent Drought’s vineyard) brings the depth of a true Rosé.”

Roger’s son, Garrett graduates from high school this year. “Aa part of his graduation, he had to choose a topic for his Capstone project,” Roger recounts. “He came to me in September and asked if he could make a wine for his Capstone. He explained that he had grown up on the vineyard but didn’t know the processes involved in getting the wine to the bottle.” Garrett was allowed to help make Frosted Vines, a white dessert wine last made in 2019. “Garrett helped on weekends all through harvest and a few days over the winter,” Roger writes. “Overall, it was an amazing way for us to connect – which is what wine is all about.”

This Lake Country winery got its name after someone remarked to Roger Wong and Jillian, his wife, that wine is intriguing. Roger, who was born in Vancouver in 1965 and has a geography degree, worked in a federal government job until he was 30. A home winemaker since he was 17, Roger then followed his passion. He volunteered at Tinhorn Creek for the 1995 crush. They hired him and encouraged him to take winemaking courses. He became winemaker for Pinot Reach Cellars in 1998 and, following an ownership change there, moved to Gray Monk in 2005 as a winemaker. He left that winery in 2019 to focus entirely on Intrigue. Roger and Jillian partnered with Ross and Geri Davis to launch Intrigue. On their two adjoining properties near Wood Lake (near Oyama), the couples in 2008 planted 6.9 hectares (17 acres) of vines, the majority being Riesling. They maintain a large and lively wine shop and tasting room, with weekend musical events in July and August. Here are notes on the wines.

Intrigue Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2025 ($28 for 448 cases). This wine was made from grapes grown near Oliver. Fermentation was in stainless steel. The wine has a restrained aroma leading to flavours of citrus and apple around a mineral backbone. 89.

Intrigue Pinot Gris 2025 ($24). The wine has a light coral hue, indicating the juice spent some time on the skins before fermentation. The wine begins with aromas of white peach leading to intense nectarine flavours. The finish is crisp and fresh. 91.

<Intrigue Rotberger Rosé 2025 ($28). Both the front and back labels acknowledge Brent Drought, the grower of Rotberger, a rare German varietal introduced to the Okanagan about 50 years ago by Gray Monk Winery. Intrigue has taken over as the champion of Rotberger, a true rosé varietal. The wine presents with a lovely pink blush. The floral aromas lead to flavours of cherry and red plum. 90.

Intrigue Frosted Vines 2025 ($26). This is a late harvest wine with 25 grams of residual sugar. The grapes – Kerner, Riesling and Ehrenfelser - are from an Oyama vineyard and were left on the vine through the first frost. This concentrates the flavors of the grapes. This wine begins with aromas of apricots leading to intense flavours of peach and marmalade. The palate is juicy and the long finish is not as sweet as the specifications would lead one to expect. A great Capstone project! 91.

Intrigue I Do NV ($27). This is carbonated sparkling wine made with 54% Riesling, 25% Gewürztraminer, 10% Pinot Gris, 9% Pinot Noir, and 2% Merlot. The wine has an appealing pink hue and active bubbles. There is a hint of rose petal and strawberry in the aroma, leading to flavours of strawberry and citrus. The finish is juicy and refreshing, with the bubbles giving the wine crispness. 90.

Intrigue Damitz Good (NV). ($30). This is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc and 1% each of Malbec and Petit Verdot, primarily from the 2023 vintage. It is non-vintage because the blend includes some wines made originally by the late Robert Damitz, described as “a dear friend and trusted confidant of the Intrigue family”. Rob, who died in 2011, made the original Bordeaux blend on which this wine is patterned. Some 28 months in barrel have polished the tannins of this blend. The wine has aromas and flavours of chocolate, tobacco and dark fruits. 90.

River Stone Winery celerates good neighbours.

Photo: River Stone's Ted Kane

Most of the recent releases from River Stone Estate Winery are from what winery co-owner Ted Kane calls the Good Neighbours Series because the wines are made with Washington State grapes. He chooses the Canadian spelling, which seems fitting, given that Donald Trump's United States could hardly be called a Good Neighbor. But then Washington is a "blue" state ...

The 2024 freeze was devastating to the vineyards at Ted's Okanagan winery, which is just northeast of Oliver. Ted has had to replant eleven of his sixteen acres. Those carefully tended vines are expected to produce about 50 to 85 per cent of a full crop of grapes by their third year. The regulatory authorities gave Okanagan and Similkameen wineries a two-year window in 2024 to make wines from imported grapes so that they could stay in business until their vines recovered or were replaced. Those wines must be sold by March 2027, after which they will be taxed as import wines.

For the second consecutive year, Ted bought Washington grapes. “Once again,” he writes, “a portion of our wines have been crafted from carefully sourced Washington state fruit, allowing us to maintain both quality and consistency while our estate vineyards recover. These wines remain true to our River Stone style: expressive, balanced, and grounded in the same winemaking philosophy that has always guided us.”

“Replanting has also given us the opportunity to look ahead,” the winery says. “We have introduced new plantings, including Chenin Blanc, a variety we have long been curious about. … We expect to see a small estate crop in 2026, with production gradually increasing over the following years as the young vines mature.” River Stone will also buy 2026 fruit from growers in the Okanagan.

Here are notes on the wines.

River Stone Good Neighbours Series Chenin Blanc 2025 ($26.90 for 250 cases). The fruit was sourced from the Ancient Lakes AVA in Washington’s Columbia Valley. The wine has aromas and flavours of citrus and stone fruits, with a crisp and fresh palate. 90.

River Stone Good Neighbours Series Pinot Gris 2025 ($24.90 for 250 cases). The fruit is from the Yakima Valley AVA. The ferment was long and cool, with a portion going through malolactic fermentation, a technique that enhanced the texture. The wine is delicious, with a rich texture, aromas of pear and flavours of pear and apple. 92.

River Stone Good Neighbours Series Sauvignon Blanc 2025 ($25.90 for 300 cases). This wine is made with estate-grown grapes supplemented with fruit from a Yakima Valley vineyard. The wine begins with aromas of lime and lemon leading to a crisp texture and flavours of grapefruit. The finish is persistent. Think Sancerre with a New Zealand twist. 91.

River Stone Good Neighbours Series Albariño 2025 ($31.90 for 150 cases). The fruit is from the Yakima Valley AVA. (There is a hint in the winery’s letter that River Stone is interested in planting this varietal in its own vineyard.) The wine has a restrained fruity aroma with flavours that explode on the palate: pineapple, peach and melon. The wine is sold only at River Stone’s tasting room. 92.

River Stone Good Neighbours Series Splash 2025 ($23.90 for 275 cases). The blend is 44% Pinot Gris, 34% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Albariño and 7% Chenin Blanc. The fruit is from two Yakima Valley vineyards as well as from River Stone’s own vineyard. The wine has a richly fruity aroma of apricot and peach leading to juicy, satisfying flavours of apple, peach and melon. 92.

River Stone Small Lot Merlot 2022 ($36.90 for 100 cases). This wine is made with estate-grown fruit. Made from a great vintage, the wine was given additional concentration by bleeding some juice from the tank. Fermentation was completed in 17 days and the wine was aged 24 month in French oak (1/3 new). The wine is dark, with aromas of cassis and spice. Densely textured, the wine delivers flavours of dark cherry, chocolate, coffee and a touch of oak. 92.

Hillside wines: more 2025s and one icon

Photo: Winemaker Kathy Malone (courtesy of Hillside Winery)

The impressive new releases from Hillside Winery show off the great 2025 vintage, along with a 2019 Mosaic, the winery’s icon red. Mosaic was one of the wines included in my 2017 book, Icon: Flagship Wines from British Columbia’s Best Wineries. The wine has been crafted since 2008 by Kathy Malone, who persuaded Hillside’s owners to use just Naramata grapes not just for Mosaic but for the entire portfolio. Here is an extract from the book:

The first three vintages [of Mosaic] were primarily blended with grapes from the South Okanagan. Hillside only began planting its Hidden Valley Vineyard, now an important source for Merlot, in 2002 in the hills above the winery. Since 2006, however, Mosaic has been made entirely with Naramata Bench grapes. “Before I came here, I would not have thought that was wise,” says winemaker Kathy Malone. She came to Hillside in 2008 from Mission Hill, where she had worked primarily with South Okanagan fruit, not Naramata grapes. She is now one of the strongest advocates of the Naramata terroir. “I love the type of ripeness we get on the Naramata Bench,” she says. In the 2010 and 2011 vintages, Hillside lost one source of Naramata Bench Cabernet Franc. Rather than compromise on the winery’s commitment to terroir, Kathy made those two vintages with no Cabernet Franc in the blend. That varietal returned to the wine in 2012 when Hillside secured a new source. The 2006 vintage was the first Mosaic to win a gold medal (at the Northwest Wine Challenge). While fermenting just Naramata fruit brought the first upgrade to Mosaic, subsequent advances also reflected winemaking changes. Early vintages spent only nine months aging in French and American oak barrels. By 2008, barrel-aging had been extended to 13 months. Now the wine spends at least 14 months in barrel, all in French oak, and more than a quarter of the barrels are new.

Kathy has refined Mosaic even further from when that was written. The current release had a total of 28 months of barrel-aging. Here are notes:

Hillside Heritage Muscat Ottonel 2025 ($26). This is arguably Hillside’s signature white made from vines planted in 1984. The handpicked grapes had overnight skin contact and were fermented cool in stainless steel. The wine begins with appealing aromas of rose petals and spice. There are mouth-filling flavours of peach and citrus. The wine is slightly off-dry, which enhances the exotic fruit flavours. 92.

Hillside Heritage Pinot Gris 2025 ($35 for 318 cases). Two hours of skin contact have given this wine a delicate golden pink hue. This wine was fermented 75% in Tokaj oak barrels and then aged five months on the lees with stirring every two weeks, The result is a full-textured wine with spicy aromas of tropical fruits leading to a rich palate of pear and apricot. 92.

Hillside Chef’s Whites 2025 ($35 for 367 cases). The blend is 58% Chardonnay, 37% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Pinot Gris. The wine was fermented in terracotta (37%) and neutral French oak barrels. It was aged four months on the lees. The wine is complex, with aromas and flavours of apple, stone fruits and spice. The texture is full and the finish is long. 92.

Hillside Heritage Viognier 2025 ($28 for 340 cases). The fruit had overnight skin contact. The wine was fermented 50% in French oak (17% new) and 50% in stainless steel. The wine has aromas of tropical fruits and flavours of mango and vanilla on a rich palate. The finish lingers. 92.

Hillside Below The Road Rosé 2025 ($35 for 290 cases). This is a Pinot Noir rosé that was fermented in French oak (three to five years old) and aged four months on the lees. It presents assertively with a dark pink hue and with aromas and flavours of strawberries and ripe apples. The finish is long and refreshing. 91.

Hillside Mosaic 2019 ($70 for 280 cases). The winery’s flagship red, this is a blend of 51% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot, all sourced on the Naramata Bench. The wine was aged for 16 months in French oak (55% new) plus an additional 12 months in neutral oak after blending. This wine begins with aromas of cassis and dark cherry mingled with notes of oak. That leads to flavours of dark fruits on a palate of long, silky tannins. The persistent finish adds to the superb elegance of this wine. 95.

Noble Ridge wins sparkling wine of the year

Photo: Winemaker Benoit Gauthier (photo courtesy Noble Ridge

At the recent All Canadian Wine Championships, the flagship sparkling wine from Noble Ridge Vineyard & Winery was named Sparkling Wine of the Year -- for the second time. The One, as the wine is called, was the sparkling wine of the year at the 2017 competition as well.

“We see it as a wonderful milestone not only for Noble Ridge, but also for Okanagan Falls and the continued momentum behind BC traditional-method sparkling wine,” writes Jennifer Tocher, the winery’s new publicist. The Okanagan Falls viticultural area is indeed well-established as a premium sparkling wine region. Blue Mountain Winery, which does not enter competitions, has been making traditional method sparkling wine since the early 1990s. The winery’s basic sparkling wine is excellent value and its late-disgorged bubblies are exceptional.

Noble Ridge, which opened in 2005, is owned by Jim and Leslie D’Andrea, former Calgarians who once looked at properties in France before concluding it made more sense to develop a vineyard near Okanagan Falls. The D’Andreas planned to make sparkling wine as soon as they purchased the property in 2001. That was why they planted Pinot Noir on a north-facing slope. “I just love Champagne,” Jim told me once. The winery began making The One in the 2010 vintage. The wine has won numerous awards over the years, including a Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in 2015. The wine has always been a blend of estate-grown Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, just like many Champagnes.

The current winemaker at Noble Ridge is Benoit Gauthier (Canadian-born), who is also the winery’s chief operating officer. “Traditional-method sparkling wine is one of the most demanding styles to produce,” he is quoted in a winery news release. It requires “years of patience, precision, and an unwavering commitment to quality.”

I was once a member of the judging panel at the All Canadians as well as the panel for the Lieutenant-Governor’s competition. I had a hand in adjudicating both of the awards and I know how rigorous the competitions are. This spring, I tasted a number of Noble Ridge’s recent releases, including the 2019 The One. Here is my review of that wine. Try finding a Champagne this elegant for this price.

Noble Ridge The One 2019 ($34.99 for 450 cases). This is 77% Chardonnay and 23% Pinot Noir. This is a traditional method sparkling wine with fine, active bubbles and a classic but restrained brioche aroma. On the palate, there are flavours of apple and citrus mingled with a hint of brioche. 93.

Mt. Boucherie and Rust show off 2025s

Photo: Mt. Boucherie Winemaker Jeff Hundertmark

The latest releases from sister wineries Mount Boucherie and Rust Wine Company confirm that both are recovering well from the vineyard damage in the 2024 vintage. “The harvest of 2025 was a bit of a shocker for us,” writes Jeff Hundertmark, the general manager and director of winemaking at West Kelowna’s Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery. “Mother Nature promised a little present for us and surprised us with a bounty.”

The quality of the 2025 wines from both wineries is excellent, as are so many wines from the 2025 vintage in the Okanagan and Similkameen valleys. “We are proud to farm estate vineyards that are some of the oldest in both the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys,” the winery says. In the technical notes for its signature red blend, Solus, Rust Wine Company observes that its vineyard “is home to some of the oldest vines in the Okanagan.” That includes a Gewürztraminer planted in 1973 and a Zinfandel planted in 2002.

Unfortunately for Rust, the January 2024 freeze devastated the winery’s Zinfandel, an important varietal in the Solus blend. It is 34% of the just released 2021 Solus. I expect there is a 2022 Solus and perhaps a 2023 aging in Rust’s cellar.

When the label continues, the blend will change dramatically. Rust Winemaker Ryan de Witte has begun to make major changes in the vineyard and in the portfolio, adding Pinot Noir and soon Sangiovese, Mondeuse and Barbera. “Planting Sangiovese was a way of future proofing the vineyard to warmer summer temperatures as well as being hardier than the Zinfandel it is replacing,” Ryan told me last fall. “It is mostly intended as a blending component for Solus, our halo wine but, if the vintage is good and the crops are equally generous, then we will bottle a varietal Sangiovese.”

Here are notes on current releases both wineries. Rust, which is on the Golden Mile south of Oliver, takes its name from the steel cladding on the winery, which is intentionally allowed to rust. The labels on the bottles mirror the rust as well.

Mt. Boucherie Pinot Gris 2025 ($27.99). The fruit is from the Similkameen Valley. It was allowed a long, cool ferment in stainless steel. A touch of skin contact gave the wine a delicate blush. There are aromas of peach and apricot. On the palate, the wine is crisp with a medley of orchard fruit flavours leading to a dry finish. 90.

Mt. Boucherie Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2025 ($29.99). There is Naramata Bench fruit in this wine. After fermentation, the wine was aged four months in French Oak puncheons (none new). While the aroma is restrained, the wine delivers generous fruit flavours, mingling citrus and passionfruit. The alcohol is a moderate 12.5%. 91.

Mt. Boucherie Rosé 2025 ($27.99). This wine is made with a field blend of Pinot Noir and Zweigelt. The grapes were allowed a six-hour skin soak and then were fermented in stainless steel with wild yeast. The wine has an appealing pink hue. It has aromas and flavours of watermelon, raspberry and strawberry, with a crisp, dry finish. 90.

Mt. Boucherie Reserve Chardonnay 2025 ($34.99). This is a blend of fruit from the Similkameen Valley and from Okanagan Falls. After fermentation, the wine was aged six moths in French oak (30% new). Flavours and aromas of apple, peach and pineapple mingle with a delicate touch of oak spice. 91.

Mt. Boucherie Blaufränkisch 2025 ($27.99). This is a full-bodied, fruity wine that was aged four months in neutral Hungarian and French oak. It delivers aromas and flavours of spice, blueberries and cherries. 89.

Mt. Boucherie Reserve Meritage 2024 ($34.99) The fruit is from the Horse Heaven Hills AVA in Washington State. The blend is 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Malbec and 29% Merlot. After picking, the fruit was shipped quickly to be crushed at the winery in West Kelowna. After fermentation, the wine was aged 14 months in French oak (20% new). The wine is rich on the palate with robust flavours of dark cherries, plum and black currant. 92.

Rust White Crush 2025 ($25). The fruit in this wine from both the Similkameen and Okanagan Valleys. The blend here is 30% Muscat, 26% Riesling, 24% Gewürztraminer and 20% Pinot Gris. The aroma and the palate deliver the spicy notes one would expect from this blend while Riesling and Pinot Gris contribute structure and underlying notes of citrus. The finish dry and persistent.

Rust Cabernet Franc Rosé 2025 ($30). The Cabernet Franc fruit is from the winery’s Golden Mile Bench vineyard. The wine presents with a commanding red plum hue and a rich mixture of red fruits on the nose and palate. Delicious! 91.

Rust Gamay 2025 ($30). The fruit is from the winery’s Lazy River Vineyard in the Similkameen Valley. The wine, which was aged six months in neutral oak, presents with a brilliant ruby hue. There are aromas and flavours of bing cherry with a touch of pepper to define the crisp, crunchy finish. 90

Rust Pinot Noir 2024 ($40). The fruit is from the Finnigan Hill Vineyard in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, described by Rust wiemaker Ryan de Witte as “the landmark region for Pinot Noir in North America.” There are four clones here: Pommard, 667, 777 and 115 (all of which grow in the Okanagan as well). After fermenting with wild yeast, the wine was aged 14 months in neutral French oak. There are aromas of cherry here, mingled with forest floor notes that carry through to the flavour. The silky texture supports a long finish. 92

Rust Solus 2021 ($88). This unusual blend is 36% Merlot, 34% Zinfandel, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Gewürztraminer, with all the fruit from the Golden Mile Bench. The Gewürztraminer was used to start the ferment. Each of the other varietals were added as they were harvested to the rolling co-fermentation, The wine was aged 18 months in French and American oak (50% new). The wine is rich, with aromas and flavours of oak and dark fruits – fig, plum mingled with spice and blueberry pie. 94.