Painted Rock wines lead an export thrust

Photo: Painted Rock's John Skinner

For the past decade, John Skinner has worked hard, with success, at getting the wines of Painted Rock into the European market. He is represented by six agents in Europe and his wines are on the lists of Michelin-starred restaurants. One of his ambitions is to raise the profile of Okanagan wines in general, so that Painted Rock and other B.C. wines would have a category of their own on wine lists rather than being lumped into the “other” category. “Exporting for me is more about building a generational brand that it is about selling wine,” John says. “I can sell all my wine to my wine club. But I want to be a winery from a wine region that is internationally recognized.”

John realized early that he was unlikely to win that battle on his own. So he invited other premium Okanagan wineries to join him in the Okanagan Wine Initiative. A group of wineries is likely to have more success at getting enough wines into the market to earn their own category. The market in which the Okanagan has made significant gains in recent years is Britain. Canada House in London sponsors an annual Canadian wine fair aimed at the trade and at wine enthusiasts. London is a hotbed of wine influencers. Each year, Painted Rock and the other wineries in the Wine Initiative have invited some of these, including Jancis Robinson MW, to a tasting and dinner. Robinson had had a somewhat frosty relationship with British Columbia wines. However, the repeated opportunities to taste those wines showed to her, and her colleagues, how quickly the wines have been improving.

At one of the dinners, she told John that he had “worn her down.” She wrote a complimentary, and influential article, on Okanagan wines in The Financial Times. It is recognition of how far Canadian wines have come since the 1970s when there was an ill-fated attempt to export Baby Duck, then Canada’s best-selling wine, to Britain. The wines now being sent to London are a far cry from Baby Duck. Here are notes on current Painted Rock wines.

Painted Rock Chardonnay 2020 ($42.99 for 320 cases). The craftsmanship that went into this wine is remarkable. The winery did four micro-harvests over two weeks to achieve a palette of flavours. Some 82% of the blend was aged in French oak (73% new, 27% used) for six months. The rest of the blend was aged in stainless steel; and just 27% of this was allowed to go through malolactic fermentation. The wine begins with appealing aromas of peach, nectarine and apple with a subtle hint of oak. In the flavour, the oak is even more subtle and integrated. The fruit is quite expressive: apple, stone fruits. There is a touch of butter. And the finish is long. 92.

Painted Rock Cabernet Franc 2019 ($54.99). This wine was aged 18 months in French oak (40% new). The wine delivers layer upon layer of fruit, with aromas of cherries, plums and spice. The rich palate has flavours of plum, blackberry, dark cherry and cedar. 93.

Painted Rock Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ($54.99 for 245 cases). This wine was aged in French oak (30% new) for 18 months.The wine begins with aromas of black currants, dark cherry and blueberry which are echoed on the palate along with touches of spice. Long, ripe tannins give elegance to the texture. If you must drink this wine now, decant it and let it breathe for a few hours. 93.

Painted Rock Merlot 2019 ($49.99). This rich and concentrated wine was aged 18 months in French oak (30% new). Aromas of plum, dark cherry and spice bound from the glass. On the palate, there are flavours of dark red fruits mingled with spice. The finish lingers. 93.

Painted Rock Malbec 2019 ($59.99 for 145 cases). This wine was aged for 18 months in French oak (30% new). The wine begins with aromas that are both floral and bold, suggesting blueberries, plums and cherries. The concentrated palate delivers flavours of plums and black currants, with a note of pepper on the finish. 92.

Painted Rock Syrah 2019 ($49.99). This wine was aged 18 months in oak. Thirty per cent of the barrels were new (80% were French oak, 20% were American oak). The remaining 70% barrels were used French oak. The wine begins with aromas of plum and chocolate accented with pepper. That leads to a full-bodied wine with earthy flavours of dark fruits. 92.

Painted Rock Syrah Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ($49.99 for 220 cases). This is a blend of 79% Syrah, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon. The varietals were fermented separately, aged in French oak (30% new) and blended just before bottling. This is an appealing wine with aromas of dark cherry and cassis accented with pepper. The flavours echo the aroma, with spice and chocolate on the finish. 93.

Painted Rock Red Icon 2019 ($79.99). The blend for Painted Rock’s flagship is 42% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, 15% Petit Verdot, 14% Malbec and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The batches were aged in French oak (30% new) for 18 months, with blending prior to bottling. The wine begins with bold aromas of dark cherry, cassis and chocolate. On the palate, there are flavours of dark cherry, blackberry, blueberry and spice. The tannins are long and elegant. Bright acidity gives the wine a refreshing fruit on the finish. 94.