Naramata Bench wine tasting

Photo: Naramata Bench vineyard view

The Naramata Bench Wineries Association brought a number of their members to Vancouver last month for well-attending tastings in the afternoon and evening. It was a bit like the old days, before the pandemic. Naramata Bench is perhaps the most blessed terroir in the Okanagan, with its complex soils, it west-facing exposure and the climate moderation from Okanagan Lake. The vineyards on the bench came through the 2023 and 2024 winter freezes better than most other areas. Tony Holler, the owner of Poplar Grove Estate Winery, believes that none of the vineyards on the bench need replanting to deal with frost damage.

The bounteous and top quality 2022 vintage has given the wineries the inventory to help them through the next several years. Production was smaller than usual in 2023 and is certain to be reduced this year (due to bud damage) and perhaps next year. Wineries will need to be selective on distributing their wines, probably putting wine club members at the head of the list. All the tasting rooms are open now. Check out www.discovernaramata.com for the myriad of available activities this summer.

Here are notes on some of the wines I was able to taste at last month’s tasting. I think I just had time for a third of the room.

Kettle Valley Winery is one of Naramata’s pioneering wineries. It was opened by 1996 by Bob

Ferguson (far right) and Tim Watts. The winery has a reputation for meticulous viticulture and for making some of the longest-lived red wines in British Columbia. The wines under the Great Northern brand are from a vineyard in the Similkameen Valley which Kettle Valley sold two years ago and which was decimated by the hard freeze in January 2024. That likely eliminates Zinfandel from the pantheon of varietals grown in British Columbia.

Kettle Valley Pinot Gris 2022 ($24). This winery’s Pinot Gris is distinctive for its pink hue and its bowlful of fruit flavours. The winery picks the grapes at optimal ripeness and leaves the juice on the skins for three days before being pressed. Most of the fermentation is in stainless steel, with a portion fermented in barrel. There are aromas and flavours of ripe apple, pear and cantaloupe. 90.

Kettle Valley Gewürztraminer 2019>($22). Close your eyes and you are in Alsace with this rich Gewürztraminer. There are aromas and flavours of grapefruit and lychee with the varietal’s typical notes of ginger on the nose and the finish. 90.

Kettle Valley Adra Station Chardonnay Reserve 2018 ($30). This wine was fermented in French oak. Rich in texture, the wine delivers layers of flavour – apricot, peach, citrus and vanilla. The finish is persistent. 92.

Kettle Valley Merlot 2020 ($28). Aged 20 months in French oak, this is a full and rich Merlot with aromas and flavours of black currants and cherries. 90.

Kettle Valley Pinot Noir 2021 ($28). This full-bodied Pinot Noir, aged 12 months in oak, has aromas and flavours of dark cherry mingled with earthy, forest floor notes. 91.

Kettle Valley Old Main Red 2018 ($38 for 360 cases). This is the winery’s icon Bordeaux blend at a more appealing price that many of its peers. The wine is a blend primarily of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, filled out with Petit Verdot and Malbec. The wine has aromas and flavours of black currant, black cherry and chocolate. The long ripe tannins make for a generous texture. 93.

Great Northern Viognier 2020 ($24). Rich on the palate, this wine delivers aromas and flavours of stone fruits. The wine is complex, with a portion having been fermented in older French oak barrels. 90.

Great Northern Zinfandel 2018 ($26). This wine was aged about 22 months in French oak and even that did not quite tame the tannins. This is a lean wine with spice and dark fruits on the palate. 88.

Roche Wines is a Naramata Bench winery opened in 2017 by Dylan Roche and his wife, Pénélope. Her family once owned a winery in France and Dylan, a Vancouver native, got his start in the wine business in France. Recently, Roche Wines, which has an extensive portfolio, added a new line designated Vig, short for vigneron. The bottles all feature original labels designed by artists, in keeping with a French tradition of supporting artists.

Roche Vig Schönburger 2022 ($23). The label is by Philippines-born artist Karl Mata Hipol, now living in North Vancouver and currently studying at Emily Carr University. The wine, fermented in stainless steel, is a lovely aromatic white, with aromas of tropical fruits, echoed on the palate. 90.

Roche Vig Zweigelt 2022 ($25). The label is by Victoria artist Andrea Soos. Zweigelt is the predominant red varietal in Austria; in the Okanagan it has proven well-suited to making rosé wines. This wine presents with an appealing rose petal hue. It has aromas and flavours of pomegranate, cherry and rhubarb. 90.

Roche Vig Zweigelt 2023 ($25). The label is by Victoria artist Andrea Soos. The wine, limited to members of the Roche wine club, has aromas and flavours of raspberry, pomegranate and watermelon. 90.

Roche Vig Naramata Pinot Noir 2022 (Wine club only; 360 cases). The label is by Toronto artist Paige Ring. This wine, aged in neutral French oak, is a juicy wine with aromas and flavours of cherry. The texture is silky. 88.

Roche Vig Len’s Cuvée Pinot Noir 2020 ($95 for 70 cases). The label is by Toronto artist Marina Billinghurst. The wine itself is a tribute to organic grower Len Kozier, credited with giving the Roche family its start. The wine was made with selected fruit, fermented cool in stainless steel and aged 18 months in French oak (30% new). It is a concentrated wine with aromas and flavours of cherry, and classic notes of forest floor on the finish. 92.

Roche Tradition Pinot Noir 2019 ($50 for 344 cases). It is amazing there is still some of this in the Roche inventory; the wine is from a fine vintage. It is a concentrated wine that was aged 12 months in French oak (15%-20% new). There is dark fruit in the aroma and on the palate, and once again the classic forest floor on the finish. 92.

Ruby Blues Winery. Prudence Mahrer and her husband, Beat, opened this folksy Naramata Road winery in 2009. The warm tasting room welcome reflects Prudence’s breezy and optimistic personality. Graham Pierce (pictured), a veteran Okanagan winemaker, has been the chief winemaker here since mid-2022.

Ruby Blues Forever Young Riesling 2022 ($24.90). This is a well-made wine, showcasing the Naramata Bench terroir. There are aromas and flavours of citrus and green apple, with a classic hint of petrol. The finish is crisply dry. 91.

Ruby Blues Commune Gewürztraminer 2022 ($25.90). This is an intense wine with aromas and flavours of lychee and stone fruit. 90.

Ruby Blues Peace & Love & Bubbles NV ($30). This is a sparkling rosé that the winery also packages in cans. It is a juicy wine with aromas and flavours of strawberry and raspberry. 88.

Ruby Blues Red Stiletto NV ($30.90). This is a blend anchored with 2019 Syrah and filled out with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot varieties. An eminently appealing red, it always tastes like one glass is not enough. It has aromas and flavours of dark cherry mingled with chocolate, coffee and spice. 90.

Terravista Vineyards opened in 2011 on a vineyard above the old Kettle Valley railbed, making it the highest elevation winery on the Naramata Bench. Dallas and Eric Thor, the currant owners, have also planted a lower vineyard, much closer to the lake. Nadine Kinvig,(pictured) their New Zealand-trained winemaker, honed her skills previously at Poplar Grove. She has a sure hand with Terravista’s Spanish varietals.

Terravista Albariño 2023 ($31 for 238 cases). This wine is available only to members of Terravista’s wine club. The wine is zesty and fresh, with aromas and flavours of tropical fruits, including lime. 92.

Terravista Fandango 2023 ($33 for 229 cases). This is a blend of 51% Verdejo and 49% Albariño. The winery reports that the lower crop yield in 2023 resulted in “riper and more complex flavours”. I agree. The wine has aromas and flavours of lime and lemon, with refreshing and bright acidity. 92

Terravista Figaro 2022 ($33 for 310 cases). This is a blend of 70% Roussanne and 30% Viognier. The Roussanne was barrel-fermented while the Viognier was fermented cool in stainless steel. It is a complex white, with aromas and flavours of stone fruits mingled with minerality. 92.

Terravista Viognier 2022 ($28 for 127 cases). This wine began fermentation in stainless steel and was then transferred to concrete, where it finished ferment and then was aged on the lees for six months. The wine has a full texture with aromas and flavours of nectarine, quince and pineapple. 91.

Terravista En Terre Riesling 2023 ($30 for 265 cases). This is a very well-balanced Riesling, with 17 grams of residual sugar set against 8.6 grams of acidity. The fruit is from the winery’s Storm Haven Vineyard near Okanagan Falls. The wine has aromas and flavours of lemon and stone fruits. 91.

Terravista Syrah 2022 ($39 for 350 cases). This is made from the first Syrah harvested from the winery’s En Terre Vineyard on the Naramata Bench, supplemented with fruit from Osoyoos. The wine was aged 10 months in French oak barrels (20% new). The wine begins with aromas of blackberry and white pepper. The palate delivers flavours of dark cherry, plum and fig mingled with pepper. 92.

Upper Bench Winery & Creamery is operated by Gavin Miller and his cheese-making wine, Shana (pictured). They took over a winery in receivership in 2011 and have transformed it into one of the most compelling places to visit on Upper Bench Road, at the eastern side of Penticton. There is a pizza oven; there are eight delicious cheeses; and a solid portfolio of wines.

Upper Bench Riesling 2022 ($26). This is a crisply dry wine, with aromas of citrus and petrol. This is echoed on the palate and on the long finish. 91.

Upper Bench Pinot Blanc 2022 ($23). This wine is tweaked with four-percent Muscat to add a floral note. The wine begins with aromas of apple and cantaloupe, leading to flavours of apple and citrus. The finish is crisp. 90.

Upper Bench Chardonnay 2021 ($28). Half of this wine was aged in stainless steel and half in French oak for three months. That accounts for the vanilla and spice aromas, mingled with orchard fruits on the palate. This is an appealing, fruit-forward Chardonnay. 92.

Upper Bench Merlot Cabernet Franc 2021 ($26). This is a blend of 70% Merlot picked on the 21st of September and 30% Cabernet Franc harvested almost a month later on October 19th. The wine was aged in neutral French oak barrels for 12 months. It is a juicy wine with aromas and flavours of cherry and black currant. 90

Upper Bench Merlot 2021 ($31). This wine is bold and intense, with aromas of dark cherry, licorice and chocolate. On the rich palate, the wine has flavours of cherry, fig and spice. 91.

Upper Bench Altitude 2021 ($48). This is Upper Bench’s flagship Bordeaux blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc). Firm in texture, the wine is built for cellaring. It has aromas and flavours of cassis and black cherry. 91.