Meyer's red wine inventory is abundant

Photo: Mayhem winemaker Ajay Chavan (photo courtesy Mayhem Wines)

Fans of Meyer Family Vineyards will be pleased to learn that this Okanagan Falls winery has a good inventory of Pinot Noir to help bridge the production shortfall caused by the 2024 winter freeze. “We have plenty of BC reds in our portfolio, including our 2021 and 2022 Cabernet Merlot plus the Anarchy Merlot 2022,” writes Angela Grant, a sales representative for both Meyer and Mayhem, a sister winery. These, she adds, “will carry us through this year [2024] and next.”

However, the inventory of white wines is not so deep. Last fall, Meyer sourced both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Rosé in Washington State. Angela continues: “Mayhem welcomed some white wine and a small amount of Merlot for rosé from a reputable winery in Washington. Our winemaker, Ajay Chavan, was excited about this opportunity and confident of producing the bright, lively and aromatic wines that Mayhem is renowned for. This was a temporary solution for us to supplement some white wines in our portfolio for the next season. We look forward to continuing our partnership with our BC growers again next vintage.” In the spring, Mayhem plans to release Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, rosé and cans of sparkling wine, all made from Washington grapes.

Here are notes on current releases from these two wineries.

Meyer Gewürztraminer 2023 ($19.22). This is a straight-forward take on a varietal that has fallen out of favour from its glory days in the 1990s. This wine has classic aromas and flavours of spice, orange blossom and citrus. The dry finish makes it well-suited as a wine with food. 88.

Meyer Okanagan Valley Chardonnay 2023 ($21.83 f0r 350 cases). The fruit for this wine was sourced from the estate vineyard as well as from a Naramata vineyard and the Anarchist Mountain vineyard. It was fermented 50% in older French oak barrels and 50% in stainless steel. The aromas of apple and citrus are echoed on the fruit-forward palate. The wine’s lightly golden hue presents well in the glass. 89.

Meyer Okanagan Valley Pinot Noir 2023 ($25.30 for 1,822 cases). This wine, which was aged six months in seasoned French oak barrels and puncheons, is excellent value. It is rich in texture, with aromas and toasty flavours of cherry mingled with chocolate. 90

Meyer Pinot Noir 2023 “B” Field Blend ($31.39). This wine, which was aged in oak for 11 months, has aromas of cherry leading to flavours of cherry mingled with mocha notes. The texture is silky and full. An appealing wine. 92.

Mayhem Anarchy Merlot 2022 ($45 for 295 cases). This is an excellent Merlot from a great vintage. The wine begins with aromas of cassis, spice and black cherry. The palate is rich with flavours of plum, black cherry and spice. The finish is long. 92.

Painted Rock definitely was not sold

Photo: Painted Rock founder John Skinner

Several times last year, I heard the rumour that Painted Rock Estate Winery had been added to Anthony von Mandl’s stable of top-rated wineries. I never believed the rumour, although I am sure that von Mandl would jump at the chance if it ever came his way. But Painted Rock is still owned by the founder, John Skinner, and his family, with John’s daughter, Lauren, as marketing manager.

John was a successful investment dealer in Vancouver when he set out to develop a winery in the Okanagan. Painted Rock opened in 2007. I interviewed John a number of times when he was planning the winery. It was clear to me that it was going to be a legacy project, not something he wanted to flip. Here is an excerpt from the 2009 edition of my book, The Wineries of British Columbia.

John was approaching 50 and ready for a change from a stockbroker’s career when he took the plunge into wine. He was born in 1958 on a Manitoba military base, the son of a Canadian Forces fighter pilot. “I moved 20 times by the time I was 20,” he says. Trish, his wife and his only partner in the winery, had an oil driller for a stepfather and thus also a peripatetic adolescence. Perhaps because of that, the Skinners settled down in West Vancouver. “But I think travel was very good for me,” John says. “It either puts you in your shell or takes you out. I had new friends on a regular basis.”

He became a broker when he left university before graduation. He had been financing his studies by working in a sawmill until he saw how much more prosperous several of his friends had become as investment advisors. John promptly began a long and successful career in mining finance in Vancouver. And as part of a broker’s lifestyle, he began acquiring a taste for, and interest in, good wines. The sharp quality jump in Okanagan wines that became apparent in the late 1990s led him to develop a winery of his own from the ground up. “There is not a lot of difference between distributing new issues of your latest vintages and distributing new issues of an underwriting,” he figured.

He decided from the start not to cut corners. He hired consultants, including viticulturist Valerie Tait and Bordeaux ace Alain Sutre, to advise him. As the property was being shaped into ideal grape-growing exposure, vines - typically two clones of each variety - were ordered from France. About a quarter of the 10.5 hectares (26 acres) is planted to Syrah. Most of the remainder, except for a small Chardonnay block, is planted to Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, with modest blocks of Malbec and Petit Verdot. John calls the latter two varieties the “spice” for use in Painted Rock’s big red blend. [Syrah was planted later.]

Without a winery or a winemaker yet in 2007, John had Painted Rock’s first vintage, 105 barrels of red wine, made at Poplar Grove by that winery’s founder and winemaker extraordinaire, Ian Sutherland. “I know and trust Ian,” John says. “I needed ‘a safe place’ to make sure it was done right.” To ensure a differentiated style for the Painted Rock wines, John introduced some California-inspired winemaking techniques under the direction of Painted Rock’s own consultant. John firmly resisted suggestions that he should make the wines. “I am not going to be the winemaker,” he says. “I am an eager student but I really am intent on bringing in somebody who knows what they are doing.”

Eighteen years later, Painted Rock is one of the Okanagan’s most respected wineries. Many of the wines are snapped up by Painted Rock’s 2,000-member wine club (there is a waiting list to join). The winery also has six distributors in Europe. “I want to be a winery in this wine region that is internationally recognized,” Lauren Skinner says. Painted Rock’s wines are available in London, in Germany and in France.

I did a limited review of current Painted Rock wines several months ago. I have now had the opportunity to taste all the current releases. Here are my notes.

Painted Rock Chardonnay 2023 ($44.99; sold out). This attractive Chardonnay has aromas and flavours of citrus, apples and stone fruits with a well-integrated hint of spicy oak on the finish. To quote the winery: “It was respectfully oaked, with 80% aged for 6 months in oak, 55% of new and 45% old. The remaining 20% was aged in stainless steel. 30% of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation.” 92.

Painted Rock Rosé 2023 ($32.99; sold out). The blend is 51% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petit Verdot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 11% Malbec. This is a delicious wine with aromas and flavours of strawberry and cherry. 91.

Painted Rock Malbec 2022 ($59.99). This is a wine club member exclusive. There is just a 1.15-acre block of Malbec in the Painted Rock vineyard, with most of the fruit destined for the Red Icon blend. A little has been spared in recent vintages for wine club members. The wine, which is aged 18 months in French oak barrels, displays the classic slightly perfumed aromas of the varietal, setting off aromas and flavours of dark fruits. 92.

Painted Rock Merlot 2021 ($49.99). The winery has four blocks of Merlot grapes. These are harvested individually; broken into small batches, cold soaked on the skins for four days and fermented in tank an additional 21 days on the skins with twice daily pump-overs. The winery succeeded in extracting abundant flavours and aromas. The wine was aged 18 months in French oak (30% new). The wine begins with aromas of blueberry and dark cherry leading to flavours of plum and cherry mingled with notes of cocoa and spice. 92.

Painted Rock Cabernet Franc 2022 ($54.99). This excellent wine elevates Cabernet Franc’s under-appreciated image. The varietal is definitely not second fiddle to Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine begins with aromas of blackberry, black currant and spice. The palate is rich and ripe with flavours of dark cherry, plum and chocolate. 94.

Painted Rock Syrah Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 ($49.99). This is a wine club member exclusive, a pairing of varietals that go together so readily. The wine begins with aromas dark cherry, black currant and spice, with a hint of white pepper. This is all echoed on the savoury palate, along with a hint of black licorice and pepper. 92.

Painted Rock Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 ($59.99). The winery has a 2.15-acre block of this varietal, one of the building blocks of Red Icon. Happily, a modest volume is released on its own. This is a richly-textured wine with aromas and flavours of cassis and dark fruits, mingled with mocha on the finish. The ripe tannins give this a long finish. 93.

Painted Rock Syrah 2022 ($49.99). The winery has two Syrah blocks, each planted to a single clone. This insures complexity in the final blend. This elegant wine is aged 18 months in oak, usually 80% French oak and 20% American oak. The wine begins with aromas of dark fruits and pepper. The wine is rich on the palate with flavours of fig and dark cherry mingled with a hint of white pepper. 92.

Painted Rock Red Icon 2021 ($79.99). The blend is 41% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Malbec and 8% Petit Verdot. The wine was aged 18 months in French oak (30% new). The wine begins with a cornucopia of aromas: cherry, blueberry, cassis, hint of chocolate and spice. The concentrated texture delivers flavours of dark fruits. There is a persistent and polished finish. 96.

Black Hills heralds Year of The Snake

Photo: Black Hills winemaker Ross Wise MW

Black Hills Estate Winery is offering two vintages of its flagship Nota Bene red – 2013 and 2022 – to mark the current Lunar New Year’s Year of the Snake. “As we step into the Year of the Snake, we’re reminded of the qualities this symbol embodies: wisdom, transformation, and understated sophistication,” the winery writes. “Much like the Snake’s graceful movement, this year encourages us to pause, reflect, and embrace moments of growth and renewal. It’s a time to celebrate quiet confidence, strategic thinking, and the beauty of transformation, both in nature and in business.”

2013 was the previous Year of the Snake while the 2022 vintage was arguably the finest vintage so far in the Okanagan. Black Hills is offering this Nota Bene pair for $190, warning that the availability is limited. If you miss out on this offering, let me suggest a different pair of Black Hills red wines from the 2021 vintage, which comes close to matching the quality of 2022. Keep in mind that the weather events of 2023 and 2024 have required Black Hills to replant its vineyards. Winemaker Ross Wise still made wines in the 2024 vintage with grapes from Washington State. Since he would have sourced quality grapes, I am looking forward to those wines. In the meantime, seize the chance to buy wines from previous Black Hills Okanagan vintages while they are still available.

Black Hills Tempranillo 2021 ($60 for 258 cases). This wine is for the Black Hills wine club. Tempranillo is a Spanish varietal that does well in hot climates – and 2021 was a hot vintage in the Okanagan. This wine was fermented with wild yeast and aged 18 months in French oak barrels (36% new). The wine begins with aromas of blackberry, dark cherry and red licorice. The palate is both bright and savoury, with flavours of dark cherry and blueberry. The long, ripe tannins give the wine a lingering finish. 93.

Black Hills Per Se 2021 ($60 for 744 cases). This is a blend of 82% Cabernet Franc and 18% Merlot, fermented with wild yeast and aged 18 months in French oak barrels (38% new). The wine begins with aromas of cherry, blackberry and raspberry with a note of chocolate. All of this is echoed on the opulent palate and concentrated flavours. The finish is rich and persistent. 94.

40 Knots is a "top-flight" winery

Photo: Brenda Hetman-Craig and Layne Craig (courtesy of 40 Knots)

Winemaker Kalem Magny joined 40 Knots Vineyard & Estate Winery in the summer of 2023. In the vintage that fall, he stamped his mark on the industry by making a top-flight Vancouver Island Pinot Noir. Pun intended. The winery’s 40-acre vineyard is within earshot of the Comox air force base. It was planted, beginning in 2007, by Bill Montgomery, a retired owner of a tugboat company. He eventually discovered he had taken on more than he wanted to manage and put the winery on the market. In 2014, it was acquired by an energetic husband and wife team from Fort St. John, Layne Craig and Brenda Hetman-Craig.

They provided some background on a early website: “Layne, who grew up on a Saskatchewan farm wanted to put his love of the land into play, while Brenda wanted to put her business management skills toward building a successful family business, one that would ultimately involve their grown children. It was an added bonus for Layne, a pilot, that the Comox air force base is nearby. Planes can often be seen overhead adding to the force of energy that surrounds the site.”

Initially, they relied on an Okanagan winemaker, Matt Dumayne, to make their wines until his full-time job at Okanagan Crush Pad Winery precluded consulting winemaking. Kalem Magny has a bachelor of science degree in biochemistry from Brock University (2016) and is a 2018 graduate of the winemaking course at Niagara College. He started his British Columbia career as a cellar hand at Laughing Stock Vineyards in 2018, moving on to Quails’ Gate Estate Winery and then spent three years as assistant winemaker at Road 13 Vineyards before moving to 40 Knots.

The opportunity at 40 Knots involves making one of the largest portfolios on Vancouver Island. The two estate vineyards, totalling 24 acres, grow Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Auxerrois, Schönburger, Siegerrebe, Maréchal Foch, Castel and, of course, Pinot Noir. 40 Knots also buys grapes from grower vineyards, including one on Quadra Island. 40 Knots is one of the most northerly wineries on Vancouver Island. However, its location near the moderate east cost of the island enables it to succeed with cool climate varietals in its vineyards. The terroir also is suited to the production of crisp Champagne-style sparkling wines.

Here are notes on three recent releases.

40 Knots Pinot Noir 2022 ($45 for 800 cases). This wine was made with clone 777 fruit from the estate vineyard. The fruit was destemmed without crushing. During fermentation, the cap was punched down two or three times a day. The wine was aged in an amphora. It is a light to medium-bodied wine. Aromas of cherry are echoed on the palate, along with flavours of red currant and cranberry. The texture is silky. 88.

40 Knots Classic Pinot Noir 2023 ($75 for 800 cases). The wine is made with clone 777 and clone 115 grapes. The grapes were harvested over a period of seven weeks, allowing the winemaker to select fruit at its prime. The fermentation process began with a cold soak of four to seven days. The wine was aged in a variety of vessels, including an amphora. The wine begins with aromas of raspberry, cherry and spice. There is good weight on the palate, with flavours of cherry and pomegranate. The finish lingers. 92.

40 Knots Spindrift Extra Brut 2021 ($47 for 356 cases). This is a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. This is a traditional method sparkling wine which was en tirage almost two years. There is a delicate note of brioche in the aroma and on the palate, where it mingles with tangy notes of apple and citrus. The wine has a crisp, refreshing finish. 90.

Little Engine is powering through a difficult vintage

Photo: Little Engine's Stephen and Nicole French

Stephen and Nicole French set very high standards for a Little Engine Wines when they opened in 2016 on a Naramata Road vineyard. Wines were released as silver, gold or platinum wines, with the object of getting 60% of the wines to the platinum standard as soon as viticulture allowed that level of quality. Everything was going to plan until the damaging freeze in January 2024 interrupted the progress.

Naramata Bench vineyards suffered production losses but it seems likely the vines will rebound in the 2025 season. Little Engine’s harvest of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the estate was about a third of the normal harvest. “We are however very optimistic about 2025 for our estate vineyards as well as our leases here in Naramata,” writes marketing director Natasha Sadowy. “The vines are looking healthy and we take the upmost care of them through meticulous organic and sustainable methods, so we anxiously await to see what the winter and spring bring.”

“Our small harvest from this year will be used to create our Silver Chardonnay and a Member Exclusive Rosé,” Natasha continues. “We have most of our 2022 and 2023 wines still to be released so we decided to NOT to bring in fruit from anywhere else this year.” Merlot on the Naramata Bench showed freeze-related decline in 2024. “We have also seen a loss on our Merlot vines here on the Naramata Bench, but we are hoping to add some new vineyards to the 2025 season which should bring some Merlot back into production for us.”

The news has not been so good from Little Engine’s contract growers in the Oliver/Osoyoos area, which there was damage not just to the fruit production but, in some instances, to the vines. “Sadly, the losses down south makes this is the end of our Sauvignon Blanc program for the foreseeable future,” Natasha says. “Our 2023 Silver Sauvignon Blanc is the final release, so it is a Wine Club Exclusive.”

Here are notes on new releases from Little Engine from vintages prior to 2024:

Little Engine Silver Chardonnay 2023 ($43 for 800 cases). This wine combines portions fermented in stainless steel and portions fermented in neutral barrels. The wine is fruit forward, with aromas of apples and other orchard fruits. On the palate, there are flavours of apple and peach which a hint of vanilla. 91.

Little Engine Gold Chardonnay 2021 ($59 for 357 cases). The wine was fermented in French oak and aged 17 months on the lees in French oak (50% new). The wine begins with aromas of ripe apple, nectarine and vanilla. The wine is rich on the palate with flavours of stone fruit perfectly integrated with notes of oak. 92.

Little Engine Platinum Chardonnay 2022 ($97 for 100 cases). This is a bold and rich Chardonnay with a golden hue in the glass. A portion of the fruit had 12 hours of skin contact before being pressed. Fermentation was long and cool in French oak barrels; and the wine was aged 18 months French oak puncheons. The wine begins with aromas of orange marmalade mingled with vanilla and shortbread. The palate delivers flavours of marmalade, ripe peach, and nectarine. The finish just goes on and on. 94.

Little Engine Silver Pinot Noir 2021 ($46 for 781 cases). The grapes were fermented in one-ton fermenters, with a total maceration time (including a seven-day cold soak) of three weeks. The wine was aged 14 months in barrel (none new). The wine begins with aromas of cherry and strawberry. The palate is firm, delivering flavours of cherry, spice and forest floor. 90.

Little Engine Gold Merlot 2020 ($68 for 557 cases). This wine was aged 16 months in French oak (55% new). The wine begins with aromas of cassis, blackberry and spice, leading to intense flavours of dark fruits mingled with notes of herbs and spices on the finish. 92.

Little Engine Platinum Merlot 2022 ($115 for 95 cases). This is an exceptional wine, as it should be for the price. The wine was aged 16 months in French oak (75% new). The wine is bold and intense, beginning with aromas of cassis. There are layers of flavour on the palate, including black currant, blueberry, dark cherry and spice. 95.