Bench 1775's fruit-packed wines

Photo: Bench 1775 winemaker Val Tait

A recent package of wine samples from Bench 1775 Winery on the Naramata Bench display the impressive winemaking of Valeria Tait, the general manager and winemaker here.

This winery has a lot going for it, not the least being a tasting patio with an excellent view over vineyards and Okanagan Lake. Val Tait, however, may be its best asset.

Val, a noted viticultural consultant in the Okanagan, joined the winery in 2013, partnering with Jim Stewart, one of the former owners. The winery was sold the following year to low profile immigrant investors who maintained Val in her role, recognizing her depth of experience.

Born in 1964, she has an undergraduate degree in biochemistry and a master’s in integrated pest management. She started working at the Summerland research station on plant viruses and then developed her independent consulting business with grape growers in the early 1990s as new vineyards were being planted. “I was lucky to get in on the industry when it was starting to grow,” says Val.

At Bench 1775, she has reorganized the winery and quickly upgraded viticulture. “We have to be impeccable in the vineyard,” she vows. “It’s such a beautiful site and it has such great potential.”

The 7.5-hectare (18.5-acre) vineyard’s features include a lengthy private beach on Okanagan Lake. “There are very few wineries in the world that are on the water,” Val says. “It is like we are working on a vacation site.” Indeed, one of the privileges to members of the Bench 1775 wine club is access to the beach.

Here are notes on the wines.

Bench 1775 Sauvignon Blanc 2016 ($24.90 for 1,100 cases). This Sancerre-style wine begins aromas of herbal spices and lemon. On the palate, there are flavours of grapefruit, lemon and white peach. The wine is crisp, with an underlying minerality for structure. 91.

Bench 1775 Viognier 2016 ($24.90 for 900 cases). This wine is 84% Viognier, with the addition of 9% Pinot Grise, 3% each of Muscat and Riesling and 1% Gewürztraminer. The wine has appealing floral aromas along with apricot, lime and lemon rind. The fleshy texture delivers flavours of ripe peaches, apricots and guava. The finish is lingering. This is a deliciously fruity wine. 91.

Bench 1775 Brut Rosé ($21.90). This is 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay. The wine puts on a great display in the glass, with a pale bronze hue and fine active bubbles. The aromas of apples lead to a delicious fruit bowl of flavours – apples and nectarines. It is a lovely and refreshing sparkling wine. 91.

Bench 1775 Pinot Noir 2014 ($24.90). Dark in colour, the wine begins with aromas of cherry mingled with chocolate. It is juicy on the palate, with a silky texture supporting flavours of cherry and strawberry. 88.

Bench 1775 Malbec Nouveau 2016 ($24.90). According to the back label, this Beaujolais Nouveau styled wine was a “pet project” of the winery’s French intern. The wine is bursting with fruit. The aromas are spicy and floral with notes of cherry. The fruit is bright and vibrant and the texture is juicy. The winery recommends serving this chilled. 88.

Bench 1775 Cabernet Franc clone 214 2013 ($27.90 for 580 cases). Only the Bench 1775 wine club can buy this superb red.  It is a big, ripe wine with layers of blackberry, black currant, black cherry and mulberry. 92.

Osoyoos Larose will move ahead on winery

 Photo: Osoyoos Larose  manager and winemaker Caroline Schaller

The best-known Okanagan wine in Quebec may well be Le Grand Vin from Osoyoos Larose Winery.

Le Grand Vin’s appeal in that market is due to its sophisticated Bordelaise style. Since the first vintage in 2001, the wine has been crafted by French-trained winemakers, sent to the Okanagan by Groupe Taillan, the Bordeaux producer which helped launch Osoyoos Larose and which now owns 100% of the winery.

From time to time, wine tourists from Quebec stumble around the Okanagan, searching for the Osoyoos Larose tasting room. They are disappointed that there is none.

That is about to change. The individual in charge of making it happen is the new executive manager and winemaker Caroline Schaller. She was sent to the Okanagan in July by Groupe Taillan. She will be making the 2017 vintage with Benoit Giroussens, the other winemaker at Osoyoos Larose.

In between winemaking, she will help her Bordeaux employer acquire a site for a winery and tasting room on or near the 80-acre Osoyoos Larose vineyard in the south Okanagan.

“We have several sites to see first, with different opportunities,” she said in a recent interview. “We want to be sure to find a great one; and also to find a great architect. Then we will build the winery, in one or two years.”

Since 2001, the Osoyoos Larose wines have been made in an expansive cellar at the far northeast corner of the sprawling Jackson Triggs winery north of Oliver. That was the arrangement struck when Groupe Taillan agreed to a 50/50 joint venture with Vincor, as the Jackson Triggs owner was then known. The location precluded a tasting room and public tours, since the access across the Jackson Triggs crush pad is virtually hard hat territory.

The French bought the other 50% of Osoyoos Larose several. The deal included an agreement that Osoyoos Larose would relocate.

The vineyard is on the side of a mountain, with spectacular views over Osoyoos Lake and the south Okanagan Valley. The complication of siting a winery and tasting room there is building an access road that does not go by the Osoyoos town dump. There long before the vineyard, the dump is downhill from the vines. It is not especially unsightly but it might still be shattering to Quebecoise and other lovers of Le Grand Vin.

This is, without a doubt, one of the Okanagan’s icon wines. Here is an excerpt from my recent book: Icon: Flagship Wines from British Columbia’s Best Wineries.

Osoyoos Larose turned the Bordeaux formula on its head with Le Grand Vin, launching it in the 2001 vintage as the premier wine from the estate, not as the second label. It was a surprise because one of the two partners behind Osoyoos Larose (and now the sole owner) was Groupe Taillan of Bordeaux.

Taillan operates several chateaux in Bordeaux, including Château Gruaud-Larose, a distinguished second-growth winery in Saint-Julien. In Bordeaux, grapes from young vines—vines less than 15 years old—are almost never blended into an estate’s top wine. They are usually reserved for an estate’s second label.

At Osoyoos Larose, Le Grand Vin 2001 was made with fruit from three-year-old vines. The second label, Pétales d’Osoyoos, was not even launched until the 2005 vintage. Even then, it was not created as a home for fruit from young vines but rather for the barrels of quality wine left over after the blend for Le Grand Vin had been decided.

“At the beginning, we intended to have two labels, and the first release in 2001 would be the second label,” says Pascal Madevon, the French-born winemaker who managed Osoyoos Larose for 10 years. Referring to Le Grand Vin, he says: “The first label was to be for the later years because the 2001 is from young vines. That was not the case. The wine is so good, we decided to put Osoyoos Larose on the 2001 label, and we decided to put 95 percent of the 2001 vintage into the blend—except six or seven barrels of hard-press wine. Incredible!”

The winemakers who have succeeded Pascal (now a busy Okanagan consultant) have all been equally impressed with the vineyard.

“Unbelievable, I have to say,” Caroline Schaller remarks. “I saw it on Google Earth, but I could not imagine the mountain, the elevation, the lake. The contrast between the dryness of the mountain and the green of the vineyard and the blue of the lake, it is just unbelievable.  The view is just beautiful from the vineyard.”

Born in Toulouse, she trained at the wine school there, the Centre de Viticulture et d’oenologie de Midi Pyrénées, from which she graduated in 1999. She acquired in international experience first in Napa, where she worked as a cellar hand for Pine Ridge Winery in 2000 and then as a laboratory technician there in 2001.

In 2002, she became an assistant winemaker at Daumaine Cauhapé in the Jurançon region in France. In the following year, she worked as an assistant winemaker at Viña Leyda in Chile. On her return to France, she became a consulting winemaker in southwestern France.

From 2004 until 2017, Caroline was executive manager and winemaker at Domaine d’En Ségur, a producer in the Tarn region of southwestern France. She also was active as a writer and teacher of wine. This year, a winemaker friend employed by Groupe Taillan recommended Caroline for the position in the Okanagan.

She has moved to the Okanagan with her husband, Arnaud Thierry, who is also a winemaker, and their children, a daughter aged six and a son aged nine, and their dog.

“My dog is a fox terrier,” she says. “They hunt but I am afraid what will happen if he hunts here. In France, he used to hunt alone for rabbits – but here, it is not rabbits. What impressed me here also is that we feel we live in the animals’ land. They are not in our land. We are in their land. It’s their country.”

Coinciding with her arrival at Osoyoos Larose, the winery has just released the 2014 Le Grand Vin. The 2013 Pétales d’Osoyoos was previously released. Both are widely distributed.

Here are notes on the wines.

Osoyoos Larose Pétales d’Osoyoos 2013 ($25.99). This wine is 82% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2.5% Malbec, 1% Petit Verdot and ½% Cabernet Franc. The high proportion of Merlot gives the wine its appealing approachability. The aromas and fresh flavours of cassis, cherry and raspberry are framed by ripe tannins. The wine was aged 14 to 16 months in French oak barrels that were one to two years old. New oak was deliberately avoided to preserve the fresh and fruity character of the wine. 90.

Osoyoos Larose Le Grand Vin 2014 ($45.99). This wine is 68% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, 8% each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, and 5% Malbec. The wine was aged 18 to 20 months in French oak, with 60% of the barrels new and 40% one year old. The blend and the barrel selection lead to wine with a fine concentrated structure. There are aromas of black currant and other dark fruits with a touch of vanilla. On the palate, there are flavours of black currant, black cherry and spiced black fruit framed with vanilla and long, ripe tannins. The winery took advantage of the harmonious 2014 vintage, one of the best ever in the Okanagan, to craft a classic red worthy of its name. 94.

See Ya Later Ranch: a destination winery

Photo: Detail from label with the flying dog.

See Ya Later Winery in Okanagan Falls has a lot going for it: a breath-taking location, a romantic history and well-made wines at popular prices.

It also is the destination for wine tourists travelling with dogs, especially in a hot year like 2017. The winery always provides water for its canine visitors as well as wines for their owners. There is even a winged dog on all the labels.

Here is an excerpt from the profile in the most recent edition of John Schreiner’s Okanagan Wine Tour Guide.

This is a dog lover’s winery with a wonderful story, reflected both in its name and in that of several wines – Belle, Nelly, Ping, Rover, Hunny and Jimmy My Pal, formerly the names of dogs. This picturesque property on a mountainside above the vineyards of Okanagan Falls was owned for about 45 years by Major Hugh Fraser. Over that time he owned Nelly, Ping, and numerous other dogs. When they died, each was buried under headstones which, in recent years, have been placed at the base of a tree near the vintage home (circa 1902) now serving as the charming tasting room.

According to one legend, the Major brought an English bride with him when he moved to this farm after service in World War One. She could not handle the isolation and returned to England, leaving a note signed “See Ya Later.” The real explanation, or so it is said, is that the major, a prolific correspondent, scrawled “See Ya Later” at the end of his letters.

This is the third name for this winery. An entrepreneur named Albert LeComte launched the winery in 1986 under his own name. It became Hawthorne Mountain Vineyards when Sumac Ridge founder Harry McWatters bought it in 1995. A few years after Vincor (now Constellation) purchased the winery in 2000, it was rechristened to take advantage of the history and the canine legacy. The winery honours that legacy by welcoming visitors with dogs and by contributing to the major’s favourite charity, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to animals.

This 40.5-hectare (100-acre) property is the highest elevation vineyard in the south Okanagan, rising to 536 metres (1,759 feet) and sloping to the northeast, an unusual exposure for the northern hemisphere. However, this cool location makes it one of the Okanagan’s best sites for Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris and Ehrenfelser. Its Gewürztraminer block, at 26 hectares (65 acres), is the single largest planting of this aromatic variety in North America. The other grapes for See Ya Later wines come from Constellation’s extensive plantings in the south Okanagan.

Winemaker Dave Saysomsack (left), in releasing these wines, commented that the 2016 vintage was excellent for white wines. (It certainly was also a good year for reds, not many of which have yet been released.)

“Our white vineyards yielded full crops,” the winemaker says. The resulting wines are “bursting with flavour and a rounded acidity reflected in our 2016 Chardonnay, 2016 Pinot Gris and 2016 Riesling.”

The 2015 Meritage, of course, is from a hotter vintage – but that season led to full-bodied and ripe reds.

Here are notes on the wines.

See Ya Later Ranch Chardonnay 2016 ($17.49). There is what the winery calls “a splash” of Pinot Gris blended in this wine. The wine begins with aromas of citrus and apple with spice and herbs. On the palate, the fruit flavours are luscious, with notes of melon, pear and citrus, subtly enhanced with a very light touch of oak. 90.

See Ya Later Ranch Riesling 2016 ($16.99). Extended cool fermentation has preserved the floral Riesling aromas. On the palate, there are flavours of lime and lemon and stone fruit, with just the right amount of acidity to give the wine a very refreshing tang. The finish goes on and on; and the wine is dry. 91.

See Ya Later Ranch Pinot Gris 2016 ($16.99). Forty per cent of this was fermented in French oak; the rest in stainless steel. The wine begins with aromas of peaches and apples. On the palate, there are flavours of pears, peaches and apples. The texture is mouthfilling and the finish lingers. 90.

See Ya Later Ranch Ping Meritage 2015 ($24.99). This is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, aged 14 months in American and French oak barrels. The wine begins with aromas of black cherry and cassis which are echoed in the red fruits on the palate. There are also notes of vanilla and mocha. The tannins are ripe and the texture makes this full-bodied red easy and approachable. 90

Chaberton Winery gives new life to Madeleine Sylvaner

Photo: Cbaberton winemaker Andrea Lee

At Langley’s Chaberton Estate Winery, Andrea Lee, the winemaker there since 2015, has brilliantly revived Madeleine Sylvaner as an estate-grown white wine. And she is working on Madeleine Angevine, a sister variety in the Chaberton vineyard.

The late Claude Violet, the original owner of Chaberton, planted these varieties in the winery’s 40-acre vineyard in the early 1980s. He chose them, along with Bacchus and Siegerrebe, because he needed varieties that would ripen reliably in the Fraser Valley.

For whatever reason, the Madeleines were eventually dropped from the portfolio as varietals, to be relegated as constituents in blended whites. Andrea restored Madeleine Sylvaner as a named variety in 2015. She will do the same with Madeleine Angevine when she is satisfied she has mastered the grape.

You could count the wineries with these grapes on the fingers of one hand (Recline Ridge in the Shuswap; Venturi-Schulze and Zanatta in the Cowichan Valley). “If you take care even of a humble variety, you can make some incredible things,” winemaker Giordano Venturi once told me.

I described these somewhat obscure varietals in my 1998 book, Chardonnay and Friends.

Madeleine Angevine was developed in 1857 by a Loire nurseryman named Moreau-Robert. He sought to create new varieties simply by planting grape seeds and selecting the chance varieties that came, since the grape seed is genetically unpredictable in the progeny that results from this method. Three varieties emerged that are still grown, often for table grapes rather than wine grapes: the other two are Madeleine Sylvaner and Madeleine Royale.

Other sources maintain that Madeleine Angevine -- the Moreau-Robert nursery was at the city of Angers -- resulted from a cross in which Madeleine Royale (bred in 1845) was one parent. “Why do they call it Madeleine?” Domaine de Chaberton’s Claude Violet said rhetorically. “Because they are very, very early plants and they are blooming on the feast of Saint Madeleine [in early May].” This vine has the rare attribute of being almost totally “female” which means that, unlike other vines, it is not self-pollinating but must be planted near to other varieties in order to be fruitful. Madeleine Angevine is a mainstay for English wine production.

Madeleine Sylvaner was also named for the saint. Sylvaner was appended because the plant breeder believed the wine was reminiscent of an unrelated Alsace varietal called Sylvaner.

“It had not been released as a varietal since the 1990s,” Andrea says of Madeleine Sylvaner. “I brought the wine back in 2015 as single varietal. We made about 300 cases. Sales really picked up. Restaurants liked how it is lean and refreshing, and not too overtly aromatic. It is really quite delicate and it matches well with the food. As I am learning to work with this grape, I like to balance its delicacy and also build a little more complexity in the layers. I quite enjoy the fruit up front, with mouth-watering acidity. It finishes off with minerality. I like to give this wine texture.”

The quality of the 2016 Madeleine Sylvaner took me by surprise when I tasted it recently with Andrea. I had not been much of a fan of the variety in the 1990s. Clearly, there have been significant improvements in both the viticulture and winemaking.

Andrea was born in Hong Kong but grew up in Summerland after her parents emigrated there. She took a degree in molecular biology and biochemistry. She was doing a “tedious” internship with a pharmaceutical company until she was caught up in a recessionary downsizing. She travelled to New Zealand and, but for a car accident, would have worked in vineyards. Instead, after recuperating at home, she started working in the Sumac Ridge wine shop.

She helped do the crush at Chaberton in 2008 and then took a master’s degree in viticulture and winemaking at the University of Adelaide in Australia. By the time she returned to Chaberton as the head winemaker, she had accumulated several vintages of experience in both Australia and in the Okanagan.

The largest winery in the Fraser Valley, Chaberton now produces an extensive portfolio, both from the estate vineyard and with fruit from selected vineyards in the Okanagan and the Similkameen.

Here are notes on current releases. Most of the wines are labelled “reserve.”

There are no notes here on the winery’s limited production AC wines, which sell at the winery for $50 each. There are just three vintages so far and I plan on tasting them separately. AC are the initials for Anthony Cheng, one the winery’s owners. He takes a personal hand in blending. Each is based on a platform of Merlot.

Chaberton Reserve Madeleine Sylvaner 2016 ($15.75). The wine begins with floral aromas leading to flavours of apple and cantaloupe melon. The finish is crisp and refreshing. 90.

Chaberton Reserve Siegerrebe 2016 ($16.75). This highly aromatic white is a cross between Madeleine Angevine and Gewürztraminer. The aromas and the flavours are intense, with hints of lychee mingled with ginger. The wine is off-dry but well-balanced and suitable as a pairing with Asian cuisines. 91.

Chaberton Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2016 ($16.75). The grapes for this wine are from the Blind Creek Vineyard in the Similkameen Valley. It has aromas and flavours of tropical fruit with lime and herbs on the finish. A dash of Muscat in the blend lifts the aromas. The finish is crisp. 90.

Chaberton Reserve Pinot Gris 2016 ($16.75). This wine blends Okanagan and Similkameen fruit. Some skin contact has given the wine the pale pink hue of a Provençal rosé. “When you close your eyes, it still tastes like a white wine,” Andrea says. It has aromas and flavours of raspberry and strawberry mingled with citrus and pear. 90.

Chaberton Reserve Bacchus 2016 ($15.75). These are estate-grown grapes from old vines. This aromatic white wine is 86% Bacchus, 8% Pinot Blanc, 4% Reichensteiner and 2% Muscat. Slightly off dry, the wine begins with floral aromas and flavours of lime and grapefruit. 90.

Chaberton Reserve Chardonnay 2016 ($19.95). Grapes for this wine are from the Golden Mile appellation. The wine is a combination of barrel fermented and stainless steel fermented. The oak has given this is a lovely and delicate note of vanilla in the aroma. On the palate, there are buttery flavours of orange and ripe pineapple with a hint of butterscotch on the finish. A textbook example of letting the oak support the fruit, not cover it. 91.

Chaberton Reserve Gamay Noir 2016 ($16.95). This dark and spicy red is made with grapes grown in the estate vineyard. Andrea left the wine on the skins for 26 days, extracting flavours of cherries and cranberries. The low alcohol (11.8%) gives this wine a delicate footprint on the palate. The note of white pepper punctuates a lingering finish. 90.

Chaberton Reserve Merlot 2014 ($22.95). There are Okanagan and Similkameen grapes in the wine. It was aged for 21 months in second-use oak barrels. There is touch of vanilla both in the aroma and the finish, sandwiching aromas and flavours of black cherry, plum and black currant. The long, ripe tannins give the wine a long, polished finish. 90.

Chaberton Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 ($22.95). Grapes selected from Oliver, Cawston and Naramata vineyards were used to make this wine, which was aged 19 months in new French and American oak barrels. The aromas are bright and floral, with notes of cherry and cassis. On the palate, there are flavours of dark berry fruit, plum and prunes. 90.

Chaberton Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 (unreleased). The cassis aromas give this wine a lifted, floral aroma, leading to flavours of cherry and black currant. On the finish, there are hints of vanilla and chocolate. 92.

Chaberton Reserve Cabernet Franc 2014 (unreleased). This wine, which was aged 23 months in new oak, is a classic Cabernet Franc – packed with brambly aromas and flavours: blackberry, raspberry, cherry and cassis. 92.

Chaberton Reserve Meritage 2014 ($25.95). This is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, with grapes sourced from Black Sage and Naramata Bench vineyards. The wine was aged for 22 months in new French and American oak barrels. The wine begins with aromas of cassis and black cherry, leading to flavours of black cherry, plum and black olives. The finish is long and harmonious, with hints of sweet fruit, leather and tobacco. 92.

Chaberton Reserve Syrah 2013 ($28.95). This wine, which was aged 20 months in new French and American oak barrels, is a bold, dark wine beginning with aromas of fig and prune with a gamy note. The wine has a rich palate, with flavours of black cherry and figs. The finish is savoury, with notes of truffles and white pepper. 90.

Chaberton Reserve Ortega Dessert Wine 2016 ($N/A). The winery produced just 650 litres of wine from botrytis-affected estate grown Ortega grapes. The wine begins with honeyed floral aromas, leading to flavours recalling fruit pie. Not overly sweet, the wine is balanced to finish clean and fresh. 91.

Chaberton Tribute 2013 ($24.95 for 375 ml). This is a barrel-aged fortified wine made with Syrah. It is a rich, juicy, figgy wine with mocha on the finish. 90.  

River Stone 2013 Corner Stone and friends

Photo: River Stone's Ted Kane

River Stone Estate Winery’s top red wine, Corner Stone, is included in my new book, Icon: Flagship Wines from British Columbia’s Best Wineries.

Other products from this winery might easily have been included. However, the focus of the book is to highlight one wine (with a few exceptions) that you should collect for your cellar. Corner Stone, a Bordeaux red, is it for River Stone. And the price makes the wine more affordable than a lot of other aspiring icons.

Here is what I have written about River Stone in Icon.

Ted Kane had Corner Stone in mind back in 2003, when he began planting the River Stone vineyard on Tucelnuit Drive, just outside Oliver. In the French tradition, he planted Bordeaux varietals—Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec—in the proportions he believed he needed for his blend.

“I knew at the beginning it was going to be a Merlot-forward, Right Bank Bordeaux style because of our cool-climate growing conditions,” Ted says. “Merlot is the most reliable ripener as opposed to Cabernet Sauvignon, which I knew would be the last to ripen.” Consequently, Merlot was the biggest block on the well-drained south-facing slopes. Subsequent experience led him to increase the planting of Cabernet Franc, another reliable ripener. He also replaced five rows of Cabernet Sauvignon with Petit Verdot in order to grow the full suite needed for a Bordeaux-type blend.

Ted says some have drawn parallels between Corner Stone and Bordeaux’s Château Cheval Blanc, although in the latter’s vineyard, Cabernet Franc takes the lead, followed by Merlot. While he does not mind the compliment inherent in that comparison, Ted says that Corner Stone is made in the New World style, closer to reds from California or Chile. “I wanted to produce wines that had concentration and weight,” he says. “I also found after a short time in France that what I didn’t want was the astringency that was still there after year six on some of the wines.”

Ted, who was born in Edmonton in 1962, began making wines from tree fruits when he was 19. Even as he began a career as a respiratory therapist, he was obsessed with wine-growing. “I built a small greenhouse by my house in Edmonton,” he says. “I bought grapevines from Eastern Canada and propagated and grew them, just so I could learn pruning and trellising and irrigation techniques.” By the late 1990s, while his wife, Lorraine, was completing a medical degree, Ted was anxious to find an Okanagan property before, in her words, “It was all gone.” Good properties were still available in 2001, when they found 3.8 hectares (9.5 acres) of raw land near Oliver, on a hill beside the Okanagan River. They moved there in 2002, planting a 3-hectare (7.5-acre) vineyard while Lorraine began a family medicine practice.

After selling grapes for several years, Ted took advantage of the superb 2009 harvest to make River Stone’s debut vintages. He was mentored in his first vintage by a consulting winemaker, New Zealand–trained Jacqueline Kemp. She remains on call when another palate is needed, but Ted is now comfortable in his ability to grow grapes and make wine.

The individual varietals are fermented in small lots that are aged separately in French oak barrels for 14 to 18 months. By blending time, Ted has identified the best barrels of each varietal. Wine not needed for Corner Stone is blended into Stones Throw, which, in the French tradition, is made for earlier consumption. He also bottles modest volumes of single varietals, offering them in the wine shop and to his wine club.

Perhaps the most notable of these single varietals is the Cabernet Franc, which grows very successfully in the River Stone vineyard. “If I knew back when I planted what I know now, I would have planted more Cabernet Franc,” Ted admits. Much like Cheval Blanc.

Here are notes on the current releases.

Riverstone Sparkling White Merlot 2016 ($22.90). This is, I believe, the first sparkling wine from Riverstone. The wine has a pale salmon hue in the glass, along with lively bubbles. The strawberry in the aroma is echoed on the refreshing palate. The finish is crisp and dry. It is, I think, just missing a touch of residual sugar. 88.

Riverstone Pinot Gris 2016 ($19.90 for 230 cases). The wine begins with aromas of pear and citrus, leading to flavours of pear, apple and peach. Bright acidity is well balanced with 4.7 grams of residual sugar, giving the wine a crisp finish with a spine of minerality. 90.

Riverstone Sauvignon Blanc 2016 ($19.90 for 240 cases). The wine begins with aromas of lime leading to flavours of lime, grapefruit and guava. The crisp, focussed fruit flavours suggest a promising Okanagan style where the winemaker is not trying to emulate either New Zealand or the Loire. 91.

Riverstone Cabernet Franc 2015 ($27.90 but sold out). This delicious red begins with brambly aromas of blackberry, raspberry and boysenberry. On the palate, the wine is rich and ripe, with brambly flavours that echo the aroma. The finish is remarkably long, with lingering red berry notes. 92.

Riverstone Stone’s Throw 2014 ($25.90 for 525 cases). The blend is 58% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Malbec and 11% Petit Verdot. The ripe, juicy texture begins with the fermentation technique: 80% of the berries are whole (not crushed), given a three to five-day cold soak, and fermented in small tanks for optimum skin contact. The wine, which was aged 14 months in French oak (30% new), begins with aromas of black cherry. On the palate, there are flavours of black cherry, black currant, vanilla and sage. The tannins are long and the texture is generous. 91.

Riverstone Corner Stone 2013 ($31.90 for 333 cases).  This is the winery’s flagship red: 47% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc, 7% Malbec and 4% Petit Verdot. It was aged 18 months in French oak. Dark in colour, the wine begins with appealing aromas of cassis, cherry and plum. The palate delivers a bowl of dark berry flavours including cherry, boysenberry and black currant. The long ripe tannins give the wine immediate accessibility (decanting is advised) but with the structure to let the wine develop gracefully through to 2023. 93.

Township 7's Mary McDermott's 2016s

 Photo: Winemaker Mary McDermott

By now, I have come to look forward to tasting the art of Mary McDermott, the winemaker at Township 7 Vineyards & Winery since 2014.

The wines never disappoint. That should not be surprising, considering her background. Her interest in wine began when she worked as a sommelier at Monk McQueen’s Fresh Seafood & Oyster Bar in Vancouver. That led her back to Ontario, her native province, to earn a winemaking and viticulture degree at Brock University.

After graduation, she started as a cellarhand at Stratus Vineyards and moved on to become assistant cellarmaster at Cave Spring Cellars. Then, in 2010, she became winemaker at Trius Winery at Hillebrand as well as Thirty Bench Winery. Both are premium wine producers operated by Andrew Peller Ltd.

She was recruited by Township 7 after new owners acquired the winery in 2014. The new owners have invested significantly, giving her better equipment, more barrels and more space in which to work.

With just a small estate vineyard, Township 7 relies on contract growers for most of its grapes. The winery has had long-term relations with several of the vineyards and, as production grew, has forged relations with new ones as well. I have the sense, when I taste the wine, that Mary spends a lot of time with the growers.

The recent releases, all from the superb 2016 vintage, taste like very well grown wines. Here are my notes. The prices do not include tax.

Township 7 Chardonnay 2016 ($19.97 for 648 cases). Half of this wine was fermented in American oak barrels; the other half in stainless steel. The oak treatment brings a subtle note of vanilla to aromas of apples and pineapples. On the palate, there are flavours of peach and citrus, with subtle oak. The finish is dry, with notes of spice. 90.

Township 7 Unoaked Chardonnay 2016 ($17.97 for 298 cases). Fermented in stainless steel, this wine delivers pure and focussed fruit aromas and flavours: apple and citrus with a refreshingly crisp finish. 91.

Township 7 Pinot Gris 2016 ($17.97 for 318 cases).  This wine was made primarily with grapes from the legendary Sperling Vineyard in East Kelowna. The grapes were fermented in stainless steel for five weeks at 12◦C, preserving the pristine fruit aromas and flavours. The wine begins with aromas of apple and pear. On the palate, there are flavours of apple, white peach and citrus. 91.

Township 7 Muscat 2016 ($17.97 for 228 cases). The grapes for this wine were also fermented in stainless steel for three weeks at 12◦C, again preserving the exquisite fruit of this variety. The wine begins with a delicate aroma of rose petals and spice, leading to flavours of orange peel and ginger. The finish is dry. With an alcohol of just 12.8%, this elegant wine is light and refreshing on the finish. 91.

Township 7 Viognier 2016 Romar Vineyard ($22.97 for 568 cases; available only at the wineries). This wine was fermented in stainless steel; one barrel – about 25 cases – was barrel-fermented and added to the blend to enhance the richness. The wine begins with aromas of guava and ripe peach. On the palate, there are rich flavours of apricots and peaches. There is a honeyed note to the fruit but the wine has a lingering, dry finish. 91.

Township 7 Rosé 2016 ($17.97 for 498 cases). The wine is 65% Merlot, 19% Pinot Gris and 19% Malbec. Pale salmon pink, the wine has cherry and strawberry aromas, leading for flavours of strawberry and rhubarb. The wine has good weight and finishes with refreshing crispness. 90.

Tinhorn Creek releases a trio of reserves

Photo: Tinhorn Creek winemaker Andrew Windsor 

The three excellent reserve wines recently released by Tinhorn Creek Vineyards includes  illuminating background information on the winery’s two vineyards.

I think it is worth reproducing some of the text.

The winery produces wines in two tiers; Varietal and Oldfield Reserve tiers. The single-varietal series includes a Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Merlot. Special lots are selected each year for the winery’s reserve tier, named the Oldfield Reserve tier. This tier is a playground for experimentation and is a creative showcase of the best wines from each vintage.

The series includes 2Bench White and 2Bench Red, both proprietary blends, as well as a Rosé, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and a Golden Mile-designated Chardonnay. The Oldfield Reserve red wines are aged for a minimum of three years prior to release. All Tinhorn Creek wines evoke the unique terroir of the region: the sage-covered desert terrain.

Tinhorn Creek’s 100-acre Diamondback Vineyard located on the Black Sage Bench. Black Sage Bench is home to approximately one third of the Okanagan Valley’s vineyards. This area was first planted with hybrid grape varieties which were later removed in 1988 as a result of NAFTA under a government program to replace less desirable grape varieties with premium vinifera grapes.

The land sat fallow for several years before replanting began. Twenty minutes north of Osoyoos, the Black Sage Bench sits on top of sandy soil that can be up to 300 feet deep. Affectionately known as “The Beach”, the soil on the upper elevated area of Black Sage Bench makes planting a challenge as freshly dug holes immediately fill with sand. The soil has lower nutrient and organic matter content than other areas in the valley, and there is a high evaporation rate as water drains right through soil, requiring more irrigation than other sites. Fortunately, the benefits outweigh the challenges, which is apparent in the quality of the grapes the area produces.

The Diamondback Vineyard has a southwest facing elevated location and enjoys both early morning and late afternoon sun. In the summer months, the site can get two to three additional hours of sunlight per day compared to the Tinhorn Creek Vineyard. The grapes planted at this site can ripen one to three weeks prior to the same varieties at Tinhorn Creek, in part due to this extended sun exposure.

The Diamondback Vineyard has 100 acres planted with eight varietals. Planting began in 1994 with Pinot Gris and Cabernet Franc. More plantings followed including Merlot, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. By 1997, the Diamondback Vineyard planting finished. More recently, Semillon, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon have been planted at this site.

The 50-acre Tinhorn Creek Vineyard in the Golden Mile Bench sub-appellation; the Golden Mile Bench starts at Fairview Road in Oliver and extends south to Road 13. Although this area measures longer than a mile, it was first referred to the “Golden Mile” in the mid-1940s as it gained its reputation for its rich farmland.

The Golden Mile Bench is located on a bench above the valley floor, and the elevation makes it significantly warmer than the valley floor. These features also help the vineyard escape damaging spring and fall frosts.

The Tinhorn Creek vineyard site enjoys the early morning sun exposure. By late afternoon, the sun dips behind the hills, providing cool summer evenings, allowing grapes develop their exquisite flavours. To the west of the vineyards lies the Thompson Plateau. The sun goes behind this ridge early in the day relative to the other side of the valley. The vineyard can be in shade as early as 17:00 in the summer months making it a cooler, slower ripening area. The downward slope of the vineyards provides good airflow and, mainly due to water drainage, varietals ripen differently uphill versus downhill.

The soils on the Golden Mile Bench consist primarily of rocky clay loam soil, characteristic of the Golden Mile alluvial fan. In fact, the stone archway above the winery entrance was constructed with rocks from the Gewürztraminer vineyards. These heavier soils are more difficult to plant due to the large number of rocks; but the soil holds moisture longer, so less irrigation is required. Additionally, less fertilizer is needed due to high nutrient content and vines grow more vigorously in these conditions. As a result, the vineyard team does shoot removal and leaf thinning during the summer to keep the fruit exposed to the sun and to ensure the vine is in balance.

The previous owners planted Pinot Noir in 1989, Merlot between 1989 and 1991, and Kerner and Chardonnay in 1990. Today, there are ten varieties of grapes planted at this site including Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat, Roussanne, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Syrah, and Petit Verdot.

Here are notes on the three releases. The 2014 wines are from the vintage in which Andrew Windsor took over as winemaker when Sandra Oldfield became winery president.

Tinhorn Creek Oldfield Reserve 2Bench White 2016 ($19.99 for 1,507 cases). This is a blend of 47% Sauvignon Blanc, 17% Sémillon, 16% Viognier, 14% Chardonnay and 6% Muscat. The winery went to some lengths to produce a complex wine, fermenting portions of the Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier in new and used French oak. The remainder was fermented in stainless steel. The wine begins with aromas of melon and guava, touched with notes of honey and vanilla. The winery notes suggest the palate is light; to my taste, it is rich, with flavours of tropical fruits and vanilla. The lingering finish is dry. 91.

Tinhorn Creek Oldfield Reserve Merlot 2014 ($26.99 for 1,536 cases). The grapes for this wine are from a special 18-year-old block of vines at a high elevation in the winery’s Diamondback vineyard on Black Sage Road. Here, the grapes are smaller and the yields are lower. There is 15% Cabernet Franc in the blend. The result is a dark and concentrated wine that was aged 18 months in French oak barrels. The wine begins with aromas of cassis, black cherry and fig. That is echoed on the palate, along with notes of vanilla and dark chocolate. The firm structure will support aging. 92.

Tinhorn Creek Oldfield Reserve Syrah 2014 ($31.99 for 859 cases). The grapes for this are from 13-year-old (in 2014) vines in the Diamondback Vineyard. The two percent Viognier in the blend results from adding Viognier skins to the fermenting Syrah. Fermentation was done with wild yeast. The wine stayed on the skins for about eight weeks, maximizing the robust flavours of this Syrah, which was aged 18 months in French, American and Hungarian oak (30% new). The wine begins with powerful aromas of figs, plum, white pepper and vanilla. On the palate, there are flavours of black cherry, plum, fig jam, licorice and pepper. The finish is exceptionally long. 92.