Desert Hills rolls out new label for its 2011s

Photo: Jesse and Randy Toor; courtesy of Desert Hills

In the 1980s, Randy and Jesse Toor, the twin brothers who run Desert Hills Estate Winery, spent summers working in vineyards on Black Sage Road.

They remember looking at the orchards that also flourished in the neighbourhood and dreamed about owning one.

That memory inspired the smart new label that Desert Hills launched this spring. The tree embossed onto the crisp white label represents the orchard they once coveted. After buying it in 1988, they soon learned about the difficult economics of apple growing. In 1995, they replaced the apple trees with grape vines, mostly red varietals, opening their winery in 2003.

A decade later, this successful family business (brother Dave is also an owner) produces between 8,000 and 10,000 cases a year of wines that frequently win awards.

The current releases are impressive. Here are my notes from a recent visit to the compact Desert Hills wine shop.

Desert Hills Unoaked Chardonnay 2011 ($16.90 for a production of 600 cases). If a winery has to make unoaked Chardonnay, this might be the template. The wine is crisply fresh, with flavours of apples and citrus and with a long juicy finish. 89.

Desert Hills Cactus Series White 2011 ($16.90 for 1,200 cases). This is an unusual blend of Viognier, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer and Chardonnay but it works. The aromatic varietals give the wine herbal aromas. On the palate, there are flavours of pineapple, pear and apple with a crisp mineral note on the finish. 89.

Desert Hills Viognier 2011 Sira’s Vineyard ($24.90 for 1,000 cases). Here is a delicious white, with aromas and flavours of apricot, ripe pineapple, apple, and with spice and minerals on the crisp finish. 90.

Desert Hills Gewürztraminer 2011 ($22.90 for 1,133 cases). Here is a very good varietal expression of Gewürztraminer, begin with aromas of rose petals and spice. On the palate, there are layers of lychee and citrus flavours, with a fleshy texture and a long finish. 91.

Desert Hills Gamay 2011 ($19.90 for 2,200 cases). Along with Blue Mountain and Robin Ridge, Desert Hills makes some of B.C.’s best Gamay. This dark-hued wine has black cherry and cinnamon aromas, with earthy black cherry flavours. The cinnamon kicks in again on the long finish. 90.

Desert Hills Merlot 2008 ($24.90). The four years of bottle age enabled this wine to develop aromas of cassis and sweet berries, which carry through on the flavours to a spicy finish. The texture is firm enough to give this a few more years of cellaring. 88.

Desert Hills Syrah 2008 ($36.90 for 1,200 cases). This is a rich and ripe Syrah, with aromas of pepper, red fruit and spice and with earthy flavours of of figs and prunes. 91.

Desert Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Three Boys Vineyard ($29.90). The wine begins with the classic minty aromas of the variety, along with cassis. On the palate, there are flavours of black currants. The tannins are long and elegant. 88.

Desert Hills Cabernet Franc 2008 Eagle’s Nest Vineyard ($26.90). Big and concentrated, this wine begins with brambleberry aromas. On the palate, there are flavours of blackberry, currants and chocolate, with a long, satisfying finish. 90.

Desert Hills Mirage 2007  ($36.90 for 833 cases). This is the winery’s flagship Bordeaux blend: 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 15% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Firm and muscular, this wine begins with aromas of vanilla and cassis. On the palate, the concentrated texture opens to reveal flavours of black currants, chocolate and tobacco, with a note of liquorice on the lingering finish. 92. 

Name change and a new winemaker at Soaring Eagle

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Wines for a summer party

Photo: Grapes ripening on the vine

The trio of wineries presented here includes Mission Hill, perhaps the best known of the Okanagan wineries, along with Therapy Vineyards, a rising star on the Naramata Bench, and Backyard Vineyards, a fairly new Fraser Valley label.

These wines were originally going to be tasted not only by me but also by my neighbours at our annual block party. The foul weather recently has led to a two month postponement of the party. That’s too long to sit on these wines, so I have gone ahead to taste them now.

Backyard operates under the umbrella of Neck of the Woods Winery in Langley. Formerly known as Glenugie Winery, the winery was purchased from the founding family several years ago by real estate developers Ewen Stewart and Trent Blackwell.

They also own a vineyard near Abbotsford and plan a second winery there, which will be called Backyard Vineyards. The application was recently filed with the city of Abbotsford.

The wines being released now are establishing the brand. Many of the wines are made with Okanagan grapes. The Glenugie and the Backyard vineyards in the Fraser Valley grow Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay and Merlot. A significant amount of the Fraser Valley fruit is being turned into sparkling wine under the direction of Mark Wendenburg, who formerly made the award-winning Steller ’s Jay Brut at Sumac Ridge Estate Winery.

Therapy occupies the original location of Red Rooster Winery. When the latter winery moved to larger buildings on Naramata Road in 2004, the property was acquired by a group of Alberta and British Columbia investors. They came up with the name, Therapy, because they found the scenery over the vineyards to be therapeutic.

Almost all of the Therapy labels are inspired by psychoanalysis and by Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis.

Mission Hill releases its wines in four tiers. The Five Vineyards tier is the lowest-priced tier, with the Reserve wines one rung up in price.

Here are my notes.

Backyard Vineyards Nosey Neighbour White 2011 ($14.99). This is a blend of 61% Pinot Gris, 17% Riesling, 17% Siegerrebe and 5% Gewürztraminer. The Siegerrebe gives this wine a floral aroma and quite fruity, spicy flavours. Think of crossing fresh apples with rose petals. This is a good apéritif wine. 88.

Backyard Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2011 ($17.99). Once again, the style leans to flinty austerity (think of Graves), with herbs and citrus on the nose and a touch of herbs and grassiness on the palate. 86.

Backyard Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 ($19.99). This red, along with the next two, are made with Okanagan grapes since it is next to impossible to ripen these varieties in the Fraser Valley. This Cabernet begins with aromas of mint, blueberry and vanilla. On the palate, the tannins are ripe but firm enough to allow some cellaring. There are flavours of black currant and vanilla. 87.

A word on cellaring these reds: Backyard currently uses synthetic (plastic) closures. I would not trust these closures for storing wines for more than three years.

Backyard Vineyards Merlot 2010 ($16.99). This wine begins with aromas of black currants, with a hint of coconut that likely reflects the barrels it was aged in. On the palate, it is still tight, with dry tannins that need time to soften. When they do, they reveal bright red berry flavours. 86.

Backyard Vineyards Syrah 2010 ($24.99). Here is a wine with excellent varietal expression: white pepper, plum and black cherry aromas and flavours. It is a full bodied red. With breathing, the cherry flavours pop out vividly amid the pepper and vanilla notes. 88.

Mission Hill Family Estate Reserve Pinot Gris 2010 ($19.99). The winemaker aimed for complexity here, fermenting 10% of the juice in new French oak and leaving the wine on its lees for four months. The result is a fleshy wine with toasty notes on the palate and flavours of ripe pears. 88.

Mission Hill Family Estate Reserve Riesling 2011 ($19.99). This expressive wine begins with appealing aromas of lemon and lime. On the palate, the flavours of lime and grapefruit are crisply focussed, with good intensity. The bright acidity and the spine of minerals add to the wine’s laser-like focus. This is good now but also will develop further complexity with a year or two of bottle age. 91

Mission Hill Family Estate Five Vineyards Pinot Blanc 2011 ($14.99). Here is a wine for seafood – crisp, with aromas and flavours of apples, and with a backbone of minerals. 87.

Mission Hill Family Estate Five Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2011 ($14.99). This is 91% Sauvignon Blanc, 9% Sémillon. Light in body, this is a refreshing white with aromas and flavours of lime, grapefruit rind and herbs and with a racy acidity. 88.

Mission Hill Family Estate Five Vineyards Pinot Grigio 2011 ($15.99). The style is deliberately different from the Pinot Gris. The emphasis here is juicy freshness with flavours of citrus, pear and peach. 88.

Mission Hill Family Estate Five Vineyards Pinot Noir 2010 ($19.99). This is a charmer, with aromas of strawberries and cherries which follow through to the silky palate. 88.

Therapy Vineyards Freudian Sip 2011 ($17 for a production of 2,388 cases). This is a blend of 54% Pinot Gris, 27% Riesling, 12% Sauvignon Blanc and 7% Sauvignon Blanc. The appeal starts with the floral and herbal aromas. On the palate, there are flavours of orange, apricot and papaya. The tangy finish is crisp and refreshing. 90. 

Therapy Vineyards Artist Series Riesling Kerner 2011 ($20 for a production of 204 cases). This blend is 75% Riesling, 25% Kerner. This is a juicy, off-dry white with citrus aromas. The residual sugar balances the acidity, lifts the aroma and enhances the flavours of lime and apricot. 88.

Therapy Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2011 ($20 for 337 cases). The freshness of the aroma reminded me of an early morning meadow. The wine is light and delicate, with a touch of lime on the palate. 88.

Therapy Vineyards Alter Ego 2011 ($24 for 510 cases). This blend is 45% Pinot Gris, 40% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Viognier and 5% Chardonnay. Each variety was fermented separately in stainless steel and then given some time in barrel. The final blend also had three months in oak. The oak treatment is evident mostly in the rich texture of this complex white, with its flavours of ripe pear and herbs. The finish is dry. 90.

Therapy Vineyards Chardonnay 2010 ($22 for 305 cases). Twelve months in French oak have given this wine toasty notes on the aroma. It has flavours of pear, citrus and coconut and a full texture. The oak treatment, however, does not overwhelm the fruity flavours. 89.

Therapy Vineyards Pink Freud 2011 ($17 for a production of 930 cases). This rosé is 78% Merlot and 22% Pinot Noir. A fellow taster spent six months in the south of France some years ago. This wine took her back to fond memories of drinking rosé! It has appealing aromas of raspberry and plum, with flavours of raspberry, cherry and cranberry. There are layers of juicy flavours but the finish is dry. 90.

J-M Bouchard moves Road 13 to the next level

Photo: Road 13 winemaker J-M Bouchard

  

In early 2011, Michael Bartier turned over the winemaker’s role at Road 13 Vineyards to J-M Bouchard with generous praise for the new guy.

In an email, Michael described his successor as “an amicable guy and extraordinary winemaker.”

J-M has now shown that the praise was merited. Road 13 has just won a Lieutenant Governor’s Award of Excellence for a white wine he made in his first vintage there: the Jackpot Viognier Roussanne Marsanne 2011.

Early in June, at a visit to the winery, I tasted all of the winery’s current releases with J-M, including several from Michael’s last few vintages there. 

The quality of the wines is consistently high. I am surprised that the winery only won one award. Three of its wines were among the 43 in the final round of judging at the Lieutenant Governor’s competition. Only 11 awards were given in what is a very rigorous competition.

Formerly known as Golden Mile Cellars, this winery has employed three solid winemakers since Mick and Pam Luckhurst bought it in 2003. Their initial winemaker was Lawrence Herder; when he decided to concentrate on his own winery in the Similkameen, the Luckhurts recruited Michael from Township 7. Last year, Michael joined Okanagan Crush Pad Winery, in part to launch his own label.

A native of Sherbrooke, J-M (for Jean Martin) became interested in wine after getting a degree in business and hotel management and working in Montréal restaurants. In 1998, he went to Australia, studied wine science at Charles Sturt University. He began making wine in Australia (with a who’s who of vintners) and then went to Alsace and Germany to master Riesling.

Coming back to Canada, he started working in the cellar at Sumac Ridge Estate Winery; then he did several vintages at Hidden Bench, one of Ontario’s hot new wineries. He returned to the Okanagan in 2010 to work on the new Don Triggs winery. When Culmina, as that winery is to be called, fell a little behind schedule, J-M accepted the Road 13 job.

(Culmina is currently under construction, with plans to have the first wines on the market next year.)

At Road 13, J-M is working with owners who have ambitious targets for both quantity and quality.

This spring, Road 13 bought 19 acres of vineyard on the Golden Mile from Vincor, adding it to the 43 acres it already owns both on the Golden Mile and on Black Sage Road. Mick Luckhurst also purchases grapes but concluded that Road 13’s best wines were often made with grapes he was growing in his own vineyards.

He also had a letter of intent to develop a vineyard in the Similkameen with the Lower Similkameen Indian Band. However, he decided his plate is full enough for now and that letter was allowed to lapse earlier this year.

In the 2011 vintage, the winery made 30,000 cases of wine, about 50% more than in the previous year.

J-M is another one of those winemakers (like Grant Stanley at Quails’ Gate) who says that Pinot Noir is his favourite variety but who clearly gives them all his best.

Here are my notes on the current releases.

Road 13 Home Vineyard Riesling 2011 ($24). A crisp, dry wine with what the Germans call racy acidity, this begins with herbal and floral aromas. On the bright palate, there are flavours of lime and lemon, with a fine concentration of fruit and minerals. The finish lingers and lingers. 91.

Road 13 Mitchell’s Vineyard Gewürztraminer 2011 ($24 for a production of 44 cases). The grapes for this wine came from a Summerland vineyard and the inspiration for the style came from Alsace. This is a dry Gewurz with a rich texture, with aromas of spice, ginger and grapefruit peel and with spicy orange and grapefruit flavours. 90.

Road 13 Viognier 2011 ($24). This wine was fermented in neutral oak barrels, fleshing out the rich texture. It has aromas of citrus and stone fruit, with layer upon layer of flavour – apricot, pineapple and peach. 91.

Road 13 Old Vines Chenin Blanc 2011 ($24). The profound flavours and minerality of this remarkable wine reflect that the grapes came from vines planted in 1968. There is honey and quince on the nose, with persistent and ripe flavours of apples, quince, apricot and peach. J-M’s model for this wine was Vouvray. He tweaked the vineyard practices and then fermented the wine in neutral barrels with natural yeast. This made the Lieutenant Governor’s short list. I can’t imagine how it missed getting an award. 93.

Road 13 Jackpot Viognier Roussanne Marsanne ($29). This is the award winner. It is not on the winery’s website, leading me to think that the production was small and that it is only available at the winery. These three varieties were co-fermented and that probably explains the complex harmony here. Crisp and refreshing, the wine has aromas and flavours of citrus, apricots and tropical fruits. The layered texture is appealing, giving the wine depth and persistence. 91.

Jackpot is the term that Road 13 uses for most of its reserve tier wines. While Road 13 uses screw cap closures for most of its wines, it has decided to use corks for the Jackpot range.

Road 13 Chardonnay 2010 ($24). Lightly gold in colour, the wine has buttery and citrus aromas, with flavours of tangerine mingled with toasty oak notes. The oak is very subtly handled, not overshadowing the fresh fruit flavours. 90.

Road 13 Jackpot Sparkling Chenin Blanc 2009 ($34.99). You have to go the winery to get this excellent bottle-fermented wine, with a toasty, citrus aroma and with creamy brioche flavours and a crisp citrusy finish. 92.

Road 13 Pinot Noir 2010 ($24.99). Still tight and youthful in the bottle, this is a wine with vibrant and deep flavours and aromas of strawberry and raspberry. 89.

Road 13 Jackpot Pinot Noir 2009 Castle Vineyard ($39.99 for a production of 125 cases). This elegant wine appeals with delicate aromas of strawberry and spice, and with flavours of cherries and raspberry and what the winery prefers to call “silken black tea.” 90.

Road 13 Syrah 2010 ($35). The wine begins with a touch of white pepper and deli spices on the nose, with flavours of black cherry, blackberry and chocolate. 91.

Road 13 Merlot Syrah 2009 ($45). This wine, a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Syrah, also was a finalist for a LG award. This is a boldly ripe wine, with aromas of sage and plum jam. It has a big juicy palate with flavours of plum, fig, red berries and vanilla. 91.

Road 13 Fifth Element 2009 ($50 for a production of 250 cases). The wine got its name from an earlier blend of five varietals.  This one is 68% Merlot, 22% Syrah and 10% Cabernet Franc. Almost black in colour, the wine has savoury notes of cassis, black cherry, fig, vanilla and chocolates. It is rich and full-bodied, but with the structure to age well. The winery says this will cellar to 2017, which is conservative. 92.

The 2012 Lieutenant Governor's Awards for Excellence

Photo: The winning wines displayed at Government House in Victoria

Begun 10 years ago, the Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in British Columbia Wines has clearly established itself as a major wine competition.

This year, 94 wineries entered 347 wines. Both figures are new records. Only 30 wineries took part in the first year. This year, eleven wines from 10 producers emerged as winners in this rigorous competition.

The awards were inaugurated by Lieutenant Governor Iona Campagnolo and continued by her successor, Steven Point. One of the concluding events of his five years in the office will be his tour to each of the winning wineries in late July to make the awards in person.

Several details set this competition apart from all the other provincial and national competitions.

To begin with, wineries pay no entry fees.  Wineries are so accustomed to paying to enter wines in competition – sometimes hefty fees – that at least one excellent Okanagan winery skipped the Lieutenant Governor’s Awards, thinking there was also a fee.

Secondly, there are no silver or bronze medals or honourable mentions. This is meant to enhance the awards that are given. There are seldom more than a dozen awards given each year.

Thirdly, this is the only competition in British Columbia in which the awards are handed out by the representative of the Crown – just in case anyone thinks this is not a big deal.

This year, the six judges split into two panels and, during a day and a half of tasting, selected about 40 wines for the final round of judging. From that already astonishing distillation of quality, the judges, now in a combined panel, chose the final winners.

Full disclosure: I am one of the wine judges. I was impressed with the consistency of quality among all the wines and by the promise shown by Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Rhone whites.

These are the winners in 2012. The tasting notes and point scores are my own, not those of the rest of the panel.

EauVivre Winery Pinot Noir 2009 ($19). A first-time winner, EauVivre is a winery near Cawston that was opened in 2009 by former Saskatchewanians Jeri Estin and Dale Wright. This is an elegant and polished wine, light in hue but silky in texture, with aromas and flavours of raspberry and mocha. 89.

Gold Hill Winery Cabernet Franc 2009 ($25 and nearly sold out). This is a first LG win for a winery that just opened last year midway between Oliver and Osoyoos on the Golden Mile. The wine is big and juicy, with aromas of cassis and blueberry, and flavours reflecting those fruits along cherry and spice on the finish. 91.

Hester Creek Estate Winery Reserve Merlot 2008 ($26.99). This is, if memory serves me, the first win by one of the oldest of Okanagan wineries. The award underlines the profound turnaround here since Curt Garland bought it in a bankruptcy auction in 2004 and then hired a veteran winemaker, Rob Summers, in 2008. This is a bold, concentrated wine made with grapes from vines planted in the 1970s. It begins with aromas of vanilla and blackberry and has flavours of plum, black currant, mocha, with a hint of coffee. 91.

Jackson-Triggs Entourage Sparkling Chardonnay 2008 ($29.99). This winery is a multiple winner of the Lieutenant Governor’s Awards, but never before with a sparkling wine.  Winemaking for this wine began with barrel-fermented Chardonnay which was then re-fermented in Champagne bottles and allowed to spend two years on the yeast lees before being disgorged. As a result, there is an appealing toasty note on the aroma and the palate, along with citrus flavours and a creamy texture. 90.

(I recently tasted the 2009 Entourage, which is soon to be released, and I found it even a better sparkling wine.)

Laughing Stock Vineyards Syrah 2010 ($34). This Naramata Bench winery is a repeat winner of this award; last year, it won with a Pinot Gris. This wine is made in the classic Côte Rotie style, blending 94% Syrah with 6% Viognier. The grapes are grown near Osoyoos, superb Syrah terroir. The wine has white pepper on the nose, with a touch of that on the palate. Big and generous, the wine tastes of plum and black cherry. 90.

Painted Rock Estate Winery Syrah 2009 ($40). Painted Rock, an Okanagan Falls area winery, also won two awards in this competition two years ago. This Syrah also is developing a track record for awards, having won silver at the 2012 Syrah du Monde competition in France. The wine begins with an almost jammy aroma of ripe fruit. It hits the palate with a big scoop of black cherry, fig, plum, chocolate and liquorice. 92.

Painted Rock Estate Winery Red Icon 2009 ($55). This wine was named the best red in Canada in last fall’s Canadian wine awards. This is the third vintage of Red Icon, a blend of all the Bordeaux varieties except Malbec, but also with a dash of Syrah in this vintage. It begins with aromas of spice, blackberry, black currant and dark cherry. It shows a rich texture with flavours of berries, plums, dark chocolate and vanilla. This is a wine with power and elegance. 94.

Poplar Grove Winery Cabernet Franc 2009 ($35). This winery, which first made a name for itself with Cabernet Franc, is another repeat winner of this award. This is a classic example of the variety – lots of brambly berry aromas and lots of raspberry, cherry and red currant on a palate, which is full-bodied. 91.

Road 13 Vineyards Jackpot Viognier Rousanne Marsanne 2011 ($29). This winery is a repeat winner, having also won under its previous name, Golden Mile Cellars. Winemaker J-M Bouchard fermented these three varietals together when they arrived at the same time on his crush pad. It certainly made a harmonious and cerebral wine, crisp on the palate, with aromas of citrus and stone fruit and with a bowl of tropical fruit flavours. 91.

This blend may be available only at the winery; it does not appear on the winery’s web site order form.

Ruby Blues Winery Viognier 2011 ($25). This award is a first for Ruby Blues but not for proprietor Prudence Mahrer. When she and husband Beat owned Red Rooster Winery, they won two awards, both with Gewürztraminer. This wine was made with grapes from the Ruby Blues vineyard and from the vineyard of Lyndsay O’Rourke, the winemaker at Ruby Blues.

This crisp and refreshing white begins with aromas of citrus and stone fruit and delivers flavours of citrus and pineapple, with a spine of minerals that give the wine a laser-like focus. 91.

Thornhaven Estates Winery Gewürztraminer 2011 ($17.90). Thornhaven is a repeat winner of this award and has made a reputation for its excellent Gewürztraminer. This is a wine with superb varietal expression: spicy aromas, rich flavours of lychee and tangerine and just enough residual sugar to give it a plump, honeyed finish. 91.

Intrigue Wines makes four in Lake Country

Photo: Interior of Intrigue wine shop; courtesy of Intrigue Wines

Now there are four wineries with tasting rooms in Lake Country – the North Okanagan community still better known perhaps as Winfield.

The senior citizen among these wineries is Gray Monk Estate Winery, which opened in 1982, and had to attract wine tourists all on its own until Arrowleaf Cellars opened in 2003 and Ex Nihilo in 2009.

The new kid on the block is Intrigue Wines, which has had wines on the market for several years but which has now opened a wine shop at 2291 Goldie Road. The shop, which overlooks a vineyard, is no more than 10 minutes west of Highway 97, and about the same distance from Gray Monk.

These four wineries make for a nice one-day wine tour, including a stop for lunch at the excellent Gray Monk restaurant.

Plus, a fifth winery is expected to open a wineshop nearby next year: 50^th Parallel Estate Winery, which is growing Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Gewürztraminer not far from Carr’s Landing.

Intrigue was launched in 2009 by two couples: Roger and Jillian Wong, and Ross and Geri Davis. Roger is the winemaker for Intrigue as well being on the winemaking staff at Gray Monk.

He can juggle the two jobs because of the difference in scale. Gray Monk, where George Heiss Jr. also makes wine, produces about 80,000 cases a year. Intrigue made 1,400 cases in the 2011 vintage and might make as much as 3,000 cases in 2012.

To date, Intrigue has been able to sell its wines through the internet, through private wine stores and through restaurants. However, as the winery grows, a wine shop open to the public is essential. The shop is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm until at least October.

The shop, 1,750 square feet in size, is modest but functional, with a warm interior built with wood and bricks salvaged from heritage farm buildings that were being demolished.

Currently, there are six wines in the Intrigue portfolio. Here are my notes.

Intrigue Riesling 2011 ($16.90 for a production of 420 cases). This exquisitely balanced wine has just enough residual sugar to take the edge off the racy acidity while lifting the fruity aromas and flavours. There is a mouthful of lime and grapefruit, with good spine of minerals. 90.

Intrigue Pinot Gris 2011 ($16.90 for 100 cases). This is a full-bodied Pinot Gris, with aromas and flavours of apples and pears. The crisp finish is refreshing and lingering. 90.

Intrigue Gewürztraminer 2011 ($16.90 for 210 cases). The winemaker again has left in enough residual sugar to round out the texture while keeping the finish reasonably dry. It begins with attractive floral and spicy aromas and has flavours of citrus and lychee. 90.

Intrigue “11” ($14.90 for 450 cases). In each vintage, Roger puts together a white blend with some of the best grapes available to him. The 2011 blend is 76% Riesling, 21% Gewürztraminer and 3% Muscat Canelli. The winery’s own notes describe this as “summer in a glass.” Once again, Roger has balanced the lively acidity of 2011 with a touch of sweetness. The wine has spicy and herbal aromas, leading to flavours of grapefruit and peach. 90.

Intrigue Merlot 2010 ($19.90 for 230 cases). While Roger relies on vineyards around Lake Country for most of his grapes, he goes south, to warmer vineyards, for Merlot. These grapes come from Summerland; and the wine gets 12 months in French oak before being released. The wine is still youthfully firm, with a good concentrated texture and with aromas and flavours of black currant and blackberries. 90.

Intrigue Focus Riesling 2011 ($19.90 for 69 cases). The Focus label was created to feature wines made with the grapes that Roger believes are best suited for a region. For Kelowna and Lake Country, he thinks Riesling is the best varietal. And he selected his very best Riesling grapes to make this elegant wine with citrus aromas and honey and grapefruit flavours. The wine is balanced to be perceived dry, although there is again enough residual sugar to give the wine some weight. This wine will age well. 91.

Noble Ridge releases The One

Photo: Jim and Leslie D'Andrea; photo by Paul D'Andrea

Jim and Leslie D’Andrea bought vineyard property near Okanagan Falls in 2001. From the beginning, the planting decisions included varieties dedicated for sparkling wine.

Their winery, Noble Ridge Vineyards & Winery, now has released its initial sparkling cuvée – “The One.”

As they explain on the back label: “Champagne has always been part of our lives. Whether celebrating the holidays, a birthday, anniversary or just the end of a long week, Champagne seemed to enhance any occasion.”

As we know, Champagne can be expensive, even for this power couple. Jim is a senior lawyer in Calgary with one of Canada’s biggest law firms and Leslie has had a career in heath care management.

I am sure that economics was not the reason that Noble Ridge’s winemaker, Phil Soo, crafted a sparkling wine for his employers. However, The One is cheaper than most Champagne, but every bit as good.

It is the star of the winery’s new releases. Here are my notes.

Noble Ridge 2011 Mingle ($17.90). The winery’s aptly-named white blend, Mingle is crisp and fresh, beginning with herbal and citrus aromas. On the palate, there are flavours of citrus, ripe apples and herbs. The instinct for summer drinking is to chill this wine – but don’t overdo it, or you will miss the juicy, fleshy mid-palate texture. The varietals in the blend, not given on the label, are 44% Pinot Gris, 40% Chardonnay and 16% Gewürztraminer. 90.

Noble Ridge 2010 Pinot Grigio ($18.90). This wine begins with an appealing aromas of tangerines and honey, leading to honeyed citrus flavours and then to flavours of pears and peaches. There is good weight on the palate, with just a touch of warmth from the 13.8% alcohol. 89.

If I may grumble, this should be renamed Pinot Gris. Wines as ripe as this, and with this much ripeness, are hardly the classic Pinot Grigio style from Northern Italy, which generally is lighter and lower in alcohol. (Nor is this the only Okanagan Pinot Grigio that should be rechristened.)

Noble Ridge 2010 Chardonnay ($23.90). Here is a wine that does not apologize (nor should it) for being rich, buttery and boldly oaked. Both the aroma and palate deliver oak, butterscotch and tangerine, with a splendid core of citrus flavours. 88.

Noble Ridge 2009 Pinot Noir ($24.90). With 15% alcohol, this is a Pinot Noir that wants to be a Zinfandel. Spectacularly ripe and full-bodied, this begins with aromas of black cherries. On the palate, there are flavours of plums, black cherries and mocha. The fruit is so rich and concentrated that you don’t get any heat from the alcohol. The singular style sets this wine apart from the valley’s Pinot Noirs. That said, it is absolutely delicious, and big enough to go with your barbecues this summer. 90.

Noble Ridge 2009 Meritage Reserve ($29.90). At 14.7% alcohol, this is another example of the ripe and generous reds which the 2009 vintage delivered. The wine begins with aromas of vanilla, plum and black currants. On the palate, there are juicy black currant and plum flavours, with a generous texture and a long finish. 91.

Noble Ridge 2009 “The One” ($39.90). Made with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, this wine has a slight bronze tint, adding to its eye appeal in the Champagne flute, along with the vigorous bubbles. The aroma shows the classic toasty bouquet of a wine aged on the yeast lees before being disgorged. The flavours include hints of minerals and citrus. The initial impact on the palate is creamy but that gives way to a crisply dry finish. This wine, which has already won silver at a major American competition, has all the elegance one desires in fine sparkling wine. 92.