Quails' Gate's 2014 harvest was its biggest

Photo: Quails' Gate winemaker Nikki Callaway

When reviewing the Quails’ Gate releases a year ago, I speculated that Nikki Callaway, the winemaker who had joined Quails’ Gate in 2013, was finishing the whites a little drier than her predecessor.

I may have belaboured the point. On looking at the specifications for the 2014 wines, I note a few in which the residual sugar is a touch higher than the year before. But I think it is more sensible to conclude that she is just responding to what the vintage has given her.

The delicious rosé, for example, has eight grams per litre of residual sugar in 2014 compared with 4.6 grams in 2013. The acidity is similar in both years. The difference surely is too small to be generally noticeable; perhaps the texture might have a little more flesh, if one had the two wines side by side.

The wines in the current release are all her wines. The winemaker change has not interrupted the continuity of Quails’ Gate’s quality. A friend who is a very knowledgeable taster thinks the quality has even risen from the quite high level previously set by her predecessor, Grant Stanley.

I am not choosing sides. There is not a single wine made by either that is not excellent.

In her report on the vintage, Nikki says that the 2014 harvest was the largest crop Quail’s Gate has ever seen (Quails’ Gate is 26 years old this year).

“We were very fortunate to have an incredible harvest, both in volume and in quality,” she writes.  “The whites were clean an aromatic and the reds were full of flavours tannins. … All the wines this year seem to be very fruit-forward and full of ripe flavours. They have an intensity and weight to them that gives the wines a roundness and a soft finish.”

Here are notes on the wines.

Quails’ Gate Gewürztraminer 2014 ($17.11 for 7,700 cases). This wine begins with appealing aromas of orange and grapefruit rind, with rose petal spice. The touch of residual sweetness lifts the flavours of lychee and grapefruit and gives the wine a juicy texture. This will be a crowd pleaser. The production volume certainly telegraphs the winery’s confidence. 90.

Quails’ Gate Dry Riesling 2014 ($17.11 for 2,580 cases). In a Riesling, dry is a matter of balance. This wine has 12.6 grams of residual sugar offset by 8.8 grams of acidity. As a result it tastes crisply dry. However, the sugar lifts the aromas and flavour. There are appealing notes of lime on the nose and on the palate, along with a great backbone of minerality. That results because the vines producing this fruit are 29 years old. The winery suggests that classic Riesling characters, including rich marmalade aromas and flavours, will start to show in two or three years. The wine can be cellared seven to 10 years. 91.

Quails’ Gate Chasselas Pinot Blanc Pinot Gris 2014 ($19.18 for 17,500 cases). This is the winery’s most popular wine, with a volume larger than a majority of the Okanagan’s wineries. It is a blend of 39% Chasselas, 33% Pinot Gris and 28% Pinot Blanc. It is a wine with floral and fruity aromas, leading to generous flavours of melon, pear and apple, with just a trace of sweetness on the finish. The balance is such that the finish, which lingers, is basically dry. 90.

Quails’ Gate Rose 2014 ($18.14 for 7,975 cases). The astonishing production indicates just how big the demand is for rosé. Quails’ Gate is one of the wineries that has driven this market over the past decade with flavour-packed rosé. This dry rosé is 80% Gamay Noir, 10% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Gris, all kept separate during fermentation and then blended. The wine has an appealing salmon pink hue with aromas of strawberry and cranberry. On the palate, this is a big, satisfying bowl of fruit – strawberry, watermelon and pink grapefruit. 90.

Quails’ Gate Pinot Noir 2013 ($28.15 for 4,345 cases). This is a silky wine with great intensity of aroma and flavour. It begins with cherry aromas accented with cloves. On the palate, the wine is generous with flavours of cherry mingled with spice and a pleasant earthiness. 91.

Quails’ Gate Chardonnay 2013 ($22.17 for 8,960 cases). Half of this wine was fermented in barrel, half in stainless steel tanks. Hence, the winemaker achieved the best of both worlds: the bright fruit aromas and flavours hold centre stage with subtle oak notes adding complexity. The wine begins with aromas of citrus and melon and a hint of cloves. On the palate, there are lively flavours of citrus and pear. Good acidity gives this crisp wine a finish that is bright and refreshing. 90.

Quails’ Gate Stewart Family Reserve Pinot Noir 2013 ($45.17 for 2,030 six bottle cases). This rich and full-bodied Pinot Noir is delicious now, with the power and the structure that will support aging it at least until 2020. The winery picked fruit from mature vines (11 to 28 years old). The grapes were chilled in the winery to allow several days of cold-soaking on the skins. Then the wine was allowed to ferment spontaneously. In all, it spent nearly a month on the skins. It was aged 10 months in French oak (50% new). The wine begins with spicy dark cherry aromas, leading to layered flavours of cherry and mocha. The svelte texture has begun to develop the classic silkiness of the variety. The finish is very long. 92-94.

Covert Farms releases grand reserves

 Photo: Covert Farms proprietor Gene Covert

In July, historic Covert Farms will hold a dinner to mark proprietor Gene Covert’s 10^th anniversary as a wine grower.

Covert Farms was established in 1959 on the plateau just south of McIntyre Bluff by George Covert, a Californian who came to the Okanagan to grow tomatoes, onions, tree fruits and, ultimately, grapes. The vineyard was large enough in the early 1980s that a mechanical harvester was tested (with indifferent results, for the early harvesters mangled the vines). Except for six hectares (15 acres) of table grapes, vines were pulled out in 1988 to make way for new apple varieties.

Wine grapes returned, beginning in 2005. Gene Covert, a third-generation owner of the farm, planted the five Bordeaux reds as well as Zinfandel, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Roussanne.  

Farming is in Gene’s blood. Born in 1971, he is grandson of the farm’s founder. He joined the family business after getting a degree in physical geography. His wife, Shelly, an Edmonton-born teacher, runs the farm’s market which sells organically-grown produce directly to the public. 

The 243-hectare (600-acre) Covert Farms property, which is in the lee of McIntyre Bluff north of Oliver, achieved organic certification in 2010 and is believed to be the largest organic farm in the Okanagan. That includes the grapes on the winery’s 12-hectare (30-acre) vineyard along with fruits, vegetables and more than 15 varieties of tomatoes.

The winery’s appeal encompasses the farm’s many other attractions, ranging from farm festivals, guided tours and shopping at the farm market or picking your own produce. There is a hiking trail to the top of McIntyre Bluff. New since 2013 is a growing agricultural museum called the Covert Farms Agricultural Preservation Society.

The current releases include two limited production grand reserve wines, available primarily at the winery or in six-bottle lots through the winery’s website.

Here are notes on the wines.

Covert Farm Family Estate Rosé 2013 ($18.25). This wine begins with an appealing cherry hue. It has aromas of cherries with an undertone of pomegranate and sweet tobacco. It may sound like an odd descriptor for a rosé but it sets up a savoury complexity which carries through to the palate with cherry and strawberry flavours. This is 75% Merlot, 21% Pinot Noir and 4% Syrah, co-fermented and aged on the lees. Note the wine also has a year of bottle age. With a dry finish, this is a rosé to pair with grilled salmon. 90.

Covert Farm Family Estate Amicitia Red 2012 ($24.34). This is a blend of 40% Merlot, and 12% each of Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a bold, ripe red (14.6% alcohol), with aromas of spice, plum and black currant. On the palate, the flavours recall a rich, spicy Christmas fruitcake, with notes of plum, fig, black cherry and vanilla. The long ripe tannins give the wine an almost silky finish, but with enough structure to age. 92.

Covert Farm Family Estate Zinfandel Grand Reserve 2012 ($41.65 for 50 cases). “On occasion, an exceptional example shines through in a season,” Gene Covert writes. “Zinfandel was one of those bright stars in 2012.” The winery cropped the variety very low, harvesting 1.15 tons an acre. The grapes were fermented 22 days in open-top fermenters and then aged 12 months in French oak. This is a wine that begins with aromas of blackberry and graphite, going on to layers of flavour – blackberry, black cherry, figs, plums and chocolate. 92.

Covert Farm Family Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Reserve 2012 ($51.22 for 50 cases). This was another star in the 2012 vintage. Again, the crop was extremely low, just 1.08 tons an acre. The grapes were fermented 27 days in open top fermenters. The wine was aged 13 months in French oak. This is a powerful and concentrated wine (14.1% alcohol, with aromas of cassis, black cherry and leather. On the palate there are savoury flavours of fruit, cocoa and spice with a lovely core of sweet fruit on the mid-palate. This will keep improving with cellaring at least for 10 years. 93.

Orofino Vineyards at 10 years

Photo: Orofino's John and Virginia Weber (courtesy Orofino Vineyards)

John and Virginia Weber, the owners of Orofino, were wine industry novices when they moved from Saskatchewan in March, 2001, to take over a 4 ½-acre vineyard near Cawston.

“We spent the first year on a huge learning curve,” remembers John, a former teacher. Virginia is a nurse.

They opened the winery 10 years ago, becoming arguably the most successful winery in the Similkameen. Today, Orofino is producing about 5,000 cases of wine a year. All but one of the wines is from Similkameen vineyards.

The portfolio of 14 wines spans an impressive range, including a sparkling wine, single vineyard Rieslings, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. This spring, the winery has released five reds from 2012, an excellent vintage in the Similkameen and Okanagan valleys.

Here are notes on the wines.

Orofino Pinot Noir Home Vineyard 2012 ($32). Five clones of Pinot Noir are combined in this complex Pinot Noir. It begins with aromas of strawberry and cherry accented by the so-called forest-floor notes prized by aficionados of Pinot Noir. The flavours are rich and toasty, with earthy notes of strawberry and leather. The texture is firm but beginning to evolve toward silkiness. 90.

Orofino Red Bridge Red 2012 ($25). The grapes are from a Kaleden vineyard. This is a bold Merlot, beginning with aromas of cassis, black cherry and vanilla. On the palate, there are flavours of black cherry, blueberry, chocolate and vanilla. The latter note and the svelte texture result from aging this wine 20 months, without racking, in French and American oak. 89.

Orofino Passion Pit Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 ($29). The name recalls the uses of this vineyard when it was still a gravel pit. Now, it grows exemplary Cabernet Sauvignon. It is one of the hottest sites in the Similkameen Valley; this wine has a robust 14.9% alcohol. The colour is dark. Aromas of vanilla, dark fruits including black cherry and sage brood in the glass. The palate shows rich, almost porty, flavours recalling fruit cake. All of this revolves around a bright core of sweet cassis. Twenty months in French and American oak have given this wine a svelte texture. There is a note of cracked black pepper on the finish. A tour de force. 92.

Orofino Scout Vineyard Syrah 2012 ($29 for 500 cases). Dark in colour, the wine pulls you in with aromas of black cherries, prune plums, deli spices and white pepper. That leads to a full-bodied red with earthy and gamey flavours supporting spicy black cherry notes wrapped up with pepper. This was aged 20 months in barrel, mostly French. Once again, the wine shows Orofino’s signature polished texture, with a long juicy finish. 91.

Orofino Beleza 2012 ($34). This is Orofino’s flagship Bordeaux blend from an excellent, ripe vintage. The alcohol is a robust 14.8%. The wine is a powerhouse of almost port-like fruit that creates a rich, intense mid-palate. It begins with aromas of dark fruits and chocolate, leading to flavours of plum, black cherry and chocolate, with a touch of sage on the finish. The blend is 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot, each aged separately for 20 months in French oak before blending. 92.

Clos du Soleil builds new winery and tasting room

Photo: Clos du Soleil managing partner and winemaker

Wine touring gets better in the Similkameen Valley in a few weeks when Clos du Soleil Winery opens its new tasting room.

The winery began selling its wines in 2008 without a wine shop because the production was modest at first. A few years ago, a small tasting room was created in a heritage house (left) that was on the property when it was a honey producer. The house is now gone, replaced by a 4,000 square foot winery which incorporates the new wine shop. Siding boards were salvaged from the heritage building for use in the wine shop.

“The entire tasting room, including the façade, is being done in a rustic French aesthetic to tie into the French philosophy of Clos du Soleil,” says Michael Clark, Clos du Soleil’s managing partner and winemaker. “The outside will look like a traditional French store front or café. The inside will tie in with that same wood panelled look, with a French country feel.”

Clos du Soleil was founded by a small group of Francophile wine lovers headed by Vancouver businessman Spencer Massie, a retired Canadian Navy officer. In 2007 the group bought a 10-acre property in the Similkameen Valley and planted Bordeaux varietals on nine of those acres. Ann Sperling, a Kelowna native who had gone to high school with Spencer, agreed to make Clos wines in her Sperling Vineyards winery.

Clos du Soleil, which produced closed to 5,000 cases in 2014, has now outgrown the Sperling facilities. That was one reason for the construction of a new winery on the Similkameen vineyard.

While Ann remains as a consultant, Michael took over making the wine in 2013 after investing in the Clos du Soleil partnership[ the year before. He comes with impressive credentials, including training from the University of California in Davis.

Born in Cambridge, Ontario, in 1972, he grew up in a lawyer’s home. His father had a wine cellar and classified growth Bordeaux wines were often on the Clark table.

“Wine had been my number one passion literally before I could drink wine,” Michael says. He was about 10 years old when he read the George Bain’s  Champagne is for Breakfast, still one of the best and funniest wine books by a Canadian author.

“I don’t know other children who loved to read wine books,” Michael laughs.

Initially, he carved out a career in finance, armed with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in theoretical physics followed by master of business administration from the University of British Columbia. He worked with the Royal Bank before moving to Boston and then Geneva. There he managed portfolios with a hedge fund and then with a bank.

“Eight or nine years ago, I made a commitment to move into winemaking full time,” he says. He studied enology and viticulture at L’Ecole de Changins, a Swiss engineering institute. He did several vintages in Bordeaux and also worked with a Swiss winery. He took the UCDavis distance learning program to get a winemaking certificate.

“To do it took about three years,” he says. “It was excellent, very rigorous, which is what I wanted. Winemaking is such a blend of science and art. That is what draws most people to it, including myself.  UCDavis is very focussed on the science part of it. With my background in physics and chemistry, it’s a natural for me.”

Rigorous also describes his approach at Clos du Soleil. Organic and biodynamic practices apply in the vineyard. The winery has been designed and equipped to make premium wines.   

“We are really happy where Clos du Soleil is, so my job as winemaker is to progress it,” Michael says. “Every year I want every wine to be getting better. There are things we can be doing in the vineyard, learning from the prior year and trying to do better the following year. And likewise in the cellar.”

He continues: “I can give you some examples. The vineyard management is getting better over time, both ours and the growers we work with. We get to know the soils better; we get to know the vines better. The vines are getting older and we are getting better fruit. So every year, whether it is tweaks to the pruning system; tweaks to any fertilization we do; whether it is continuing to build on the usage of the biodynamic system on our own property – all of that. Every year it has been going up.

“We get better fruit that way. Then when it comes into the winery, we are trying to improve the processing every year in terms of being very gentle with the fruit; sorting to have only the very best berries coming in. As we get more and more used to the different vineyard parcels and the characteristics of the fruit that comes from each parcel, I can fine tune how we treat them in the winery.”

He has a definite winemaking style in mind. “To me, delicacy matters,” Michael says. “We like to have at Clos du Soleil firm structure in our wines which makes them food friendly and ageable. We want firm tannins, but it is a matter of not overdoing things.  My philosophy is that our best wines demonstrate their quality in ways other than bigness or heaviness. A great wine, whether you are talking about Clos du Soleil or a classed growth in Bordeaux, has elegance and  complexity, not huge chewy fruit or aggressive tannins.” 

Four current releases from Clos du Soleil exemplify his art as a winemaker.

Clos du Soleil Fumé Blanc 2014 ($19.90 for 432 cases). This is 85% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Sémillon. It begins with vibrant aromas of lime and lemon, leading to rich flavours of lime and grapefruit. There are subtle notes of herbs and oak, barely noticeable in the explosion of tropical fruit flavours. 92.

Clos du Soleil Pinot Blanc 2014 “Grower’s Series” ($19.90 for 500 cases). The term, Grower’s Series, indicates wines made from grapes grown on non-estate vineyards. This wine begins with appealing aromas of nectarines and ripe Ambrosia apples. On the palate, there are spicy flavours of pear and apple. Good acidity gives this wine a fresh and tangy finish. 91.

Clos du Soleil Rosé 2014 ($19.90 for 867 cases). This is a rare and delicious example of a Cabernet Sauvignon rosé. The appeal begins with the colour, which glows like ruby. The wine has powerful aromas of strawberry and raspberry. On the palate, there are intense flavours of strawberry, cherry and rhubarb. The endless finish is crisp and dry. 92.

Clos du Soleil Estate Reserve White 2013 ($59 for 25 cases). On rare occasions, I have been able to taste the white wines produced by Bordeaux châteaux more famed for their reds. Invariably, they have been great whites with depth and complexity. This wine immediately reminded me of those wines. A blend of 62% Sauvignon Blanc and 38% Sémillon, it likely was barrel-fermented (the winery notes do not say that) and it was fermented entirely with wild yeast. Only one barrel was made.  The bone-dry wine is richly structured, with a good backbone of minerals. The term is this wine has “good bones” and will age well. It has aromas of lime and grapefruit which carry over to the flavour, along with pear and citrus flavours. 95

Top Tier Chianti wines are arriving

Impressive bottles of the new ultra-premium tier of Chianti Classico, which Italian legislation last year named Gran Selezione, have begun entering the market.

These wine clearly raise the bar of Chianti quality. These wines are a step about Chianti Classico Riserva and a considerable step up from standard(if still very good) Chianti Classico.

Recently, a group of Chianti producers have sponsored tastings in major Canadian cities to get the word out.

It is worth their effort: Canada is the world’s fourth largest market for Chianti Classico. In British Columbia, Chianti sales have risen nine per cent in the past year while sales of premium Chianti Classicos have risen 16%.

The difference between Chianti and Chianti Classico is one of geography. The borders of Chianti Classico were defined in 1716 and take in the vineyards between Florence and Siena. Currently, 7,200 hectares of vineyards have been registered to produce Chianti Classico. The wines are made primarily by the 566 members of the Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico.

With the growing popularity of Chianti in the 20^th century, plantings – mostly of Sangiovese grapes, a main variety – spread across the Tuscan landscape, surrounding the historic Chianti Classico area.

There are plenty of good wines (along with plenty of ordinary wines) made in the greater Chianti area. However, the producers in the Classico area take great pains to defend the reputation of their frequently superior wines.

The Gran Selezione designation is the latest effort to burnish the reputation. It was created as a vehicle for the very best and most terroir-driven wines of Chianti Classico. Currently, only four per cent of the Classico wines have this designation. As other wines are rolled it, it may account, at most, for the top 10%.

The Gran Selection wines are all estate-grown wines, made with a minimum of 80% Sangiovese, with the other 20% being either indigenous varieties or international varieties like Merlot. Fermentation must be done with the wild yeast in the estate vineyard, not with inoculations of cultured yeast. The object is the preserve the terroir.

The wines must have a minimum of 13% alcohol and must be aged 30 months, usually in wood and bottles, before release.

And when a producer nominates a wine to be a Gran Selezione, the wine must first pass a blind tasting by a panel of wine judges.

If you still remember Chianti as the inexpensive red in a pot-bellied bottle that university students used to drink, you will get a little sticker shock from the new Gran Selezione wines. The three so far listed in British Columbia are priced between $40 and $55 a bottle. These wines are San Felice Il Grigio 2010, Vicchiomaggio La Prima 2010 and San Fabiano Calcinaia Cellole 2010.

Additional listings are in the works, judging for the enthusiasm for Chianti Classico espoused by the Liquor Distribution Branch’s senior buyer, Barb Philip MW.

The Vancouver tastings were led by Sergio Zingarelli, the owner of Rocca delle Macìe and the current president of the Chianti Classico consortium. One of his Gran Selezione wines would retail for $106 if it gets to this market; another will retail around $50. These are exceptional wines, as they should be for the price.

While you are waiting, you should try his budget Rocca delle Macìe Chianti Classico. The LDB currently has the 2011 vintage in 82 liquor stores at about $20 a bottle. At the tasting, I tasted the 2013, which will be here soon, and which is a delicious wine bursting with cherry aromas and flavours.

The basic Chianti Classico wines are good. However, the wines designated Gran Selezione or Riserva (the tier just below) offer more of everything: the wines are deeper in flavour, more elegant in structure and better suited to aging. All the Gran Selezione wines that I tasted scored 90 to 93 points.

When next you buy any Chianti Classico, take a look at the Black Rooster, the traditional trademark of these wines. It has been slightly updated and the symbol, which used to be on the government seal, now has a more prominent place, either on the neck of the bottle or on the back label.

Why that trademark? Here is the entertaining explanation from the consortium:

The Black Rooster has always been the symbol of the entire Chianti region. The origin of this is lost in time: an amusing legend narrates of the rivalry existing in the Middle Ages between Siena and Florence.

According to this legend, in order to cease their endless fighting, the two Tuscan cities decided to leave the definition of their respective boundaries to a remarkable feat between knights: they were to leave their hometowns at cockcrow and wherever they would have met each other, that exact spot would have been the border between the two republics.

For this purpose, the citizens of Siena raised a beautiful white rooster, which grew big and fat. The Florentines, instead, chose a black rooster and never fed him, so that on the fateful day he was so famished, he started to crow even before sunrise.

As a result, the Florentine knight was able to set out very early in the morning: he met the knight from Siena in Fonterutoli –merely twelve Kilometers from Siena -, as the latter had left much later: this is the reason why almost all of the Chianti territory was united under the rule of the Florentine Republic.

Even if this is only a legend, it is however confirmed that the Black Rooster profile has represented the emblem of the historic Chianti League, which ruled over these lands since the beginning of the 14th century. The artist Giorgio Vasari painted the Black Rooster on the ceiling of the Salone dei Cinquecento in Palazzo Vecchio, as an allegorical representation of the Chianti region. The Consortium has ultimately selected this seven-century old symbol as a certification of its wines.

  

Naramata Bench 2015 tasting: Part two.

 Photo: Bench 1775's Val Tait

The most crowded wine real estate in the Okanagan is the Naramata Bench, a loosely defined area that stretches from Penticton to the Chute Lake turnoff north of Naramata.

Including a few virtual wineries, there are 38 producers. You can drive from one end to the other in 45 minutes, without breaking the speed limit. Only a teetotaller would fail to find something to drink here. Most wine tourists are just overwhelmed by the choices.

The Naramata Bench Wineries Association represents 25 of those producers. The association has just concluded its annual spring tasting events in Victoria and Vancouver. Those attending likely also were overwhelmed by the choices. Even after spending six hours at the Vancouver tastings, I still missed a few wineries.

That is not to complain. Two decades ago, there were not this many wineries in all of British Columbia. There certainly was not the quality of wine either. British Columbia’s wine consumers are fortunate indeed.

For those unable to attend, here are my notes on some of the wines. I am dividing the reviews into two parts. Just like you might never get to the far end of Naramata Road in one day, you might never get to the end of this in one reading.

The prices are close but sometimes not exact, thanks to the government’s decision to separate the taxes. Add about 15% to prices ending on odd numbers.

Bench 1775 Winery boasts that it has the best view on the Naramata Bench. From the winery’s patio, the view takes in vineyards and Okanagan Lake, with Summerland and Giant’s Head on the far side. The winery has beach access on the lake where it hosts weddings.

Bench 1775 Chill 2014 ($18). This seven-grape blend is anchored on Pinot Gris. The wine, as you might expect, is a total fruit salad, with flavours of mango and pink grapefruit. It is lively and refreshing. 90.

Bench 1775 Pinot Gris 2014 ($22). A wine with a juicy mid-palate but a crisp finish, this appeals with aromas and flavours of citrus, apple and melon. 89.

Bench 1775 Sauvignon Blanc 2014 ($22). This is a racy white, with aromas and flavours of lemon, lime and grapefruit. Winemaker Val Tait builds the layers of flavour by picking the grapes four different times. The early pickings contribute the vibrant character and the later pickings bring riper flavours. 91.

Bench 1775 Glow 2014 ($19.90). This is a Malbec rosé, Salmon pink in hue, it has aromas and flavours of strawberry and rhubarb. It is a light, refreshing and dry rosé recalling rosé wines of the south of France. 89.

Bench 1775 Grove 2013 ($20). This is a blend of 57.7% Malbec, 16.9% Merlot, 8.4% Cabernet Franc and 7% Syrah. The wine begins with the appealing perfumed aromas of Malbec. On the palate, there are flavours of black cherry, blackberry, raspberry and plum. The soft ripe tannins make this an accessible and easy-drinking red. 88.

Bench 1775 Merlot Collector Series 2013 ($30). This is wine with intense flavours of cassis, vanilla and black cherry, with flavours of sage, black currant and black cherry, accentuated with the oak notes from having spent a year in barrel. There is a touch of cocoa on the finish. 90.

Bench 1775 Cabernet Franc Malbec 2013 ($N/A). This is a 50/50 blend with all the brambly aromas and flavours of Cabernet Franc along with the aromas of violets and the black cherry and mocha flavours from the Malbec. The wine has a firm, age-worthy texture. 91.

Bench 1775 Malbec 2013 ($30). This winery makes good use of its Malbec, a variety of rising profile in the Okanagan. This wine has aromas of violets, black cherry and plum, supplemented by flavours of black cherry, loganberry and mulberry. 91.

Black Widow Winery opened in 2006 and began making wine a few years earlier. Winemaker and co-owner Dick Lancaster last year began treating his wine climb members to vertical tastings of his flagship Bordeaux blend, Hourglass. He was not pouring it at the Naramata Bench tasting but he is planning another vertical at the winery in July.

Black Widow Pinot Gris 2014 ($21 for 530 cases). A little skin contact has given this wine an appealing blush. It begins with aromas of citrus and spice, leading to flavours of citrus and apple with a haunting touch of anise on the crisp finish. 91.

Black Widow Gewürztraminer 2014 ($22 for 220 cases). The winery calls this off-dry but the balance is so exquisite that most palates would find it dry. The wine has aromas of spice and grapefruit rind, leading to intensely spicy flavours of lychee and grapefruit. 91.

Black Widow Oasis 2014 ($22 for 700 cases). This is an aromatic and fruity blend of Schönburger, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris. It has refined spicy aromas and flavours with hints of herbs and citrus. 91.

Black Widow Schönburger 2014 ($25). This is a spicy Muscat cousin bred in Geisenheim in 1939 and commercialized in 1980. British Columbia may have the third largest planting (the acreage is miniscule) after German and Britain. It makes a lovely light aromatic wine, delicately spiced with flavours of orange and grapefruit.  92.

Black Widow Muscat Ottonel 2014 ($25 for 85 cases). Dick Lancaster seems to have an affinity for aromatic varietals. This is the winery’s first Muscat Ottonel, with grapes sourced from a nearby vineyard. It is spicy on the nose and palate with the classic grapey flavours of Muscat. A touch of residual sugar lifts both the aromas and flavours. 90.

Black Widow Syrah Rosé 2014 ($23 for 80 cases). This dry rosé  is loaded with flavour. It begins with aromas of strawberry and raspberry and goes on to flavours of cherry and plum, with a lingering finish. 90.

Black Widow Merlot 2012 ($30 for 240 cases). Bold and ripe, this has layers of flavour – black currant, plum, chocolate, vanilla. The wine has been aged 21 months in French oak (30% new). That polished the ripe tannins which frame the spoonful of ripe fruit on the palate. 91.

Black Widow Phobia 2013 ($27 for 150 cases). This is an effective blend of Syrah and Merlot (50% each). The Syrah provides most of the power. The wine begins with aromas of prune plum and black cherry.  On the palate, there are earthy flavours of plums with a touch of black pepper. The Merlot contributes structure and a note of black currant. 91.

Black Widow Red Back 2013 ($32 for 200 cases). This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot. The wine gets its firm and ageable structure from the Cabernet Sauvignon, along with a note of black currant. On the finish, the wine has notes of liquorice and chocolate. 91.

D’Angelo Estate Winery was opened in 2007 by Sal D’Angelo. He operates a winery of the same name near Windsor, now managed by his son, Chris. The Naramata winery has a more attractive setting and arguably a better terroir.

D’Angelo Viognier 2012 ($15). This is D’Angelo’s only white, from a one-acre block of Viognier. The wine begins with delicate honeysuckle aromas leading to flavours of peach and apricot. Medium-bodied, the wine has a crisp finish. 88.

D’Angelo Pinot Noir 2009 ($18). At six years of age, this wine still is firm and concentrated, seemingly needing a few more years or a vigorous decanting. There are flavours of black cherry, plum and chocolate, with a touch of vanilla from the 18 months the wine aged in French and Hungarian oak. 88.

D’Angelo Sette Copa 2010 ($25). This is a blend of 40% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 18% Malbec 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot. It is an intense and brooding red with flavours of black currant, cola and dark chocolate. 90.

Kettle Valley Winery, which opened in 1996, is one of the pioneers of the Naramata Bench. Owners and winemakers Bob Ferguson and Tim Watts have a reputation for producing wines full of flavour, with remarkable longevity.

Kettle Valley Gewürztraminer 2013 ($22). This wine begins with dramatic aromas of spice and ginger. On the palate, there are herbal and spicy flavours mingled with grapefruit. The intense flavours stay on the palate for many minutes. 91.

Kettle Valley Pinot Gris 2013 ($24). Kettle Valley is among the few wineries that give lots of skin contact to Pinot Gris, extracting a rose-coloured hue and a great deal of flavour. This has aromas and flavours of apples, citrus and rhubarb. 90.

Great Northern Viognier 2014 ($21). This is Kettle Valley’s Similkameen label. This is a ripe and luscious wine with flavours of apricots and ripe peaches. 90.

Kettle Valley Hayman Pinot Noir 2012 ($38). This begins with aromas of plums and prunes, leading to flavours of cherry and strawberry set against earthy notes of forest floor. This is built to age. 90-92.

Kettle Valley Old Main Red 2012 ($38 for 263 cases).  This is an intense, even brooding, red with aromas of black cherry, black currant and vanilla. This is echoed on the palate, along with flavours of dark chocolate and coffee. 92.

Quidni Estate Winery this year has taken over the winery and the tasting room formerly operated by the unsuccessful 3 Mile Estate Winery. When new owner Marty Gunderson took over the roadside property, his friends asked him why and he replied why not. That is more or less what Quidni means in Latin. His winemaker is Todd Moore who has long juggled a career as a consulting winemaker with a career as a fire fighter.

Quidni Viognier 2014 ($NA). This is a crisply refreshing white, with aromas of stone fruit and flavours of green apples. 90.

Quidni Gewürztraminer 2013 ($NA). This is another crisp and clean white, with spicy aromas and flavours of grapefruit and lychee. 89.

Quidni Merlot 2013 ($19). This is a juicy, approachable Merlot with long ripe tannins supporting flavours of black cherry, cassis and vanilla. 88.

Red Rooster Winery’s Karen Gillis rarely puts a foot wrong in the cellar, making wines that are eminently drinkable. Her marketing department seems so impressed that a number of the wines are designated “reserve.” That term is often overused in the Okanagan but perhaps not in Karen’s case.

Red Rooster Reserve Viognier 2014 ($19 for 317 cases). This is a lovely aromatic white, with a hint of grapefruit and stone fruit on the nose. On the palate, there are flavours of peach and apricot with lingering tropical fruit flavours on the finish. The finish is crisp and refreshing, a remarkable achievement in a wine with 14.4% alcohol. 91.

Red Rooster Riesling 2013 ($14.75). If I have ever met an underpriced Riesling, this is it. The wine is already developing the petrol aromas beloved by Riesling aficionados, along with grapefruit and tangerine. It has flavours of marmalade and grapefruit rind around a spine of minerals. 92

Red Rooster Reserve Rosé 2013 ($19.10 for 480 cases). This is a blend of  35% Malbec, 27% Cabernet Franc, 15% Syrah, 8% Mourvedre, 7% Petit Verdot, 3% Pinot Noir and 3% Grenache. The winery’s tasting notes are a bit more verbose than mine but I totally agree with them. “‘Pretty in Pink’ colour with a summer fresh aroma of strawberry, watermelon, crab apple, red currant, cherry and rose petal.  The medium frame is supported by refreshing acidity.  Flavours of red berry, currant and red cherry fill the mouth.  Refreshing red fruits and red berry tea notes linger on the finish of this extra-dry rosé.” 90 

Red Rooster Cabernet Merlot 2012 ($16.50). Here is another bargain. The blend is 36% Cabernet Franc, 33% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Mourvedre, 3% Malbec and 3% Grenache.  The wine was tank fermented and aged in older (80%) American oak and (20%) French oak barrels for 14 months. There are aromas of cassis, black cherry and oak with flavours of black currant, blueberry, plum and spice. The soft tannins make this a candidate for drinking now. The winery advises drinking it by 2017. 90.

Red Rooster Reserve Meritage 2012 ($21.75 for 1,150 cases). The varietals in this blend were fermented individually in newer French and American oak barrels for 10 months. At that point, the best barrels were selected and blended, with another four months oak aging to follow. The blend is 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot, 7% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot. This well-structured wine seemed a little shy on the nose but showed excellent flavours of black currant, blackberry and mocha. The wine is built to age. 90.

Terravista Vineyards is the winery that Black Hills co-founders Bob and Senka Tennant opened in 2011 after emerging from a brief wine industry sabbatical. Terravista only produces white wines, including the only wines in the Okanagan made from two Spanish varieties, Albariño and Verdejo.

Terravista Albariño 2014 ($18.90). This is an interesting white. It has good weight on the palate with a crisply dry finish. It has aromas and flavours of apples and honeydew melons with hints of herbs. 91.

Terravista Viognier 2014 ($18.90). This is an appealing and ripe Viognier, with aromas and flavours of apricots and peaches. The juicy fruit and texture effectively balances the 14% alcohol. 91.

Terravista Fandango 2013 ($24.90). This is a blend of Albariño and Verdejo. The flavours and aromatics are similar to the single varietal Albariño. The wine is fresh and lively with excellent length and persistence. 92.

Terravista Figaro 2013 ($23.90). This is the winery’s Rhone blend – Roussanne, Viognier and Marsanne. It has aromas and flavours of stone fruit and shows good weight on the palate. A lovely hint of hazelnuts persists on the dry finish. 90.

Van Westen Vineyards was opened in 2005 by Robert Van Westen. The winery and the tasting room, which is open occasionally, has taken over a former fruit packing plant. The Van Westens have been fruit growers for decades and likely still are the largest cherry growers on the Naramata Bench.

Van Westen Voluptuous 2011 ($29.90 for 319 cases). This wine is always a blend of 67% Merlot and 33% Cabernet Franc, reflecting the plantings in single vineyard that produces the wine. The wine has aromas of plums, mulberry and black olives, with flavours of plums, blueberries and black currants. The wine is still firm and is quite ageworthy. 90.

Van Westen V 2011 ($34.90 for 426 cases). This is called V because it incorporates all five Bordeaux varietals: 49% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, 24% Malbec, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot. This is the third vintage of V, which Robert began making when he had access to all five varieties. This is a bold wine, with layers of dark fruit (cassis, plum, black cherry) with a note of sage. The firm texture also indicates the need to cellar the wine and be rewarded with your patience. 90-92.

Van Westen/DiBello Pinot Noir 2013 ($39.90 for 51 cases). Robert collaborated with winemaker Tom DiBello to make this wine. It is seductive and silky with aromas and flavours of strawberry and cherry. 90.

Naramata Bench 2015 tasting: Part One.

Photo: Naramata winegrowers Will (l) and Bryan Hardman

The most crowded wine real estate in the Okanagan is the Naramata Bench, a loosely defined area that stretches from Penticton to the Chute Lake turnoff north of Naramata.

Including a few virtual wineries, there are 38 producers. You can drive from one end to the other in 45 minutes, without breaking the speed limit. Only a teetotaller would fail to find something to drink here. Most wine tourists are just overwhelmed by the choices.

The Naramata Bench Wineries Association represents 25 of those producers. The association has just concluded its annual spring tasting events in Victoria and Vancouver. Those attending likely also were overwhelmed by the choices. Even after spending six hours at the Vancouver tastings, I still missed a few wineries.

That is not to complain. Two decades ago, there were not this many wineries in all of British Columbia. There certainly was not the quality of wine either. British Columbia’s wine consumers are fortunate indeed.

For those unable to attend, here are my notes on some of the wines. I am dividing the reviews in several parts, so as not to post an excessively long document.

The prices are close but sometimes not exact, thanks to the government’s decision to separate the taxes. Add about 15% to prices ending on odd numbers.

Deep Roots Winery, which opened last year, is one of the newest of the Naramata wineries, but, as the name suggests, one with roots. Bryan Hardman and his son, Will, the winemaker, are one of the two winery owners actually born in the region. (Robert Van Westen of Van Westen Vineyards is the other.)

Deep Roots Pinot Gris 2014 ($19). This wine begins with honey and mango aromas, leading to flavours of pear and apple. The slightly off-dry finish gives the wine a plump texture. 90.

Deep Roots Unoaked Chardonnay 2014 ($21). Long, cool fermentation with this wine (as with the Pinot Gris) have preserved aromas and flavours of tropical fruit. It begins with aromas of mango and cantaloupe leading to flavours of mango, melon, peach and papaya. 89.

Deep Roots Rosé 2014 ($19). This is two-thirds Merlot, one-third Gamay, with a deep colour from four days of skin contact. The wine has aromas and flavours of cherry and strawberry, with an off-dry finish that gives the wine a fleshy texture. 89.

Deep Roots Gamay 2014 ($22). Approachable and easy drinking, this wine has aromas and flavours of cherry and blackberry with white pepper and spice on the finish. 88.

Deep Roots Merlot 2013 ($26). This is a full-bodied Merlot with intense aromas of plum and blueberry, leading to flavours of black currant, blueberry and vanilla. 90.

Deep Roots Malbec 2013 ($28). This begins with the classic and appealing Malbec aromas – violets, spice and plums. On the palate there are flavours of plums and mulberry. The firm texture suggests this will age well. 90.

Deep Roots Syrah 2013 ($34). This wine has the typical note of black pepper on the nose and the palate, accentuating the earthy, gamey flavours that mingle with dark chocolate and plum. 90.

Deep Roots Frosted Pinot 2014 ($22 for 375 ml). The bounteous harvest of 2014 allowed the Hardmans to leave some Pinot Gris for late harvest. The grapes for this were picked on three days, all at or near Icewine temperatures. Will blended the three lots to make a delicious dessert wine with intense tropical fruit aromas and flavours. The fresh acidity balances the sweetness and leaves the palate refreshed. 90.

Elephant Island Orchard Wines has, since opening in 2001, established itself as one of the best fruit wineries in British Columbia. In recent years, it has also added three grape wines to its portfolio, under the Unconventional Wisdom label.

Unconventional Wisdom “The Other Way” Chardonnay 2014 ($17.39). This is a brand new wine from this producer, made because owners Del and Miranda Halladay bought a small vineyard a few years ago that grows, among other varieties, some Chardonnay. This is a crisp and refreshing wine, with just three months in oak, recalls a Chablis, with citrus aromas and flavours and a backbone of minerals. 90.

Unconventional Wisdom “I Told You So Viognier” 2013 ($22.99). This is a glorious expression of tropical fruit aromas and flavours, with notes of spice, pineapple and ripe apricots. 91.

Elephant Island Pink Elephant Sparkling Brut 2012 (21.79). This is a refreshing bottle fermented sparkling wine made with Granny Smith apples and a cassis dosage. The flavours are generous and long-lasting. The finish is crisp. 90.

Elephant Island Pear 2013 ($14.79). Crisp and fresh, this has flavours of spice and pear with a hint of mint and liquorice on the dry finish. 90.

Elephant Island Cherry 2014 ($14.79). Dark in colour, this wine’s aromas and flavours have the gamey, meaty notes of a good rare steak. The finish is dry. This would indeed pair well with venison. 90.

Elephant Island Blackberry 2014 ($15.69). If I had tasted this blind, I might have taken it for a medium-bodied Cabernet Franc that has spent time in good new French oak. The wine was, in fact, fermented in stainless steel. The spicy flavours are all blackberry and the impression of oak likely comes from the seeds. 90.

Elephant Island Crab Apple Wine 2013 ($16.59 for 375 ml). The tangy acidity turbocharges the crisp and refreshing apple flavours. 90.

Elephant Island Apricot Desert Wine 2013 ($16.59 for 375 ml). Well-balanced with good acidity, this has appealing spicy fruit flavours. 90.

Elephant Island Framboise Fortified Wine ($17.39 for 375 ml). This is like smelling and drinking raspberry jam. The aromas are intense and the flavours just last and last. The wine is rich but neither cloying nor heavy. 92.

La Frenz Winery, which opened in 2000, has a very long portfolio. This is the one to take to a dessert island because it covers almost all wine styles except sparkling wine.

La Frenz Sauvignon Blanc 2014 ($18.99). This is refreshing, with aromas and flavours of lime and lemon around a backbone of crisp acidity and minerality. 91.

La Frenz Sémillon 2013 ($19.09). This is loaded with tropical aromas and flavours – honeyed notes of lime and papaya. 91.

La Frenz Riesling 2014 ($17.29). New to the portfolio, this is from a young planting near the winery. The wine is crisp and tangy, with aromas and flavours of citrus around a spine of minerals. 89.

La Frenz Viognier 2014 ($18.99). This begins with aromas of pears and apricots, leading to flavours of apricots, figs and marmalade. A gentle warmth of alcohol lingers in the background of this ripe and rich wine. 89.

 La Frenz Reserve Pinot Noir 2013 ($27.79) and ‘Desperation Hill’ Pinot Noir 2012 ($19.99). The grapes are from the same vineyard but the reserve, a selection of best lots and best barrels, is more of everything. The reserve has aromas of strawberries, cherries and vanilla, with a refreshing and silky structure. A very pretty wine. 92.

La Frenz Grand Total Reserve 2012 ($34.69). This blend of the five Bordeaux varieties is the pinnacle of the La Frenz reds. A powerful wine, it has notes of black cherry, cassis and leather on the nose, leading to rich, ripe flavours of black cherry, dark chocolate and vanilla. 93.

Lake Breeze Vineyards, coming up to its 20^th anniversary next year, is planning to enlarge its tasting room and add a new barrel cellar. Currently, an expanded winery park lot is being completed to handle the crowds at this popular winery.

Lake Breeze Sauvignon Blanc 2014 ($17.39). This is a refreshing white with crisp and focussed aromas and flavours of herbs, lime and lemon. 91.

Lake Breeze Pinot Gris 2014 ($16.59). In my view, this is a must-have Pinot Gris from this vintage. It is just bursting with clean, fresh flavours of apples, ripe pear, ripe pineapple and citrus. 92.

Lake Breeze Spice Jar 2014 ($16.49). This is a lively and quaffable blend of Gewürztraminer, Viognier and Schönburger. The spicy aroma leads to flavours of tangerine, ripe apple and lychee. 90.

Lake Breeze Seven Poplars Chardonnay 2012 ($21.79). This begins with appealing aromas of cloves and citrus, leading to flavours of tangerine and ripe apple, with lingering fruit and spice on the long finish. 90.

Lake Breeze Merlot 2012 ($17.39). This is a ripe, almost jammy wine with concentrated flavours of cassis, black cherry and blueberry. 90.

Lake Breeze Meritage 2012 ($18.29). This is a firm, ageable red with favours of black currant and coffee, and an earthiness on the finish. The core of sweet fruit is not yet fully emerged. Decant this before drinking. 88.

Lake Breeze Pinot Noir 2012 ($22.69). This is a bit of a brooding earthy style, with a firm structure and flavours of cherry. I would certainly age this for another three to five years. 89.