This week we had the opportunity to six new releases from Castoro de Oro Estate Winery. Bruno Kelle and Stella Schmidt are the owners of this small winery located on the Golden Mile in Oliver. For background information on the winery please see my earlier post here.
New Releases
Last month Castoro de Oro‘s new releases won 5 awards at the 2019 Winefest Edmonton & Calgary People’s Choice Awards.
Castoro de Oro Viogner 2016
Ripe peaches and pears with a subtle floral aroma. Palate-wise, an abundance of white peach, stone fruits, honeydew melon and honey. This delicious Viognier has a luxurious viscous mouthfeel and a medium long finish. Paired perfectly with Dijon Mustard and Lemon marinated BBQ chicken. Runner Up for Best White over $20 at the Winefest Edmonton & Calgary People’s Choice Awards. 92 Points.
Castoro de Oro Vidal NV
I was glad these grapes were saved from the icewine harvest! This was my first non-icewine Vidal and I was greatly impressed.
A ripe almost tropical nose was dominated by Mandarin Orange but also apricot, papaya and honey. Flavours of orange, lychee and honey. It is medium-bodied, quite smooth and rich, dry with firm balancing acidity leading into lemon/ orange and tea on the finish. The length is very good. 90 Points.
Castoro de Oro Unoaked Chardonnay 2017
13.0 % Alcohol. A well-balanced dry chardonnay. Aromas of citrus, creamy caramel, and green apples. On the palate, apples, kiwi, mango, pear, ripe peach, butterscotch and crème caramel, with a creamy citrus finish. 90 Points.
Castoro de Oro Pinot Duetto Rose´ 2017
The evening is coming. Time to settle down with a racy Rose’.
13.4 % Alcohol. The bold medium-dry Rose´ is a vibrant red colour and is made from a blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc. The glass explodes with the flavours of cherries, raspberries, strawberries and a hint of sage. Well-balanced acidity, peppery tannin and a smooth finish. Runner Up for Best Rose´at the Winefest Edmonton & Calgary People’s Choice Awards. 91 Points
Castoro de Oro Merlot 2016
This was my favourite Castoro de Oro wine from this tasting.
Alcohol 13.9%, RS 2.0 g/L, TA 5.50 g/L, pH: 3.60
A big bold wine, full-bodied with a dense garnet red colour. Aromas of blueberry, black cherry and cocoa. On the palate, raisin, black fruit, stewed plum, dark chocolate and leather with a hint of nutmeg. Silky smooth tannins and a long finish. Ready to drink right now. Paired with Tuscan Root Veggies and BBQ chicken. Awarded Best Red in the $20-$30 category at Winefest Edmonton & Calgary People’s Choice Awards. This is an excellent value red. 93 Points
Castoro de Oro Pinot Noir 2017
The Pinot Noir grapes went through 3 days of cold maceration to extract colour and flavour from grape skins. By pumping over a few minutes a day without having the solvent effect of alcohol, we are not extracting harsh tannins, bitterness or astringency, just colour and flavour. Fermentation generally takes up to 2 weeks. Then we press and inoculate for a second Malo-Lactic Fermentation. After all this, we go through a process of stabilizing, clarification, ageing in oak, some filtering, and finally, after a minimum of 18 months, we bottle!
Alcohol 13.3%, RS 1.0 g/L, TA 5.50 g/L pH: 3.60
Suggest you decant and aerate this young, intense medium-bodied wine before serving. Aromas of red cherries and leather. Flavours of cherries and butterscotch with an earthy herbaceous backbone. Silky smooth tannins. A lively wine that pairs well with BBQ lamb chops. 89 Points.
Please visit the Castoro de Oro Winery website to find where to purchase these premium BC wines. The winery wine shop will re-open in May. I will update the post when the date is known.