2021 was another awesome year for tasting BC wines. The Okanagan Valley is covered in snow so it looks like another White Christmas this year.
This is the time of the year to thank our readers for continuing to read our BC Wine Blog. Also to thank the wineries and winemakers for the samples and material they have supplied again this year for our articles.
It is in this spirit that we say THANK YOU and best wishes for the Holidays and New Year.
Now for some excellent BC Holiday Wines for you to sip while enjoying the holiday feast or as Christmas gifts for family and friends.
Fitz Brut 2016 ($33)
66% Chardonnay | 26% Pinot Noir | 6% Pinot Blanc| 2% Pinot Meunier
Essentially dry, Fitz Brut is the winery’s signature bubbly that is adjusted yearly to reflect “the vintage, the people and the site.”
The bubbly opens with lemon, green apple and toasted bread on the nose. The palate is marzipan, creamy peach and pear with a vibrant finish. Drink now or hold even longer. Fitz Brut spends a minimum of 24 months on its lees. 92 Points
Kitsch 11 Barrel Chardonnay ($35)
Hand-harvested, whole cluster pressed, fermented wild and aged for 10 months in 11 French oak barrels, 40% of which were new.
Aromas of subtle flint, green apple, cedar and vanilla. The chard is medium-bodied, with flavours of stone fruit and subtle baked lemon. Plenty of lush oak sits prettily amongst the ripe fruit, adding fine vanilla, clove and toast notes. 91 Points
Peak Cellars Riesling 2020 ($24)
Alcohol 12.0% | pH 2.89 |TA 8.32 g/L |RS 7.5 g/L
The Classic Riesling has a vibrant colour with a beautiful green tint. If you love green apples this is the wine for you! On the nose citrus and green apples with floral notes. There are lively flavours of Key limes, green apples, honeydew melon, honeycomb and a hint of marzipan. A full and round texture with a long mineral-like finish. 91 Points.
For more information on Peak Cellars wines see Peak Cellars Releases 12 Wines for 2021.
Le Vieux Pin Vaïla Rosé ($30)
Made with the “presse method” this rosé is produced from the gently pressed juice of Pinot Noir grapes (with a dash of Syrah) and entirely steel tank aged. It is a serious, yet fun, delicate wine absolutely perfect for the summer.
The 2020 Vaïla comes in at under 12.5% alc./vol. A gorgeous salmon colour along with explosive aromas of rhubarb sorbet, pink grapefruit rind and the amazingly bright and crunchy red fruit. The palate is medium body and medium-plus acid, dry, but juicy with citrus, stone fruit, and cherry. Pairs well with food or on its own. 90 Points
SpearHead Pinot Noir Saddle Block 2019 ($36)
The grapes are from the estate vineyard in South East Kelowna. Pinot Noir clones 115, 777, 828 and 667 are separately hand-harvested, destemmed and kept cold for 5-7 days before fermentation by indigenous yeasts commences. The time on skins is 16 to 21 days. After gentle pressing, the wine is matured in French oak barrels for 13 months (25% new).
Alcohol % 13.5 | pH3.51|TA 6.45 g/l |RS 1.05 g/l
Semi-opaque and medium ruby in colour. A beautiful bouquet of violets, red cherry, raspberry, and a hint of smoke and black pepper. On the palate, black pepper, dark cherry, plum, licorice, forest floor, subtle and fine tannins with a hint of baking spice on the dry finish. Darker and spicier than the Coyote PN. 93 Points.
2021 WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada – Gold Medal
LaStella Fortissimo 2018 ($33)
The Super Tuscan is 57% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc and 8% Sangiovese. Aged in large format puncheons and Hungarian/Slavonian oak so the oak doesn’t overpower the wine.
This youngster is certain to improve with age. Opens with an abundance of red and black cherries. Flavours of more cherry, cigar, black tea and toasty oak. Full palate with smooth tannins and that lovely long finish. 93 Points.
Paired perfectly with Chicken Marsala.
Black Market Syrah 2018
This is the fifth Black Market vintage of Syrah and I have been fortunate to try them all. The 2018 Syrah was co-fermented with 4% Viognier. 2018 was another cooler vintage. Due to the smoke in the valley and the resulting lack of intense sunlight, the sugar level in the grapes was lower than normal even though hang-time resulted in ripe tannins and perfect flavour, acid and pH levels.
After de-stemming and a light crushing, the grapes underwent a 2-day cold soak. After a slow and warm fermentation, the wine underwent another 18 days of maceration to extract more phenolic compounds. The wine spent 20 months in 20% new French and American oak barrels. 13% Alcohol.
13.0% Alcohol, TA 6.6 gm/L, RS 2.3 gm/L
The Syrah is medium-bodied with smooth tannins and a hint of acidity. This is a very elegant Northern Rhône style wine. Aromas of violets, smoke and red cherry are followed on the palate by savoury notes of black cherry, bacon, vanilla and cinnamon. The wine lingers with white pepper on the long finish. Drinkable now but will definitely improve with age. 250 Cases produced doubling production over the 2017 vintage. 92 Points.
For more information on Black Market Wines see Black Market Wine Co. 2021 Releases.
Phantom Creek Estate Cabernet Franc Merlot 2017 ($40)
14.0% Alcohol | pH 3.9 |TA 6.1 g/L| RS 0.4 g/L.
Cabernet Franc 68% and Merlot 32% aged 19 months in French oak.
Aromas of cherry blossom and sage. Flavours of ripe plummy fruit and fine grain tannins carry through an impressively long and fresh finish. The wine exhibits intense depth and flavour intensity. 92 Points
Here is the link to order Phantom Creek Estate wines.
Winemaker’s CUT Bohemian Cuvée Rouge 2019 ($36)
40% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% petit verdot. 600 cases produced
Harvest– hand-harvested 19th and 29th Oct. 2019 at average 25 Brix & 4 tons per acre.
Winemaking – cold soaked for 3 days. Wild and co-ferment for 27 days. Full malolactic fermentation. Aged for 6 months in American, French and Slovakian oak.
13.5 % Alcohol | 3.61 pH |7.5 TA |2.9 RS |Free SO2 12mg/L | Total SO2 57mg/L
A gorgeous deep garnet colour opens up a fresh black fruit bouquet infused with hints of pepper, herbs, toasted oak and smoke. Medium-full body wine with higher acidity for ageing. Flavours of blackberry, black cherry, blueberry, leather and espresso linger throughout the finish. 93 points
For more information on Winemaker’s Cut wines see Winemaker’s CUT 2021 Releases.
Nostalgia Family Collection Meritage 2018 ($38)
51% Merlot (Home Vineyard, Oliver), 21% Cabernet Sauvignon (Harfman Vineyard, Osoyoos), 14% Cabernet Franc (Farinha Vineyard, Osoyoos), 11%Malbec (Gablemann Vineyard, Oliver), 3% Petit Verdot (Harfman Vineyard, Osoyoos)
Aged 15 months in French and American oak barriques.
Alcohol 13.8%| pH 3.6| TA 6.2| RS 0.5
A vivid blend is dominated by Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and bursts with notes of black currant, raspberry, cherry, and blackberry. Hints of violet, clove, oak, leather, vanilla and baking spices add layers and depth, while the firm, supple tannins are balanced by fresh acidity. 90 points
For more information on Nostalgia wines see Nostalgia Wines’ Vibrant 2021 Releases.