April 16/08 - Our Latest Top Ten BC Picks

89 Wild Goose Gewurztraminer Mystic River Vineyard 2006

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

BC $22.95 winery direct, VQA and private wine shops

Mystic River gewürztraminer comes from farther south in a desert wine country vineyard in Oliver. Intensity is the name of the game here with increased floral tropical fruit aromas, minerality and ginger/nutmeg. Fresh, elegant, powerful, first class gewürztraminer. (AG-ST)

88 Blasted Church Revered Series Merlot 2005

Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

BC $25.99 winery direct online only, AB $35.00 fine wine shops

The Revered Series 'reserve' showed well at the Canadian Wine Awards thanks to its rich expression of fruit. Look for plenty of toasted oak and spiced flavours of mocha, coffee and ripe black fruits. Fine length here and still some tannin to dissipate suggests it will improve in time. Best with a rib-eye steak at the moment. (AG-ST)

88 Burrowing Owl Syrah 2005

Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

BC $38.00 winery direct

Smoky, coffee, roasted bell pepper, barnyard, vanilla, port-y, licorice, savoury, all spice nose with some compost notes. Very soft, round, supple, dry palate but warm. Spicy, smoky, vanilla, milk chocolate, mace, sage, coffee, black cherry, flavours. A forward ready -to-drink style that should improve with a few years in bottle. (AG-ST)

88 Fairview Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

BC $34.90 winery direct

Clean spicy, mocha, peppery, vanilla nose with flecks of coffee, black berry, barnyard and smoky compost notes. Ripe, round, dry, slightly tannic palate. Good cassis jam, peppery, spicy, coffee, vanilla, black olive, tobacco leaf flavours. Slightly alcoholic finish but with fine fruit and balance. The best we've had yet from Fairview. Well done. (AG)

88 Gehringer Brothers Optimum Pinot Gris 2006

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

BC $21.00 vqa and private wine shops

Lovely fresh peaches and honeysuckle aromas on the nose and it carries straight on through to its weight mid-palate. We love the fresh mineral, honeyed, ripe, pear flavours all with a touch of earth. A very fine example of B.C. pinot gris. Good value when compared to the category. (AG)

88 Golden Mile Black Arts Fifth Element White 2006 Viognier - Orange Muscat - Chardonnay

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

BC $30.00 winery direct, VQA wine shops

Floral, spicy, perfume, honey, citrus aromas. Dry, crisp, delicate style with honey, creamsicle, ginger, rose flower, mineral flavours and a tart granny smith finish. A fine dry but fairly acidic style on the finish. Not for beginners. The blend is 61 per cent viognier (Black Sage Bench) 25 per cent orange muscat (Black Sage Bench) and 14 per cent chardonnay (Castle Vineyard). (AG-ST)

88 Herder Chardonnay Twin Benches 2006

British Columbia, Canada

BC $25.00 winery direct

Melon, honey, buttery, passion fruit, citrus, vanilla aromas. Fresh, round, fat, somewhat sweet entry with mango, orange, buttery, vanilla, spicy lees, ginger, nectarine flavours. Warm and tropical style, seems to have a bit of viognier like character and some muscat notes. Unique, ripe style. (AG-ST)

88 Mission Hill Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2006

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

BC $21.99 winery direct, AB $20.00 fine wine shops

Open, pungent Marlborough-style nose with a mix of gooseberry, lime rind and just a touch of grass. Rich and full-bodied with fine freshness and ripe pink grapefruit flavours and more lime rind. Like the previous edition this works well with west coast shellfish. (AG)

88 Mission Hill S.L.C. Syrah 2004

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

BC $39.99 winery direct, Mark Anthony stores, AB $31.00 fine wine boutiques, MB $34.99, ON $40.00 consignment - Mark Anthony Brands

Spicy, white pepper, floral, licorice, meaty, black cherry jam, tobacco leaf aromas. Round, dry, slightly tannic palate, fresh but has some elegance. Sweet vanilla, licorice, sage, milk chocolate, black cherry, plum, tobacco, smoked meat, minty flavours. Good fruit intensity in a more Euro style with an extra dose of oak. We look for forward to an all French oak edition at some point. (AG-ST)

88 Quails' Gate Chardonnay 2006

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

BC $18.99 winery direct, VQA and private wine shops

Light garlic lees, grapefruit rind, mineral, floral, green apple skin aromas with a touch of vanilla and honey. Crisp, cool, moderately dry style with green apple skin, honey, light lees, melon rind flavours with a touch of bitter grapefruit rind on the finish. More modern style to accompany light West coast seafood. (AG-ST)

88 Quails' Gate Pinot Noir Stewart Family Reserve 2006

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

BC $45.00 winery direct and private wine shops

Smooth, dry, round palate with some finesse and ripeness. Vanilla, mocha, cedar, tobacco leaf notes mixed with rhubarb and raspberry flavours. Solid mid-palate balance but still showing more oak than fruit at this stage with some tartness on the finish. Should improve over the next 2 years in bottle. (AG-ST)

88 Wild Goose Gewurztraminer 2006

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

BC $19.00 winery direct, VQA and private wine shops

Always crisp when young it builds intensity in the bottle mixing spicy litchi fruit flavour with hints of rose oil. 1990. Similar flavours mark the palate that is dry and fragrant. A terrific food wine with few limits. Drink now. (AG-ST)

88 Wild Goose Pinot Gris 2006

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

BC $14.95 speculative listing - Peacock and Martin

The strength of Wild Goose at this juncture is the consistency with which they turn out their wines. From time to time their neighbours can catch them or even surpass but they stand firm each year. This is classic "gris Goose" with its honeyed, earth notes on the nose, flecked with spice and even some ginger notes. Very fresh and clean on entry with citrus mineral, green pear and a slightly oily sheen on the finish. (AG-ST)