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Our current Top Ten tasted plus ties...ag 91 CedarCreek Cabernet Sauvignon Platinum Reserve 2006 Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada BC $45.00 winery direct, VQA and private wine shops This has about as elegant styling as you will find in any cabernet with cedar, spiced tobacco and smoky vanilla, black cherry aromas.
Our current Top Ten tasted plus ties...ag
91 CedarCreek Cabernet Sauvignon Platinum Reserve 2006
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $45.00 winery direct, VQA and private wine shops
This has about as elegant styling as you will find in any cabernet with cedar, spiced tobacco and smoky vanilla, black cherry aromas. The entry is supple with fine-grained tannins, cocoa black cherries coffee and cedar. Youthful vanilla and some glossy oak mark the finish but with balance and finesse. You can lay this one away from four to eight years and let it reach its maximum quality. New World Bordeaux. (AG-ST)
91 Quails' Gate Pinot Noir Stewart Family Reserve 2007
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $125.00 (1500 ml) winery only, BC $45.00 winery direct and private wine shops
This pinot has been a work in progress since winemaker Grant Stanley arrived. Red fruits, black cherries and spice with a one per cent drop in alcohol make this a winner to say the least. The wild ferment also adds another dimension. At the moment it's easy to like its fat, muscular edge but expect it to lean out a bit. Fine density and mouthfeel which is what pinot noir is all about. Bravo; the best yet. (AG-ST
90 CedarCreek Estate Select Meritage 2006 Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $30.00 winery direct, VQA wine shops
Soft open, vanilla, cocoa and black fruit flavours. Lovely restraint on the mid-palate with fine wood integration and toast. Lively vibrant acidity with fresh cranberry, liquorice and black fruit flavours. Typically this wine comes with a lean frame that pervades from back to front in essence working the finesse angle as opposed to so many south Okanagan reds that work the fat, smoky fruit and oak angle. Should be even better in five years. Well done. Serve with roast lamb or beef. (AG-ST)
90 The Fort Wine Co. Finger Fruit Fortified Raspberry 2007
Fraser Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $20.00 (375 ml) specialty listing
Big spicy, minty, raspberry leaf, fresh raspberry and jam aromas. Ripe, fat, somewhat sweet palate with decent acidity, Spicy, minty, tobacco, raspberry jam, clove flavours. Good solid dessert style on a cake or with chocolate. (AG-ST)
89 CedarCreek Ehrenfelser 2008
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $18.00 winery direct, VQA wine shops
Two years ago I suggested this wine be bottled and ready to go for May 1 and it happened. This year I asked for a screwcap and it has appeared. The result is a fabulously fresh example of what B.C. aromatic wine can be. Expect a fresh floral, mineral, spicy, orange flavoured white that won't quit on the palate. Just off dry it was made for spicy Indian, Thai and Chinese foods or serve liberally on the patio. (AG-ST)
89 CedarCreek Riesling 2008
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $18.00 winery direct, VQA wine shops
Has winemaker Tom Di Bello been drinking Tantalus Riesling in his spare time? His latest riesling is super fresh with lots of bright acidity upfront and throughout a la Tantalus. Much like last year it is packed full of zippy fruit, crunchy fruit flavours of and plenty of minerality. Now under screwcap the peachy pineapple flavours streaked with orange jump from the bottle. Thai food anyone. (AG-ST)
89 Lake Breeze Pinot Blanc 2008
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $17.00 VQA Wine Stores
Pinot Blanc is the signature wine at Lake Breeze and with good reason. This is a delicious version with bright fresh fruit fine acidity and a lively vibrant palate. The fruit is 100 per cent estate grown on the Naramata Bench. I love the mix of pear, mineral, nectarine skin with bit of honey and peach. Fantastic value. Private wine shops only. (AG-ST)
89 Laughing Stock Vineyards Blind Trust White 2008 Pinot Gris- Viognier - Pinot Blanc - Sauvignon Blanc
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $25.00 winery direct
The Enns, David and Cynthia have hit a home run with this year's Blind Trust a 65/18/13/4 mix of pinot gris, viognier, pinot blanc and sauvignon blanc and, whoops, I should have let you guess because the names do not appear on the label. The flavours are vibrant and fresh with a clean feel offering bits of floral fruit with some tropical notes, apricot skin and mineral. All in all a tight, showy, fresh style white that impresses for its price. (AG-ST)
89 Quails' Gate Chardonnay 2007
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $19.00 winery direct, private wine shops
The QG Estate chardonnay is 35 per cent tank fermented and 65 per cent barrel fermented in 20 per cent new French and American oak for 10 months. The nose is clean and fresh with rich honey and hazelnut aromas and flavours. Somewhat reminiscent of Western Australia chardonnay with a dash of Burgundy. The textures are rich and creamy but with a clean citrus finish. A modern style designed to accompany fresh West Coast seafood dishes. (AG-ST)
89 Stoneboat Vineyards Pinot Gris 2008
Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $19.00 winery direct
The '08 gris is a carbon copy of last year's excellent effort. All fresh and bright he nose is almost electric with citrus and mineral highlights. The mid-palate is dry with more stony mineral nectarine flavours, creamy lees and fresh lemony fruit. Dry, crisp and showy this is a terrific looking gris and this year everything is in balance. Buy this one by the case. (AG-ST)
89 Tinhorn Creek 2Bench Oldfield Collection 2008 Sémillon - Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc - Gewurztraminer
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $23.00 winery direct, VQA and private wine shops
2Bench mixes sémillon, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, viognier and muscat (some of which are co-fermented) to better meld fruit flavours, says winemaker Sandra Oldfield. The wine is fresh and bright and should stay that way under screwcap for years. Look for aromatic notes on the nose with tropical fruit flavours supported by bright acidity underneath. Just a baby that will further improve but should be a summer seafood favourite. (AG-ST)
89 Tinhorn Creek Oldfield's Collection Syrah 2005
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $35.00 winery direct, vqa wine stores
Spicy, savoury, peppery, meaty, smoky, tar, leather, dried black cherry, vanilla, coffee aromas. Dry, round, elegant, slightly lean structure but good finesse with some light tannins. Coffee, vanilla, tar, smoky, leather, savoury, tobacco leaf, black olive, sage, black cherry flavours. A bit oaky at this point but has good structure to age a few years. (AG-ST)
