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Regular readers of this column will be familiar with my constant pleas to buyers and the B.C wine industry to find a way to showcase our best local wines in government liquor stores, thus putting some sizzle back into a somewhat drab B.C wine category.
My thinking is if you want to build serious interest in B.C. wine, you can't do it by only selling the commercial stuff. Conversely, the government could use some help from local wineries who have largely chosen to sell their best wines direct to maximize profits and leave the, shall we say, less-than-sought-after wine for the government-run monopoly to flog.
It would appear somebody is listening because, two weeks from today, a number of very difficult-to-obtain, top-flight B.C. wines will be released for sale in select government liquor stores.
The Nov. 6 "Best of B.C." release (I'm told there will more releases in the future) comprises 22 hard-to-find labels, or just exactly the kind of wine that will build excitement in the category.
There will be some quantity restrictions (mostly three bottles per customer) but close to 10,000 bottles will be up for grabs on the morning of Saturday, Nov. 6 at five key locations: 39th & Cambie in Vancouver, Thurlow and Alberni in Vancouver, Park Royal in West Vancouver, Westwood Centre in Port Coquitlam, Fort Street in Victoria and Orchard Park in Kelowna.
I know it's a bit early to mention the holiday season, but if you are looking for a unique gift from B.C., the entire selection fits the bill.
I could feature only six wines today, but if you are keen on knowing more about the selection, a lucky few can preview the wines with Calona/Sandhill winemaker Howard Soon on Monday, Nov. 1. The tasting will be held at the Four Seasons Hotel from 6:30 to 9 p.m. A very limited number of $25 tickets will be for sale through customer service at your local liquor store.
First up is the Quails' Gate Chardonnay Family Reserve 2001. The Westbank winery has been on a roll as of late under the direction of winemaker Grant Stanley. Stanley wasn't responsible for the '01 chardonnay, but you'll be hearing a lot about his wines soon enough. In the meantime, look for an enticing, well-made peach melon/vanilla honey flavoured, delicious chardonnay that is completely ready to drink.
The second edition of Osoyoos Larose 2002, a joint venture between the French wine group Taillan and Vincor International, boasts a blend containing all five classic Bordeaux varieties: merlot, cabernet sauvignon, malbec, cabernet franc and petit verdot. It's a bigger wine than the '01 yet it remains refined and elegant in the Bordelais manner. Like some young Bordeaux reds, it is currently "shut down," showing more smoke pepper and meaty notes than fruit, but it's clear the cassis and black cherry flavours will reappear. Collectors should be all over this release.
The departure of consulting winemaker Bill Dyer from Burrowing Owl has raised a number of questions about where the winery is heading and, perhaps more important, who will make the wine? Let's hope they can come close to Dyer's touch as evidenced by the very fine Burrowing Owl Merlot 2002. It's still just a baby, but I love the spicy, Christmas pudding nose and plum jam/cherry flavours. This will only improve in the bottle in the years to come.
Winemaker Tom DiBello is firmly in command at CedarCreek and his wines are beginning to repay all the hard work invested by his team. Don't miss the smoky, vanilla/black cherry nose of the CedarCreek Pinot Noir Platinum Reserve 2002, complete with an exotic bit of orange peel. The styling is round and elegant with plenty of cherry, rhubarb fruit and smoky, vanilla, licorice compost flavours in the finish.
The recent accolades for winemaker Bruce Nicholson include "Winemaker of the Year" at the 2004 San Francisco International Wine Competition and when you taste the Jackson-Triggs Merlot Proprietors' Grand Reserve 2001, you will know why. Look for spicy, coffee, mocha (JT style) with ripe black cherry cola, and vanilla Christmas pudding nose. There's no shortage of oak, but it is well integrated into the grainy tannins and big sweet vanilla, coffee bean finish.
The latest edition to B.C.'s roster of elite wines is Mission Hill S.L.C. Merlot 2002. Mission Hill's picture-perfect winery has garnered a lifetime of accolades for its architecture, but now they have a wine with similar impressive structure. Spice, smoky garrigue and licorice root aromas mix easily with black cherry pudding, vanilla and coriander. The merlot is perfectly ripe with concentrated fruit and supple tannins. Restrained black cherry jam and chocolate pudding flavours laced with coriander finish long and stylishly. This is the best wine John Simes has made in B.C. and his vineyards are only beginning to fill out.
Weekend Wine Tasting: Best of
Wine Quails' Gate Chardonnay Family Reserve 2001
Price $24.99
UPC 778856103007
Score 89/100
Remarks Ripe, peach/honey aromas with toasted vanilla.
Wine Osoyoos Larose 2002
Price $35.00
UPC 87610001554
Score 88/100
Remarks Elegant Bordelais style. Dry with peppery, firm black cherry fruit.
Wine Burrowing Owl Merlot 2002
Price $24.90
UPC 626990004462
Score 90/100
Remarks Spicy, Christmas pudding and ripe plum jam.
Wine CedarCreek Pinot Noir Platinum Reserve 2002
Price $29.99
UPC 778913062520
Score 90/100
Remarks Cherries/rhubarb mix with smoky, vanilla and compost.
Wine Jackson-Triggs Merlot Proprietors' Grand Reserve 2001
Price $23.99
UPC 063657005668
Score 90/100
Remarks Coffee, mocha (JT style) with ripe cherry cola flavours.
Wine Mission Hill S.L.C. Merlot 2002,
Price $29.99
UPC 776545995575
Score 92/100
Remarks Delicious, licorice, black cherry jam and chocolate pudding flavours.
