Blue Mountain's Upcoming Release

Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars is one of B.C.'s most celebrated wineries, and because production is relatively small and its fame large, the wines can be hard to find. It's been more than a decade since Ian and Jane Mavety opened the doors to Blue Mountain and they remain, as they have been from the beginning, one of Canada's elite producers.

That status ensures that most of what they make goes to top restaurants in the province, from time to time their sparkling wine appears in private shops, and the rest is snapped up by those in the know, who buy it direct from the winery. (The Mavetys have set aside some stock for Sun readers who might be interested in sampling their wares -- more on that in a moment.)

If you are a taste-before-you-buy kind of person you can attend the Blue Mountain and Friends Reception on Monday, Jan. 27, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Four Seasons Hotel. Tickets are $75 and available, like the wine, directly from winery, at 250-497-8244.

Each of today's picks will be served at the tasting, specially paired with food by some of the city's top chefs -- from Beachside Cafe, Vij's, Diva at the Met, Pastis, Chartwell, Quattro, C Restaurant and O'Doul's among them. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Rick Hansen Man in Motion Foundation.

Any Weekend Wine Tasting readers interested in buying direct from the winery are welcome to join in a first-come first-serve allocation. To participate, send an e-mail to bluemountain@bluemountainwinery.com before midnight this Monday, mention this column, and indicate which wines you are interested in. (The wines are sold only by the case.)

Once you are on the mailing list, you will be notified in early spring about the availability of what's reviewed in today's column. Should you decide to buy, you can reply with a credit card number and your order will be delivered within three days.

Now to the wines and my notes.

The Blue Mountain Brut Gold Label non-vintage sparkler has a pale straw colour with a very delicate, small-bubble mousse. The nose is fresh and reminiscent of green apple and citrus flavours with a touch of peach and toasted nut. This is an intense sparkler that's long on acid -- a real palate cleanser. Oysters may be the best pairing for the sophisticated, lean Blue Mountain style (it's not for everyone).

The Pinot Blanc 2001 has an attractive almond/pear mineral nose and when the wine hits your palate you get an immediate rush of fresh mineral and citrus rind flavours with green pear highlights throughout. The round entry dries out in the finish and makes you pucker up a bit, but any local seafood product will unleash the full potential of what is a taut, Euro-style pinot blanc. Good value.

The first of three special labels is the Pinot Gris Reserve (Striped Label) 2000. Expect plenty of cool, crisp B.C. style here, with mineral, pear and apple skin on the nose. The entry is fresh and crisp with more of the same fruit flavours flecked with citrus rind. The style is tight and reserved, save for some nuances of apple butter in the finish that help to soften the wine and leave a good, lasting impression. Sophisticated palates will be easily attracted to the style.

Even better in my estimation is the Chardonnay Reserve (Striped Label) 2000. It's not hard to like the buttery, creamy, nutty lees nose of this wine, with its flecks of floral and citrus aromas in the background. Again the entry is fresh with bright acidity and balance. Textures are round and elegant, with a dry, nutty, creamy lees mid-palate and more pear and nut in the finish. It's somewhat reminiscent of a delicate Puligny-Montrachet from Burgundy.

Blue Mountain's strength, and ultimately it claim to fame, is based on its pinot noir. The Pinot Noir 2001 scared us at first with its slightly reductive garlic-scented nose, but that blew off with a few minutes of aeration in the glass to reveal plenty of black cherry fruit, smoky oak and saddle leather.

This is full-flavoured pinot with spicy, creamy, vanilla flavours streaked with strawberry and cherry fruit. A delicious mid-palate stalls in the finish, but that's not unusual for young Blue Mountain pinot noir. Time in the bottle will smooth that out.

The best wine of the bunch, despite its youth, is the Pinot Noir Reserve (Striped Label) 2000, which is a touch darker than the regular '01 pinot noir. The clean nose has plenty of strawberry jam and barnyard tones, streaked with spicy smoke and celery.

There is much better concentration here, and it runs throughout the wine. This is a very Beaune-like pinot noir with an attendant charm even at this young stage. The finish is long and smoky, with spicy cherry and creamy vanilla notes -- reserved but stylish. Surely this is one of the best pinot noirs ever made in Canada.

All wines are sold direct by the winery. To join the mailing list contact:

Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars Ltd.

RR1, S3, C4, Okanagan Falls, B.C., V0H 1R0

Tel: 250-497-8244 Fax: 250-497-6160

E-mail: bluemountain@bluemountainwinery.com

BLUE MOUNTAIN VINEYARD AND WINERY

Wine: Sparkling Brut Gold Label Wine N/V

Price: $19.95

Score: 15/20

Comments: Fresh green apple and citrus flavours with peach and toasted nut.

Wine: Pinot Blanc 2001

Price: $15.95

Score: 15/20

Comments: Lean, Euro-style pinot blanc that's good value.

Wine: Pinot Gris Reserve (Striped Label) 2000

Price: $25

Score: 15.5/20

Comments: Tight style, reserved fruit with butter apple finish.

Wine: Chardonnay Reserve (Striped Label) 2000

Price: $24

Score: 16.5/20

Comments: Dry nutty creamy mid-palate and pear/nut finish.

Wine: Pinot Noir 2001

Price: $22.90

Score: 15/20

Comments: Youthful dry, spicy full flavoured pinot.

Wine: Pinot Noir Reserve (Striped Label) 2000

Price: $29.90

Score: 17/20

Comments: One of the best pinot noirs ever made in Canada.