December 5, 2013 - BC's Best from M to Z (Part II)

89 Martin's Lane Pinot Noir 2011
Westbank South, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $30.00 winery direct
Martin's Lane pinot is mix of four Dijon clones grown at vineyards in Kelowna and Naramata. The nose is spicy with rhubarb, compost, floral, worsteshire and strawberry aromas. The attack is dry, full, round, slightly tannic the palate fresh and rich with peppery, tobacco, compost, strawberry, sour cherry, cola flavours. Solid fruit in a very youthful style. This bottle will need another three years to unleash its true potential. (AG)

90 Martin's Lane Riesling 2012
East Kelowna, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $26.00 winery direct
Another fine effort in 2012 leaves little doubt this wine is finally settling into a groove as is the collaboration of winemakers John Simes and Fritz Hasselbach. The fruit is sourced from the steepest slopes of the estate vineyard facing southwesterly on Mission Hill Road. The nose is floral and fresh with juicy fruit reminiscent of fresh pear flecked with cherries and tangerines. Intense refined and well worth contemplating. Try it with your favourite summer gazpacho. (AG)

90 Martin's Lane Viognier 2012
East Kelowna, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $26.00 winery direct
The inaugural Martin's Lane viognier picks up where the MHFE Reserve and Limited Edition left off. Expect an expressive orange blossom/orange rind aroma with bits if ginger nectarine skin and honey. The attack is simply delicious with rich notes of tangerine, nectarine and creamsicle notes. Love the acidity and lift it brings to the wine from front to back. A perfect accompaniment to many Indian and Thai curries. (AG)

88 Maverick Estate Winery Origin 2011 Gewürztraminer - Sauvignon Blanc
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $19.00 winery direct
Fresh floral, lemon thyme, spicy, green apple skin with gooseberry aromas. Rich, juicy palate with a touch of oiliness. Grassy, canned grapefruit, jalapeno, spicy, nectarine, gooseberry flavours. The sauvignon is somewhat dominant but this offers nice elegance and ripeness with a boost of spice. Good effort. (AG-ST)

88 Maverick Estate Winery Pinot Gris 2011
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $19.00 winery direct
Oak and pinot gris are not my favourite combination yet despite the butter and soft texture there is plenty to like about this wine. The depth of flavour, the pear fruit, the lees and a touch of minerality make it very food friendly. A solid effort in the heavier, richer style. Try this with white meats. (AG-ST)

89 Meyer Family Vineyards Chardonnay 2012
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $20.00 winery direct
The Meyers OK chardonnay is a mix of the two family-owned vineyards, McLean Creek Road in OK Falls and Old Main Rd in Naramata. The wine goes through a natural, partial, malolactic fermentation in this case 25 percent and it spends four months on its fine lees. Older wood and minimum intervention winemaking yield a lively, fresh, green apple, citrus, skinny chardonnay whose strength is nuance and simplicity. Creaky enough to entice bright enough to enthrall. The style is Euro or what I'm calling the New Okanagan. Good value 555 cases produced. Perfect with most simply prepared fish dishes. (AG-ST)

91 Meyer Family Vineyards Chardonnay McLean Creek Road Vineyard - OK Falls 2011
Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $35.00 winery direct
This wine struck platinum and was the highest rank chardonnay at the 2013 WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada. With only 20 to 25 percent new French oak and half of that in large puncheons this difficult vintage for most danced around trouble in Ok Falls, with a perfect flowering, a fine September and a break to harvest after early October rains. More mineral and electric with bits of spice and sage there is enough creamy textures, peach and hazelnut to pull it all together in the finish. A less is more wine that will get better in bottle over the next three years. (AG-ST)

92 Meyer Family Vineyards Chardonnay Micro Cuvée Old Main Road Vineyard 2011
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $65.00
Old Main Road Vineyard is the source of the Micro Cuvee in 2011 a wine made only in vintages deemed worthy and only from the very best barrels in this case two puncheons. A clear jump up in intensity, the style is firm with vibrant acidity and a stony, mineral lean-ess that suggests it could age handsomely for years. The palate is a mix of hazelnuts, pears and leesy notes with bits of honey, citrus rind and a hint of tropical fruit. This wine needs time and food but will repay patience and bottle ageing. You can serve it now with halibut. (AG-ST)

89 Meyer Family Vineyards Chardonnay Tribute Series Winifred Mary Stewart Old Main Road Vineyard 2011
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $30.00 winery direct
The 2011 Tribute Series is dedicated to different Canadian each year who is or has been outstanding in their field. In 2011 Winnifred Mary Stewart is the honoree but as always the wine comes off the family's 'Old Main Road Vineyard' on Naramata Bench. The cool climate site is now 15 years old. It's all free run juice and the ferment is finished off in 100 percent new French oak of which about one third is new. It then spends about 10 months sur lees without Battonage. In a challenging late year it's turned out to be a solid wine. Light notes of orchard fruit with light minerality. The palate has texture and creaminess with citrus, peach skin and vanilla notes with a stony finish. The Tribute Series is a dedication to a Canadian for an outstanding achievement in their field. Each year, the Meyer Family will donate $5,000 toward a non-for profit foundation, endowment or scholarship as a way of encouraging or honoring the legacies of these Canadians. (AG-ST)

90 Meyer Family Vineyards Pinot Noir McLean Creek Road Vineyard 2011
Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $40.00 winery direct
A mix of young fruit and 75 percent older pinot vines. There is 75 percent new oak (an oddity because the winery purchased new puncheons to lessen the influence of oak over time. Fresh sour cherry mineral notes and a long, lean finish. Not a great year but winemaker Chris Carson has done a fine job of selecting fruit and getting the most out of his fruit. Look for light red fruit flavours, raspberries and a dusting of compost. This wine is best with simply grilled bird dishes. (AG-ST)

90 Meyer Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Reimer Vineyard Kelowna 2011
East Kelowna, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $40.00 winery direct
Reimer Estate Vineyard in Kelowna is owned by a BC trucking magnate and his personal vineyard is planted to 100 percent pinot noir, Pommard and Dijon clones. It's a young site, that is cropped low and the results are impressive. The site is moderately steep, faces northwest and is silt and loam overlaying gravel and loam. One third new oak fills out the middle and there is a youthful jammy fruit supporting excellent freshness and a much spicier, earthy style pinot with both richness and complexity. Salmon anyone? (AG-ST)

89 Meyer Pinot Noir 2011
Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $25.00 winery direct
Older barrels are the secret to BC's delicate pinot noir that simply can't take a lot of new oak. In this case the fruit is a mix of Kelowna, Oliver and Okanagan Falls fruit; some owned some purchased. Expect an overt earthy nose with bits of strawberry and racy acidity and what we can now term the Meyer elegance. The palate is soft but not flabby with wild raspberry fruit, spice, worsteshire, dried-herbs and some stony minerality. Made to drink young but it will improve in bottle over the next year or two. Simple winemaking, half wild yeast, various size open top fermenters. Gentle gentle gentle. A good value wine for chicken, pork or mushroom dishes. (AG-ST)

89 Mission Hill Compendium 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Cabernet Franc - Petit Verdot
Osoyoos, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $107.00, BC $50.00 winery direct, MB $45.00 private wine stores, SK $45.00
Mission Hill battened down the hatches with its 2010 reds pruning to the minimum trying to get the fruit ripe in a cool year. 'Hand' everything was the rule before the wine spent 13 months in French oak barrels. It's big and tight with a wallop of dry fruit. The textures are soft but the fruit is subdued. More coffee than blackcurrants and more tannins than finesse at this point but the wine is young. The mix is predominated by Cabernet Sauvignon at 41% with 38% Merlot and 21% Cabernet Franc but the latter two seem overwhelmed at this point. You can feel all the work in the wine and I'm willing to wait but I'm not sure it's going to overcome the vintage in any big way. (AG-ST)

89 Mission Hill Perpetua Chardonnay Osoyoos Vineyard Estate 2011
Osoyoos, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $40.00 specialty listing, AB $40.00 private wine stores, ON $35.00 consignment - Mark Anthony Brands, QC $40.00, SK $40.00
Mission Hill continues to pare down Perpetua accentuating fresh, citrus, acidic notes over oak, caramel and baked apple/pear. The 2011 is particularly cool and chiselled with floral, mineral, citrus notes on the nose and throughout the flavours. Watery, grapefruit, citrus rind with subtle dried herbs spread across the mid-palate before disappearing perhaps just a bit too quick in the finish. This needs a bit of time or serve it all winter with a simple fish dish and a butter sauce. A good if not great bottle this year but time in the bottle will help. (AG-ST)

88 Mission Hill Pinot Noir Five Vineyards 2012
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $19.00 specialty listing, AB $17.00 private wine shop, MB $17.00, NB $19.00, NF $20.00, ON $16.45, SK $18.00
As the pinot noir program blossoms at Mission Hill, thanks to some maturing sites in cool Naramata and even cooler Kelowna, the ladder of pinot noir fruit continues to strengthen. The FV series is now making very solid pinot with only 34 percent of the fruit coming out of the south. Look for round mouth-filling red fruit flavours that express what is the true varietal nature of pinot noir. Savoury notes of black teas, cherries, plums and celery salt mark its soft, round palate. Impressive for $20. Think about serving this with fresh wild salmon, roasted duck, creamy cheeses and or grilled pork. (AG)

90 Mission Hill Reserve Riesling 2012
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $20.00 specialty listing, AB $17.00 private wine shops
The 2012 is better than the very good 2011 although the style is mostly similar beginning with its beguiling juicy, dry, electric opening mix with lime, talcum powder and tropical fruit aromas. The attack is fresh and intense with bright red apple and Meyer lemon fruit flavours. The trick here is the minerality and freshness that supports from back to front. Pick a food this wine is up to the task. Good value. (AG-ST)

89 Mission Hill Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2011
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $20.00 specialty listing, NB $20.00, ON $20.00
Love the aromatics here. Passion fruit and gooseberry dominate but with some ripe, juicy grapefruit notes and a squeeze of lime rind. A small amount of wood fermented juice adds weight and mid-palate texture to this delicious white. The sweetness in the finish suggests spicy dishes would be complementary be they Western or Occidental. (AG)

90 Mission Hill S.L.C. Chardonnay 2011
Osoyoos, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $20.00 winery direct, VQA and private wine shops, AB $22.00 fine wine boutiques, ON $25.00, QC $27.50, SK $26.00
Is this the year the Select Lot Collection Chardonnay gets its due topping the Reserve and nudging Perpetua. The attack is fresh and light offering lemon, floral, honey, vanilla notes with flecks of apricot. The American oak, a third new and one year old is beautifully integrated into the wine allowing the citrus, apple, floral, spicy lees flavours to leak through. Expect this to get better in the bottle over the next two years. (AG-ST)

89 Moon Curser Afraid of the Dark 2012 Viognier - Roussanne - Marsanne
Osoyoos, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $22.00 winery direct
One of my favourite Okanagan whites does not disappoint in 2012. Year eight of this all Osoyoos East Bench fruit is delicious; the mix is 47/31/22 roussanne / viognier / marsanne. The nose is aromatic and bright with ripe, peachy, nectarine aromas and fruit with a spicy ginger flecked mid-palate and a fresh citrus finish. Very food friendly. The New Okanagan. (AG-ST)

88 Moon Curser Petit Verdot 2011
Osoyoos, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $29.00 speculative listing - Renaissance Wine Merchants
There is nothing not intense about his rich red that straddle the fully ripe to cooked fruit line from front to back. Cherries and raisins mark the nose with a hint of prunes. The palate boasts rustic tannins and more raisin-y black fruit with a bit of acidity poking through the back end. Time is required here or serve it now with a rich game bird dish. (AG-ST)

90 Moon Curser Touriga Nacional 2011
Osoyoos, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $39.00 winery direct
You have to give the Moon Cursor folks an A for curiosity... in this case growing Portugal's revered touriga nacional grape. The star of port seems to like the similar warm climes of the south Okanagan where daytime temperatures can approach 40C in the summer a la the Douro Valley. Rich fat sweet smoky fruit dominates the nose and palate but with just the right amount of acidity and freshness. This wine is going places in five years but if you must drink it now our suggestion is a thick marbled piece of meat on the grill. (AG-ST)

90 Nk'Mip Cellars Mer'r'iym Meritage 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Cabernet Franc - Malbec - Petit Verdot
Osoyoos, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $50.00 specialty listing, vqa and private stores, winery direct
Mer'r'iym is a 48/35/7/5/5 mix of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, malbec, petit verdot and it's a blockbuster red. Warm rich and inviting it pulls you into the glass; it's warm, rich and mouth filling but with that stylish Randy Picton touch. Balance and finesse battle the heat and power mid-palate along with blueberries and black currants that disappears into the mocha toasted flavours of French and American oak barrels. Youthful and just beginning to come together this will need another three years to reach maturity in bottle. Serve now venison or beef. (AG-ST)

93 Nk'Mip Cellars Qwam Qwmt Riesling Icewine 2012
Osoyoos, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $60.00 (375 ml) winery direct and private wine shops
This is pretty delicious stuff. It was picked January 12 and the sugars were a little off the standard so the ferment was arrested early and I'm really enjoying the elegance and the sugar. The acidity is fresh, the nose bright and fruity and the palate is sweet and rich with apricot and black fruit flavours. Serve this with chocolate to best effect. (ST)

88 Nk'Mip Cellars Qwam Qwmt Syrah 2009
Osoyoos, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $35.00 winery direct
Not quite up to the very fine 2008 it still has better richness than most of its competitors. Look for a fresher version with savoury, black and red fruit aromas. The attack is round and mouth-filling if a touch skinny with more liquorice, dried herbs red fruits and pepper with impressive sweet tannins in the finish. You can drink this now or hold it for three to five years. Serve with roasted or grilled meats. (AG-ST)

90 Oak Bay Gebert Family Reserve Schonburger 2012
East Kelowna, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $24.00 winery direct, VQA wine shops
Love this style of schönburger and even better it lives up to its family reserve nomenclature. The nose and palate are awash in ripe peachy, litchi fruit with intense rosewater throughout. The style is not heavy o roily but rather elegant and refreshing despite the obvious sugar. Spicy food would be the match - Indian perhaps- the result should be spectacular. Well done. (AG-ST)

90 Osoyoos Larose 2009 Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc - P.Verdot - Malbec
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $40.00 private wine shops, AB $40.00 fine wine boutiques, ON $40.00 consignment - Vincor International, QC $40.00
Always restrained and the 09 OL is a peppery, waxy, roast beef, vanilla, coffee scented red with black cherry, mint, cassis and orange peel aromas. Full, round, dry, concentrated palate with ripe but grainy tannins that need time to disperse. More coffee, tobacco, liquorice, meaty notes mark the palate with vanilla, cassis, cranberry, celery, savoury, olive flavours. A very fine effort but a big structured wine that will need 3-5 years to mature in bottle. (AG-ST)

88 Pentâge Winery Syrah 2010
Skaha Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $25.00 winery direct, private wine shops
This is an easy to like syrah with medium weight and spicy fruit. The fruit is a bit candied and grapey but not over the top and its meaty, peppery, savoury finish nicely subdues the sugar. A solid mid-weight syrah for current drinking. Try this with grille flank steak or hamburgers. (AG-ST)

89 Perseus Select Lots Cabernet Franc 2011
British Columbia, Canada
BC $30.00 winery direct or private wine stores
Blind Creek in the Similkameen Valley is home to this cabernet franc that comes with intense colour and quite an aromatic nose. Look for a lifted red fruit notes with rocky mineral undercurrents. The palate is deeper in tone with black cherry fruit, spice and some heat in the back end. Rich and dry this needs a year or two to settle down but it will improve in bottle. Well done. Serve this with roast beef or winter stews. (AG-ST)

88 Perseus Viognier 2012
Penticton Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $18.00 winery direct or private wine stores
An interesting style her with excellent minerality and that electricity you get from Similkameen fruit. Love the litchi, pink grapefruit citrus notes that carry the wine from front to back. A simple but well-made friendly white that is ready to drink with just a touch of heat in the finish. (AG-ST)

88 Poplar Grove Cabernet Franc 2010
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $35.00 winery direct, private wine shops
A cool, late vintage where the grapes hung five weeks passed the 10 year average, before warm weather in the last half of September and the first half of October saved the harvest. Harvesting about 30 percent of the normal crop was required to get the quality in this wine. There's 12.5 percent malbec in the mix to add some flesh and colour and it works. Look for a soft round smooth red with savoury black fruits, resin and bits of dark chocolate. An excellent effort in a tough year. Try this roast beef. (AG-ST)

88 Poplar Grove Chardonnay 2011
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $22.00 winery direct, private wine shops
Paler colour with a fresh mashed apple nose flecked with citrus and tropical fruit aromas. The palate is similar with fresh green apple made in a cooler, leaner style with more citrus and minerality highlights. A welcome changed from previous editions with only 20% new oak this now a food friendly white. A lovely wine for halibut with a fruit salsa. (AG-ST)

89 Poplar Grove CSM 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon - Caberent Franc - Syrah - Merlot
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $0.00 winery direct
The CSM is a mix of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot and syrah. Each is kept separate and fermented on its indigenous yeasts. The styling and the tannins are soft and round. The fruit rich and dark with a strong spicy undercurrent. Black fruits with sagebrush black cherry, espresso/mocha and pepper fruit. Finesse with richness. Well done. (AG-ST)

88 Poplar Grove Merlot 2009
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $30.00 winery direct, private wine shops
Meaty, black olive, prune, coffee, cherry jam node with bits of tobacco, liquorice, cedar and mint aromas. The attack is rich and full the tannins perfectly rounded and light. Prunes cocoa, ash, coffee, vanilla, smoky flavours flecked with kirsch, orange peel and dried herb. Good texture if a bit soupy and overripe. Ready to drink. (AG-ST)

89 Poplar Grove Pinot Gris 2012
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $20.00 specialty listing
Happy to see two excellent gris in a row at Poplar Grove. Now firmly down the drier path with citrus and nectarine skin aroma, grapefruit/pineapple flavours all with a touch of bitter lime rind for complexity. This is a food style gris that will be a hit on the patio with goat cheese and dried tomato pizza. You rarely see this wine in government store so act fast if you want some. (AG-ST)

88 Poplar Grove Viognier 2011
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $20.00 specialty listing
Call me crazy but I love this style of Viognier. A little watery/juicy, plenty of nectarine skin and citrus , not too much perfume and fat and plenty of exotic spices and citrus peels threading through the wine. Try it with the sushi pizza at the winery for a crazy perfect match but it is a versatile food wine. Fresh zesty and you can temper the style by serving it at different temperatures. (AG-ST)

88 Road 13 Honest John's Rose 2012 Gamay Noir - Kerner - Bacchus - Riesling
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $17.00 specialty listing
The latest HJ rosé is a 60/33 mix of pinot noir and gamay with bits of viognier, malbec and roussanne. Love the colour and the fresh attack somewhat reminiscent of Provence. Strawberries dominate with a touch of citrus on the nose and palate with some passion fruit poking through the back end. A fun party pink that can stand up to grilled chicken but would be equally at home with grilled vegetables. Good value. (AG-ST)

88 Road 13 Merlot Low Yield Wines 2011
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $0.00 winery direct and private wine shops
There's only 175 cases but merlot remains a tough sell even if it is better suited to BC than say cabernet sauvignon. This wine is just a pup and if you can get by the cedar-y brambly nose it has plenty to offer in texture weight and body. Look for a cedar chocolate pencil lead nose with bright red fruits and dash of dark plums. Firm and dry with well managed fine tannin it needs three more years in bottle to come around. If you have to crack it open now try it with grilled meats. (AG-ST)

89 Road 13 Mitchell's Vineyard Pinot Gris 2012
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $24.00 winery direct - Spring 2013
Mitchell's Vineyard sits on the Summerland Bench and owners Ron & Susan Mitchell crop their fruit low. The style according to Road 13 is classic Alsace. The aromas are ripe with honeysuckle and earth predominating. The attack is round ad soft with a slightly sweet entry with more honey and white fruit flavours and notes of minerality. The ripeness suggests something spicy be it chicken or fish or sushi would be a fine match. (AG-ST)

90 Road 13 Sparkling Chenin Blanc 2010
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $35.00 winery direct
Light mousse with a biscuit-y, lime, baked green apple, nutty, honey aromas. Fresh, juicy, crisp palate with light sweetness. Lime, green apple, honey, toasty, quince flavours. Nice light creamy mousse on the finish with good juicy fruit and a nutty note. A unique sparkler that screams Okanagan. Well done. (AG-ST)

91 Serendipity Cab Franc Private Reserve 2009
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $40.00 winery direct
The Private Reserve Estate Franc is a surprising discovery for me. So soft and fleshy in a manner most BC reds never achieve. There are still some tannins to shed but the ripe black fruits and tobacco flavours with flecks of chocolate and sagebrush will easily carry the day by 2015. A solid offering and one of the best young cabernet franc we have tasted. Try it now with at-bone steak or cellar it for another two or three years. (AG-ST)

90 Serendipity Serenata Private Reserve 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc - Merlot
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $40.00 winery direct
When I taste the Private Reserve Serenata I wonder why or if, it's necessary to make any other wines at Serendipity. The flagship blend has it all with bright plummy fruit, good acidity and just the right mix of tannins. The oak is still a bit raw but it should come around in another year or two in bottle. The perfect bottle of red for roast beef. (AG-ST)

89 Serendipity Syrah Private Reserve 2009
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $40.00 winery direct
Expect a huge red wine here. Big sweet powerful fruit with a fair dollop of alcohol that tends to override most of the wine. Big warm and round on entry it has a wild, peppery black cherry, meaty mid-palate and a sweet spicy persistent fruity finish. It's softer than you might think but it may be due to the alcohol. It's a less fleshy than the showy cab franc but would be fun to have with lamb. Promising but needs some better oak integration to shine. (AG-ST)

89 Sperling Vineyards Pinot Gris 2012
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $19.00 speculative listing - Trialto Wine Group
Put this gris in the new-style Okanagan category which is on that could change your thinking about the variety. Much fresher and cleaner with an enticing aromatic nose of honey and peach and a much more lean and svelte attack. Look for a citrus undercurrent that appeals before its rich, peachy, honeyed finish with just a hint of sweetness. Serious effort and terrific bottle for the dinner table. (AG-ST)

88 Spierhead Pinot Gris 2012
East Kelowna, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $19.00
Spierhead has made near faultless wine since it opened and its first pinot gris is yet another good example of well-made wine. The nose is fresh and clean with ripe, red apple aromas and citrus throughout. The attack is ripe almost sweet but with plenty of firm underlying acidity that cleans up the finish. Simple but effective and very food friendly. Well done and affordable. (AG-ST)

90 Stag's Hollow Grenache 2012
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $30.00 vqa wine stores, winery direct, direct delivery via online
In a region that at times can be scorching hot and sometimes miserably cool comes a rare grenache. The style reminds me more of the Spanish garnacha interpretation than its cross border French cousin. The colour is pleasingly red but not near dark. The attack is both sweet and fresh blending ripe fruit with bright acidity. The textures and tannins are temperate and gentle, a la tempranillo, but flavourful and persistent with a touch of heat in the finish. More red fruit than dark but with a very consistent south Okanagan savoury, sagebrush, spice underbelly. Impressive. You can drink it now but I would wait six to twelve months to let it all settle into place. Classic roast chicken with garlic and lemons would be affine match. (AG-ST)

88 Stag's Hollow Tragically Vidal 2012 Vidal - Orange Muscat
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $19.00 winery direct, vqa wine stores
Big fragrant open floral nose flecked with orange blossoms and rosé petals. The attack is slightly off-dry with more tropical fruit notes fresh pineapple, orange peel and ginger highlights. A delicious wine made for your favourite curry dish. A winner under screwcap. An 88/12 mix of vidal/orange muscat. (AG-ST)

88 Stag's Hollow Viognier 2012
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $22.00 winery direct and private wine shops
Big orange peel, ginger, honey, floral nose with butter, apple skin and lemon oil aromas. Fresh, juicy, elegant, slightly sweet entry with more ginger, lees, honey, spicy, grapefruit, lemon oil and vanilla flavours. Solid fruit and intensity in a richer warm style. Try this with your favourite curry. (AG-ST)

93 Stoneboat Vineyards Verglas 2011 Oraniensteiner - Pinot Blanc
Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $25.00 (200 ml) winery direct
Stoneboat has something going on with Verglas and its unusual mix of oranienstenier and pinot blanc. Look for fresh, limey intense apricot marmalade and honey aromas that draw you into the glass. The palate is fresh and juicy with green apple, honey, marmalade and egg yolk flavours. Clean and fresh this is a delicious bottle of icewine. (AG-ST)

88 Summerhill Pyramid Cipes Rose N/V
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $25.00 winery direct, AB $25.96 Kensington Market
Lovely dry style. Clean and fresh with subtle strawberries on the nose and palate. The finish is equally balanced and crisp with flecks of apricot and toast. A fun summer afternoon pink or you could pair it up with chicken or even a fresh piece of goat cheese. The wine spent 18 months en tirage (ageing on spent yeast for complexity and texture). Good value. (AG-ST)

89 Summerhill Pyramid Gewürztraminer Organic 2012
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $16.95 winery direct
Certified organic this earthy, spicy, green apple scented white with orange aromas is delicious. Fresh, crisp, juicy and somewhat sweet it maintains its balance. Light litchi, earthy, spicy, green apple, nectarine, sausage flavours. Good juicy style. Please ditch the cork closure and let the vineyard express itself at the highest level. (AG)

89 Summerhill Pyramid Riesling 2012
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $19.95 winery direct and private wine shops
The latest riesling from Summerhill has been thankfully made into a dry wine. Look for a mix of yellow fruits and grass/nettle nose. The attack is rich with intense, lemon lime flavours and a crisp finish. Outstanding acidity keeps it all together. Really a first class effort here. (AG-ST)

88 Summerhill Pyramid Winery Alive Organic Red 2010 Marechal Foch - Merlot - Syrah
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $25.00 specialty listing
This is the first vintage of this wine that has delivered and it will be welcomed by organic fans. Summerhill is now deep in bio-dynamic viticulture and as harmony and peace comes to the vineyard it has begun to invade the wines. This blend of 50.5 percent marechal foch, 34 percent merlot and 5.5% syrah undoubtedly warm and rich but the fruit is clean and the flavours a pleasant mix of savoury/wild black fruits, spice, chocolate, leather and sweet plums. Some 24 months in French and American oak has completely smooth out an rough edges. It's should be excellent with most grilled meats and or grilled vegetables. Certified organic. (AG)

88 Summerhill Pyramid Winery Alive Organic White 2012 Pinot Gris - Pinot Blanc - Gewurzt - Viognier - Chardonnay
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $20.00 specialty listing
I've been impressed by the turn around in quality at Summerhill Pyramid Winery and as the property transitions from, organic to biodynamic the wines just get better. There a fresh fruity nose here with notes pear, white peach and citrus peel that reflects the 70/15/5/5/3/2 blend of pinot gris/pinot blanc/gewürztraminer/viognier/chardonnay and muscat. Interestingly the wines bright acidity is matched by some residual sugar that results from halting the ferment thus producing a refreshing white with only 10 per alcohol. Think mussels, grilled fish or chicken. (AG)

90 Terravista Fandango Albariño Verdejo 2012 Albariño - Verdejo
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $25.00 winery direct
Winemaker Senka Tennant launched this unusual albariño/verdejo blend last year and year two is equally tasty. It's a one of kind blend in Canada but more important we this as a possible game changer for the Okanagan. We can make a wine that is more about Naramata on a warm summer's day than grapes and oak. Like last year Fandango has a sense of electricity and freshness, juicy minerality and a subtle floral, melon and fresh sage aromas and flavours. Your summer charcuterie plate has its match. Comically this wine is labelled Product of Canada, because the grape varieties are not yet VQA approved. They are awaiting some sort of provincial cabinet blessing. Personally I would plaster Naramata all over the label and rightfully claim it as the origin of the grapes and the estate and the winemaking because Product of Canada just doesn't do the wine or its price justice. (AG-ST)

88 Therapy Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $20.00 vqa stores, winery direct, direct delivery via online wine shop
Refreshing grapefruit rind, gooseberry, grassy, nettle aromas. Fresh, juicy, creamy palate with lemon grass, gooseberry, grapefruit rind, grassy, nettle and herb flavours. Well balanced fruit and acidity with a light herbaceous note. Very solid effort. Try this with mussels. (AG-ST)

89 Time Meritage White 2012 Sauvignon Blanc - Sémillon
Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $25.00 specialty listing
Maybe the best wine white blend we have seen for Harry since his Sumac Ridge when he pioneered the whole Meritage concept in Canada. The time blend is 79/21 sauvignon blanc, sémillon, the nose is fresh and bright and the palate is crisp and juicy with ripe melon, grapefruit and tropical fruit flavours. A perfect wine for west coast seafood. Halibut anyone? (AG-ST)

88 Tinhorn Creek Gewürztraminer 2012
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $19.00 winery direct, private wine shops
Fresh citrus litchi meaty notes on the nose with a strong floral undercurrent. Much like last year with a fresh juicy palate perhaps a touch softer with flecks of orange, green apple, litchi and pink grapefruit flavours with a dollop of rosewater. A solid, dry, food-friendly style. (AG-ST)

90 Tinhorn Creek Kerner Icewine 2012
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $30.00 (375 ml) winery direct
Super rich style with big orange baked apple, dried apricot and butter aromas with a touch of volatility. The attack is similar with ultra-ripe, unctuous, creamy baked oranges and butter fruit with a splash of honey and lime. Big full blown and under screwcap this 375nl should last a decade or two with ease. Try this with dark chocolate. (AG-ST)

88 Tinhorn Creek Oldfield Series Pinot Noir 2009
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $30.00 Crush Club Members only
Spicy, carrot top, dill, strawberry jam, light coffee, prune, barnyard aromas. Round, smooth, dry, elegant palate with light tannins and balanced acidity. Orange peel, cherry jam, vanilla, chocolate, tobacco, resin, spicy liquorice flavours. Riper style with good intensity and finish for current drinking but may improve with a few more years. (AG-ST)

88 Tinhorn Creek Oldfield's Collection 2Bench White 2012 Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc - Semillon - Viognier - Muscat
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $30.00 winery direct and private wine shops
The Tinhorn Creek 2Bench White 2011 mixes 53 percent chardonnay with 21 sauvignon blanc, 17 sémillon, 6 viognier and 3 muscat. Some are co-fermented to better integrate the fruit. Look for a balanced mix of aromatic (tropical) aromas with fresh acidity. Decidedly dry on attack with citrus rind, melon and green apple notes. Try this with a stir-fry or pot stickers. (AG-ST)

88 Unsworth Vineyards Pinot Gris 2011
Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
BC $20.00 winery direct
Tight lean, Euro-style gris with intense nose of stone fruits and citrus with a touch of nettle. On the palate the fruit is spare in a good way with a slightly bitter, citrus rind finish. Dry, firm and food-friendly it is all Vancouver Island. Try this with mussels. (AG-ST)

88 Upper Bench Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $25.00 winery direct, VQA stores, private liquor stores
An impressive young cabernet with true cabernet sauvignon styling with plenty of cedar and tobacco notes and firm tannins. The palate is juicy before the rustic firm tannins kick in but there is fruit here and time will be the final arbiter. Give three to five years or drink it now with grilled meats or lamb. Well done excellent value. (AG-ST)

89 Van Westen Vineyards Vicicle 2012
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $25.00 (200 ml) winery direct and private wine shops
Intense sweetness, flavour intensity and aromatics have been captured with honey, baked apple, baking spices, dried apricot, pineapple, sultana and peach notes. Balancing acidity allows the complex flavours to hang on through a long finish. (AG-ST)

89 Volcanic Hills Gewurztraminer 2012
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $19.00 vqa wine stores, winery direct, direct delivery via online
Light matchstick note with honey, lychee, peach, floral, guava and ginger aromas. Fresh, round, juicy, off dry palate with ginger, citrus, soapy floral, peach and apple skin flavours. Good juicy style. Fun to sip. Impressive. (AG-ST)

90 Volcanic Hills Single Vineyard Gewurztraminer 2012
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $21.00 vqa wine stores, winery direct, direct delivery via online
Rose water, spicy, baked apple, peach skin, light litchi and citrus aromas. Fresh, crisp, juicy palate with light sweetness and well balanced. Honey, citrus rind, nectarine, lychee, floral, apricot flavours. Good intensity and sugar-acid balance. Super effort. (AG-ST)