Global Palates Taste British Columbia Reds

Two years ago, in a similar adventure, Australian writer and winemaker James Halliday panned B.C. pinot noir, calling most examples light and lacking the intensity one associates with ripe pinot fruit. Last year, German winemaker Rainer Lingenfelder offered a slightly better assessment of our Germanic wines, but worried that the widespread use of wood was subduing the aromatics that make varietals such as riesling and gewurztraminer so famous. This year I chose an eclectic panel of tasters from Portugal, New Zealand and Spain. Christiano van Zeller grew up at Quinta do Noval, making top quality ports until his family sold the business in 1994. After a stint at Quinta do Crasto, where he was involved in blending the fortified wines, he launched his own operation at Quinta do Vale Dona Maria, a 19-hectare Rio Torto property he runs with his wife, Joana Lemos. When he's not busy doing "bloody everything" at Vale Dona Maria, he is also involved in Douro red projects with Jose Maria de Fonseca and Telmo Rodriguez, and he is making sherry with Javier Hildago. Bill Spence is one of the founders of Auckland-based Matua Valley Wines, which also makes Marlborough wine under the Shingle Peak label. Spence has spent two decades crafting Matua's position as a premium New Zealand producer -- first in the vineyard, and now as managing director of the winery. Javier Hidalgo is another guy who does everything. Officially he is director of operations at Vinicola Hidalgo, a family-owned business that began making sherry 210 years ago at San Luca de Barrameida. This is the seventh-generation winemaker's debut at the Playhouse festival. Here's our report on products from the Okanagan Valley: I had planned to taste the Sumac Ridge red meritage, but was once again fooled by the dark bottle and didn't realize it was the white meritage until it was being poured. Spence liked the "malolactic aromas on the nose," as did van Zeller, who lauded "the flavour and beautiful aromas from the fruit and oak." All three tasters wished for more acidity, saying the wine fell short in the finish. Still, Spence was "quite impressed with its style." Hildago thought it was "good but not showing a lot of character." All agreed the front end of the wine was a standout versus its short, flat finish. Our first red was the Tinhorn Creek cabernet franc. "Nice fruit, wonderful balance," said Spence. "Fine sweetness and acidity, and the tannins are not too harsh," were van Zeller's thoughts. Hildago called it an honest wine without pretensions that is "not too complicated but pleasant and fun to drink." A favourable review from all three, who think it has yet to reach its peak. The Mission Hill Family Estate shiraz was similarly received. Spence and van Zeller both noted its low acidity, but still found it well balanced. The "ripeness and good tannins" appealed to van Zeller, while Spence enjoyed the "spicy, juicy shiraz fruit." Everyone agreed it was a fine effort for a first label, and scored it 14 out of 20 for effort and potential. They suggested it would be fun to taste succeeding vintages to see if they live up to such big expectations. Next came the Burrowing Owl merlot. "I'm a specialist in alcohol," said port maker van Zeller, as he described the upfront attack of alcohol (something he didn't like). That said, he agreed with Hildago and Spence that the spike of alcohol doesn't appear to hurt the wine at all. All agreed it has great mouthfeel, to which van Zeller added it has "unexpectedly mature, ripe tannins." "Consumers will love this," said Hildago. "Beautiful, round wine -- typical merlot," was Spence's assessment. Quails' Gate Stone Mountain merlot didn't fare as well. Van Zeller found the nose to be "syrupy" and the finish tannic. Spence described it as overblown compared to the Burrowing Owl. "Vegetal characters; also maybe too much new wood," was Hidalgo's summation. I found the wine to be slightly over-extracted, with quite a dry finish. "Maybe they are trying too hard," said Spence. The Bene Nota is a new wine from Black Hills Estate Winery, located on Black Sage bench in the southern Okanagan. Rusty Figgins, the winemaker at Washington's Glen Fiona, was brought in to consult at Black Hills, and Bene Nota (a 64/26/10 blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc) is Black Hills' first release. Slight animal aromas on the nose gave way to a much better wine in the mouth. Hildago thinks it has fine potential to age. In fact, all agreed it would be much improved with another year or two in the bottle. "The style is well organized," said Spence. "The reduction process, which takes place during aging in the bottle, will help to put the whole thing together," said van Zeller. Calling it a chico (Spanish for something small that will get bigger), Hildago said: "We never drink a chico; we always wait for it to grow up." All in all, those aren't bad reviews from a panel that didn't seem particularly enthusiastic about tasting B.C reds when we started. Everyone was surprised by the quality of what we tasted. So take a bow B.C. -- and then get back to work. Judging by the schedule of each of my tasters, hard work is what it takes to become a global wine warrior. Look for today's wines at VQA wine shops and Liberty Wine Merchant stores, or on better restaurant wine lists around Greater Vancouver. Okanagan Valley Producer: Sumac Ridge 1998 White Meritage Price: $18.95 Stock No.: 434977 Score: 14.5/20 Comments: Good aperitif style; made for shellfish. Producer: Tinhorn Creek 1998 Cabernet Franc Price: $18.99 * Stock No.: 530717 Score: 15.5/20 Comments: Supple, easy-drinking. Producer: Mission Hill Family Estate 1998 Shiraz Price: $29.99 * Stock No.: 556332 Score: 14/20 Comments: Juicy, spicy. Producer: Burrowing Owl Vineyards 1998 Merlot Estate Bottled VQA Price: $24.90 Stock No.: 509885 Score: 16/20 Comments: Round, soft, rich. Producer: Quails' Gate 1998 Stone Mountain Merlot Price: $33.99 * Stock No.: 573741 Score: 12/20 Comments: Overblown style with dry tannins. Producer: Black Hills Estate Winery 1999 Bene Nota Price: $29.95 Stock No.: 708073 Score: 16/20 Comments: Buy and age a year or two.