Jackson-Triggs Leads Okanagan Renaissance

"Canada Finds Its Napa North -- British Columbia's emerging Okanagan Valley has the makings of a serious wine region" is the headline on the feature story, and it's about as flattering as any aspiring wine region could hope to see in print.

Should the Spectator's reported two million readers simply scan the story, it should draw a pile of tourists and sell a bunch of wine. Our geography, the lake, the food, selected winery facilities and accommodations all get a boost.

Most of the favourable wine talk revolves around icewine, which has become a bit of a curse for the majority of producers who are doing far more interesting stuff with dry wine. The piece ends with a brief synopsis of the Wine Spectator's reviews of B.C. by senior editor Bruce Sanderson. The total, a paltry 115 wines since 1999 (or about one day's work inside the Spectator tasting room), is in need of a serious upgrade.

Half the wines scored less than 85 points and most of the top point-getters were icewines, which tells you that despite the travelogue, there is still much work to be done just to get the right wines in front of the Wine Spectator tasting panel. But all in good time, B.C., all in good time.

Today I want to share with you some exciting reviews of winery that should have been in the Wine Spectator story. Jackson-Triggs Okanagan has long been a maker of crowd-pleasing wines, but with each passing year, winemaker Bruce Nicholson continues to tinker and refine his style. As the winery's impressive vineyards begin to mature, Nicholson is turning out wines few could have guessed possible less than a decade ago.

Earlier this summer, Nicholson was given the Andre Tchelistcheff Winemaker of the Year Award by the San Francisco International Wine Competition. This is a significant achievement and an important recognition of Nicholson's work.

Here's our take on his latest offerings, but I caution you to double-check the availability for each wine. The confusing mishmash of quasi-private retail stores has even the savviest local wine shoppers befuddled as to where they can find their favourite wines.

The Jackson-Triggs Sauvignon Blanc Proprietor's Reserve 2003 will delight most looking for a summer sipper-style sauvignon. It has citrus rind, mineral and green peach aromas with kiwi fruit notes and a soft, round, slightly sweet style with fresh kiwi, canned grapefruit, mineral and green apple flavours. A fresh, easy-drinking style with good acidity and a sweet finish. Drink it young and well chilled.

Look for an attractive spicy, honey/clover, baked apple nose on the Jackson-Triggs Gewurztraminer Proprietors' Reserve 2003. This is a sweeter gewurztraminer that mixes grapefruit, green apple, mineral, peach pit and honey flavours. It's a bit more Germanic and perfumed and less varietal than its local peers. Fresh, fruity and commercial, it will shine on the patio with spicy foods.

The mainstay of the JT lineup is the Jackson-Triggs Merlot Proprietors' Reserve 2002. As in most years, it opens with a smoky oak and spicy vanilla nose streaked with pepper, cherry jam, clove and dill notes. It's extremely soft, with light tannins and more smoky oak, vanilla, clove, spicy, caraway, mocha coffee flavours. This will have wide appeal at less than $16.

Next up is a remarkable red. The 2002 vintage has been kind to B.C. red grapes, such as those in the Jackson-Triggs Shiraz Proprietors' Reserve 2002. Look for spicy, smoky, vanilla, peppery aromas with blackberry jam, saddle leather and chocolate. There's a sense of generosity in its smooth chocolate, sweet vanilla, plum pudding, peppery flavours. A bit hot (alcoholic) on the finish and dry, but again a very attractive consumer style.

JT's top-end shiraz, Jackson-Triggs Shiraz Proprietors' Grand Reserve, boasts even more intense vanilla, clove and mocha aromas mixed with blackberry jam, chocolate pudding and smoky leather. Again it is generous and super-smooth on the palate with sweet vanilla, spicy, blackberry jam and chocolate flavours. Well balanced, ripe and attractive. Bravo B.C.

I've always wondered why Pacific Northwest producers were so shy about mixing our angular, greenish cabernet with a smoother, riper shiraz. The Jackson-Triggs Cabernet Sauvignon - Shiraz Proprietors' Grand Reserve 2002 is proof it works well. Look for spicy, peppery, black berry, cherry, vanilla flavours with a smoky, green bean, roasted pepper finish that is all very Oz-like. The warm year and 40 per cent shiraz appears to be the perfect tonic for the impossible-to-ripen B.C. cabernet.

Weekend Wine Tasting: Jackson-Triggs Okanagan
                      Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Wine   Sauvignon Blanc Proprietor's Reserve 2003
Price    $13.49 *
UPC    063657005729
Score   86/100
Remarks         Fresh, easy-drinking style sauvignon that will appeal to many.

Wine   Gewürztraminer Proprietors' Reserve 2003
Price    $12.49 *
UPC    063657005552
Score   85/100
Remarks         Sweet grapefruit, green apple, mineral, peach pit and honey flavours.

Wine   Merlot Proprietors' Reserve 2002
Price    $15.99*
UPC    063657005613
Score   87/100
Remarks         Smoky oak, vanilla, clove, spicy, caraway, mocha coffee flavours.

Wine   Shiraz Proprietors' Reserve 2002
Price    $18.99 ***
UPC    063657005712
Score   88/100
Remarks         Chocolate, sweet vanilla, plum pudding and peppery flavours.

Wine   Shiraz Proprietors' Grand Reserve 2002
Price    $23.99 ****
UPC    063657005835
Score   91/100
Remarks         Blackberry jam, chocolate and plum flavours. Bravo B.C.
 
Wine   Cabernet Sauvignon - Shiraz Proprietors' Grand Reserve 2002
Price    $25.95 **
UPC    063657005378
Score   90/100
Remarks         A warm growing season and 40 per cent shiraz helps tame the cabernet.

* BCLDB, VQA and private wine stores

** August release private wine stores only

*** August release BCLDB and private wine shops limited quantities

**** September private wine shops