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88 Black Hills Nota Bene 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Cabernet Franc Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada BC $36.90 winery direct and private wine shops The lightest colour we've seen in any southern B.C.
88
BC $36.90 winery direct and private wine shops
The lightest colour we've seen in any southern B.C. red in some time. Typically peppery on the nose with smoky, roasted pepper, black olive, resiny, saddle leather and tobacco notes with some orange rind, cedar and black cherry jam. Soft, round, supple and elegant on entry. Smoky, black olive, dill, cassis, roasted tomato, cherry flavours with some coriander, vanilla and coffee in the aftertaste. Despite its light colour, it's more refined than previous editions with cleaner, softer, smoother tannins. Best over the next five years. The latest Nota Bene a 46/36/18 blend of cabernet sauvignon / merlot and cabernet franc.
88 Blasted Church Revered Series Chardonnay 2004
Okanagan Falls,
BC $25.99 winery direct and private wine shops
Green apple, grassy, citrus, melon nose with some matchstick and buttery lees notes. Dry, crisp, round entry but slightly skinny. Green apple skin, lees, green melon, buttery, citrus peel flavours. New fresh style and perfect for seafood. Good effort.
89 CedarCreek Cabernet Franc Estate Select 2003
BC $24.99 VQA stores / private wine shops
Love the smoky, cigar, black cherry, resiny nose with hints of licorice, sage vanilla and cranberry. Tight, full, rich, warm palate with a touch of acidity and defined tannins. More expressive cedar, cranberry, smoky, vanilla pudding, peppery, flavours with some saddle leather and tobacco on the finish. Full and young, this has potential to become affine red wine. Excellent beginning.
88 CedarCreek Chardonnay Estate Select 2004
BC $19.99 specialty listing
Winemaker Tom Di Bello has released an attractive, buttery melon and honeysuckle white with fine mid-palate richness and creamy butterscotch notes in the finish. There's also enough acidity, freshness and complexity to hold your interest. A solid value B.C. chardonnay.
BC $28.99 VQA stores / private wine shops
Big spicy, vanilla, black cherry jam, cassis, olive, tobacco and cedar aromas with a hint of saddle leather. Dry, round, full palate with some tannins. Chocolate, smoky, licorice, rootsy, vanilla, spicy flavours with some black olive and tobacco leaf. A bit bitter and green on the finish and will benefit from a year or two in bottle. Serve now with a medium rare steak.
91 CedarCreek Meritage Platinum Reserve 2002 Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
BC $39.99 speculative listing - Medallion Wines
Tasted several times. Look for pepper, spicy, black olive, saddle leather, cassis, licorice, pencil lead aromas with a streak of B.C. tobacco, green bean and smoke in the background. Ripe, round, supple and warm with fine concentration. Good spicy, orange peel, peppery, vanilla, cigar, licorice flavours with some black cherry and bacon at the end. Nice intensity and finesse, should improve over the next 2-5 years.
90 CedarCreek Merlot Platinum Reserve 2003
BC $39.99 VQA Wine Stores
Floral, black cherry, spicy, vanilla, smoky bacon, black olive, chocolate and tobacco aromas with a gamey, saddle leather streak. Dry, round, slightly astringent palate. Lots of spicy, coffee, black cherry, bacon, tobacco and green olive flavours with a bit of green bean and chocolate on the finish. Good length but some tannins and acidity need to meld. Cellar for minimum three years.
88 CedarCreek Syrah Estate Select 2003
BC $27.99 VQA stores / private wine shops
Open peppery, spicy, floral, chocolate, sausage meat and tobacco aromas with some black cherry and rootsy tobacco notes. Soft, round, supple and warm with a touch of acidity on the end. Suave chocolate, spicy vanilla, plum pudding, gamey, sausage flavours with some licorice root and cardamom on the finish. A forward ready-to-drink style for near term consumption. Excellent first effort.
88
BC $24.90 winery direct and private wine shops
Peppery, spicy, sweaty saddle, smoky, cigar butt, cranberry, buttery vanilla, blackberry aromas. Dry, round, slightly tannic entry with some dryness at the end. Smoky, peppery, leafy, cigar, cranberry, cherry, vanilla, resiny flavours. Very warm (alcoholic) with some lean tannins, should improve over the next 2-3 years.
88 Fork in the Road Oliver Block 212 White 2003
BC $25.00 winery direct, Mark Anthony stores and private wine shops
A new concept wine from Mission Hill. Look for earthy, mineral, lemon butter, melon aromas with a grassy note. Crisp, round, elegant palate with buttery, lemon meringue, green apple, floral, mineral flavours. A touch oily with crisp acidity and a chalky finish. Should have broad appeal. The blend is 66 per cent chardonnay mixed with 22 sémillon, 11 pinot gris and 5 viognier. To be released in April from the winery and Mark Anthony wine shops and possible select private wine shops.
BC $34.90 winery direct and private wine shops
Green apple skin, toasty lees, light garlic, creamy, floral, vanilla aromas. Rich, round, dry palate with a dry mineral quality. Lime rind, vanilla, green apple, spicy lees, grapefruit flavours with a nutty, buttery vanilla citrus finish. A bit tight and warm, needs about 6 months or so in bottle to smooth out. Good effort.
88 Herder Josephine 2004
Keremeos,
BC $28.90 speculative listing - Landmark Selections
Smoky, toasted oak and vanilla with green olive, pepper, tobacco leaf and minty notes streaked with black cherry and a touch of rubber. Very warm entry with ripe, supple tannins. Vanilla, smoky resin, peppery, black cherry, cola, pudding flavours with some green tobacco and olive on the finish. A bit too hot but it's youthful with seductive supple textures. Drink or hold three to five years. Needs 1-3 years. The blend is 60/33/7 merlot / cabernet sauvignon / cabernet franc.
88 Inniskillin Okanagan Chardonnay Dark Horse Estate Vineyard 2004
BC $18.99 specialty
Bright, fresh green apple, lime rind, spicy, floral, creamy lees aromas. Fresh, round, crisp, baked green apple, citrus rind, mineral, creamy lees with a touch of guava. Nice cooler fruit and clean with verve. Good for food or sipping. excellent effort.
88 Inniskillin Okanagan Meritage Red Dark Horse Estate Vineyard 2003
AB $21.95 private wine shops; BC $24.99 specialty listing
Big spicy, mocha, peppery nose with gamey, licorice, black cherry jam, resin and leather aromas with black olive and coffee highlights. Rich, ripe, round and slightly dry entry with light tannins. Warm with lots of spicy, black cherry jam, plum, vanilla, coffee, mocha, cedar, orange rind and olive. Good complexity and length but very warm. Still some dry tannins to shed. Will improve over the next 2-4 years.
89 Inniskillin Okanagan Vidal Icewine 2004
AB $41.99 private wine shops; BC $52.99 specialty listing
Floral, spicy, marmalade nose with lifted apricot, candied citrus peel and a touch of vinyl. Full, rich, round, unctuous style but has decent acidity. Big creamsicle, marmalade, baked apple, vinyl, spicy apricot flavours. Big style, lots of fruit and intensity. Drink now and over the next year or so.
88 Jackson-Triggs Chardonnay Proprietors' Grand Reserve 2004
BC $18.99 specialty listing
Very spicy, floral, honey, lees, vanilla, butter, orange, mineral nose. Round, warm, somewhat viscous entry with moderate acidity. Lots of baked pear, vanilla, smoky, baked apple, orange, spicy lees and butterscotch flavours. A bit old style but has good fruit and balance and represents a fair value.
88 Jackson-Triggs Chardonnay Sun Rock Vineyard 2004
BC $22.99 VQA stores / private wine shops
Spicy lees, mango, orange blossom, smoky vanilla aromas with a baked, candied apple note. Ripe, round, fresh and tasty with orange, vanilla, creamy spicy lees, citrus and pineapple flavours with a smoky, resiny, leesy, hone, vanilla note. A bit warm on the finish with a bit too much butterscotch and fatness but has good fruit.
88 Jackson-Triggs Meritage Blanc Proprietors' Grand Reserve 2004
BC $19.99 winery direct and private wine shops
Grapefruit, grassy, nutty, leesy, vanilla aromas with some floral, cinnamon and canned asparagus notes underneath. Round, elegant, ripe palate with creamy, vanilla, canned grapefruit, kiwi, melon, fig, mineral flavours. A touch soft with some sweetness at the end but good balance. Attractive consumer style.
88 Jackson-Triggs Meritage Proprietors' Grand Reserve 2003
AB $19.99 private wine shops; BC $24.95 VQA stores / private wine shops
Open spicy, peppery, chocolate, smoky nose with meaty, clove, vanilla highlights mixed with black cherry jam and cassis. Rich, ripe, fat and round (JT-like) with some big tannins. Hot with coffee, smoky vanilla, peppery, cassis, black olive, licorice, resin, pudding and black cherry jam flavours. Very alcoholic with lots of extract. This will need 2-4 years to smooth out. A big style red with obvious consumer attraction.
88 Jackson-Triggs Shiraz Sun Rock Vineyard 2003
BC $29.99 VQA stores / private wine shops
Enticing smoky leather, tobacco leaf nose with vanilla, chocolate pudding, savoury, garrigue and spicy vanilla aromas. Rich, ripe, round but warm and tannic too. Big chocolate, vanilla, cola flavours streaked with coffee, clove and plum jam with a rootsy, tobacco, leathery finish. Lots of tannins on the finish and quite warm, definitely closing down. Will need two or three years to develop in bottle.
88 Jackson-Triggs Viognier Proprietors' Reserve 2004
BC $14.99 specialty
Floral, spicy, ginger, creamy citrus, apple skin and mineral aromas. Soft, round, full and ripe with toasty, spicy, citrus, honey, apricot flavours and a bit of bitter ginger zing on the finish. Well balanced overall and should be a perfect fit with spicy Thai dishes.
88 Joie A Noble Blend 2005
Naramata Bench,
BC $20.40 private wine shops
The 2005 Noble Blend is a blend of gewürztraminer, riesling, pinot blanc, kerner, muscat, pinot auxerrois and ehrenfelser as evidence by its floral rose petal, spicy, sausage, lychee, green apple and peach aromas spiked with lime rind notes. Ripe, round, fresh entry with a slightly oily texture. Ripe apple, peach, floral, spicy, mineral, honey flavours with some grapefruit rind on the finish. Solid food or summer sipper. Better balanced and fresher than the previous vintage. Now under screwcap.
88 Lang Vineyards Gewurztraminer 2005
BC $16.90 winery direct, VQA and private wine shops
Bright floral, perfumed, spicy, green apple skin nose with a bit of grapefruit and bubble gum. Ripe, round, crisp and fresh with some sweetness. Ginger, spicy, mineral, floral, peach skin, rose petal flavours with a citrus rind finish. With an easygoing fresh style.
88 Lang Vineyards Riesling Farm Winery Reserve 2005
BC $15.90 winery direct, VQA and private wine shops
Very perfumy, bubble-gum, orange, honey, green apple aromas. Ripe, rich, round, delicate entry with nice acidity sugar balance. Rose, mineral, baked apple, light petrol and lime flavours. Long finish, well made.
88 Lang Vineyards Riesling Late Harvest 2005
BC $17.90 winery direct
Very fresh perfumed, floral, bubble gum, orange, mineral and honey nose. Ripe, round, juicy and balanced with light sweetness. Again, lots of perfumed, floral flavours with peach skin, orange, petrol and green apple skin flavours. Very open floral style but well balanced.
88 Laughing Stock Vineyards Chardonnay 2004
Naramata Bench,
BC $35.00 Winery
Citrus rind, spicy lees, nutty, vanilla, buttery, waxy aromas mark the somewhat Burgundian nose streaked with garlic and green apple skin. This is an elegant, fresh style with some oily textures and spicy lees, vanilla, creamy, baked pear, mineral, grapefruit rind flavours. The finish mixes butter and bitter apple skin. Well balanced overall. A nice touch of pinot gris is added for zip. 270 cases made.
88 Mission Hill Chardonnay Reserve 2004
AB $18.25 fine wine boutiques; BC $17.95 specialty listing; MB $17.95; NB $18.68; NF $18.45; NS $19.35; NWT $16.45; ON $18.95 Vintages Essentials; SK $17.95; YK $18.95
Floral, spicy, green apple skin, grapefruit nose with some honey and lees. Dry, fresh, elegant and crisp with some texture. Citrus, nutty, grapefruit, green apple, honey flavours with a touch of vanilla and cinnamon. Simple, creamy, spicy finish. Good effort.
88 Mission Hill S.L.C. Chardonnay 2004
Osoyoos,
AB $26.00 fine wine boutiques; BC $29.99 Winery, Mark Anthony Wine Marts, Private Wine Shops; ON $28.00
Citrus peel, buttery, green apple, lime, floral aromas with a touch of lees and vanilla. Round, dry, slightly oily texture but tight with green apple skin, lime, buttery, mineral, floral flavours. Finish is crisp with a grapefruit rind note. More Chablis like than
88 Mission Hill S.L.C. Merlot 2003
BC $39.99 winery direct, Mark Anthony stores
True to the Mission Hill style, the S.L.C. merlot opens with tight peppery, spicy, cool cherry aromas laced with mint, coffee, garrigue, vanilla and licorice notes. The palate is dry but rich with plenty of youthful grainy tannins. Black olive, black cherry, smoky vanilla, resiny, herbal, oregano flavours. Good intensity but a touch green and tannic. Similar to a semi-modern St. Emilion. Needs 2-5 years to put on some weight and loosen up. It will undoubtedly improve with time in bottle so do not rush it. Release date early March.
89 Mission Hill S.L.C. Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2004 Sauvignon Blanc - Sémillon
AB $26.00 fine wine boutiques; BC $29.99 Winery, Mark Anthony Wine Marts, Private Wine Shops
Open spicy, grapefruit juice, green apple, green melon, clover, floral nose with some smoky, vanilla streaks. Ripe, round, dry and elegant with kiwi, grapefruit rind, green melon, smoky, spicy gooseberry flavours with a touch of lees and vanilla. Well balanced, crisper style with very good fruit characters. Should improve over the next year or two.
89 Nichol Vineyard Syrah Reservare 2003
Naramata Bench,
BC $34.90 winery direct
Where others wineries have floundered in a difficult 2003 vintage, the Nichols appear to have hit the target. Love this smoky, meaty, gamey, nose flecked with pepper and rootsy aromas. Dry, round, slightly tannic entry with a sense of elegance throughout. Dense peppery, gamey, meaty fruit with floral, black berry, smoky, spicy flavours with a bit of saddle leather and coffee grind on the finish. Needs 2-4 years. Well made and perfectly suited to strong meat dishes. Fine effort.
90 Nk'Mip Cellars Qwam Qwmt Chardonnay 2004
Osoyoos,
BC $24.99 VQA stores / private wine shops
Winemaker Randy Picton has conquered the oak barrel in 2004 and given us a delicious spicy, cinnamon, leesy, baked apple chardonnay nose with nutty, floral, orange notes. Dry, elegant, slightly fat entry with nutty lees, mineral, vanilla, honey, waxy, spicy, green apple skin flavours. The finish is warm but with plenty of pear and citrus and a streak of buttered popcorn. Ready to go but with fine sophistication. Try with grilled trout and almonds meunière.
94 Nk'Mip Cellars Qwam Qwmt Riesling Icewine 2004
Osoyoos,
BC $59.99 winery direct and private wine shops
Open mineral, pear, vinyl, citrus rind, green apple, peach aromas with a floral note. Ripe, rich, round, slightly fatter style with orange, pear, mineral, baked apple, marmalade flavours. Good acidity and length with some pear, creamsicle flavours on the finish. Well balanced with verve and flavour intensity.
88 Mission Hill Chardonnay Reserve 2004
AB $18.25 fine wine boutiques; BC $17.95 specialty listing; MB $17.95; NB $18.68; NF $18.45; NS $19.35; NWT $16.45; ON $18.95 Vintages Essentials; SK $17.95; YK $18.95
Floral, spicy, green apple skin, grapefruit nose with some honey and lees. Dry, fresh, elegant and crisp with some texture. Citrus, nutty, grapefruit, green apple, honey flavours with a touch of vanilla and cinnamon. Simple, creamy, spicy finish. Good effort.
88 Mission Hill S.L.C. Chardonnay 2004
Osoyoos,
AB $26.00 fine wine boutiques; BC $29.99 Winery, Mark Anthony Wine Marts, Private Wine Shops; ON $28.00
Citrus peel, buttery, green apple, lime, floral aromas with a touch of lees and vanilla. Round, dry, slightly oily texture but tight with green apple skin, lime, buttery, mineral, floral flavours. Finish is crisp with a grapefruit rind note. More Chablis like than
88 Mission Hill S.L.C. Merlot 2003
BC $39.99 winery direct, Mark Anthony stores
True to the Mission Hill style, the S.L.C. merlot opens with tight peppery, spicy, cool cherry aromas laced with mint, coffee, garrigue, vanilla and licorice notes. The palate is dry but rich with plenty of youthful grainy tannins. Black olive, black cherry, smoky vanilla, resiny, herbal, oregano flavours. Good intensity but a touch green and tannic. Similar to a semi-modern St. Emilion. Needs 2-5 years to put on some weight and loosen up. It will undoubtedly improve with time in bottle so do not rush it. Release date early March.
89 Mission Hill S.L.C. Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2004 Sauvignon Blanc - Sémillon
AB $26.00 fine wine boutiques; BC $29.99 Winery, Mark Anthony Wine Marts, Private Wine Shops
Open spicy, grapefruit juice, green apple, green melon, clover, floral nose with some smoky, vanilla streaks. Ripe, round, dry and elegant with kiwi, grapefruit rind, green melon, smoky, spicy gooseberry flavours with a touch of lees and vanilla. Well balanced, crisper style with very good fruit characters. Should improve over the next year or two.
89 Nichol Vineyard Syrah Reservare 2003
Naramata Bench,
BC $34.90 winery direct
Where others wineries have floundered in a difficult 2003 vintage, the Nichols appear to have hit the target. Love this smoky, meaty, gamey, nose flecked with pepper and rootsy aromas. Dry, round, slightly tannic entry with a sense of elegance throughout. Dense peppery, gamey, meaty fruit with floral, black berry, smoky, spicy flavours with a bit of saddle leather and coffee grind on the finish. Needs 2-4 years. Well made and perfectly suited to strong meat dishes. Fine effort.
90 Nk'Mip Cellars Qwam Qwmt Chardonnay 2004
Osoyoos,
BC $24.99 VQA stores / private wine shops
Winemaker Randy Picton has conquered the oak barrel in 2004 and given us a delicious spicy, cinnamon, leesy, baked apple chardonnay nose with nutty, floral, orange notes. Dry, elegant, slightly fat entry with nutty lees, mineral, vanilla, honey, waxy, spicy, green apple skin flavours. The finish is warm but with plenty of pear and citrus and a streak of buttered popcorn. Ready to go but with fine sophistication. Try with grilled trout and almonds meunière.
88 Poplar Grove Reserve 2003
Naramata Bench,
BC $49.90 winery direct
Big cherry kirsch, slightly volatile nose with spicy, mocha, coriander, vanilla flecks and a whiff of port-y-ness. Fat, rich, round, alcoholic style with some rustic and substantial tannins. Cherry jam, roasted pepper, vanilla, pepper, cardamom, orange peel and coffee flavours. Not much finesse and very hot but there is fruit and plenty of back end oomph. Try in 2-3 years on a cold winter eve. The blend is 60/25/15 merlot / cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon.
88 Sandhill Small Lots Program Cabernet Sauvignon - Syrah Burrowing Owl Vineyard 2003
AB $28.99 fine wine boutiques; BC $26.99 winery direct and private wine shops
Smoky, peppery, chocolate, black olive, black cherry, saddle leather nose with some vanilla, resin and game. Round, soft, dry palate with light, grainy tannins. Licorice root, peppery, spicy, gamey, black cherry, vanilla, bitter chocolate flavours with some tobacco and prune on the finish. Warm and dry but well balanced and supple. Will improve over the next 2-3 years.
90 Sandhill Small Lots Program Three Burrowing Owl Vineyard 2003
AB $32.49 fine wine boutiques; BC $29.99 winery direct and private wine shops
Young but well balanced with peppery, chocolate, garrigue, black cherry, floral notes with vanilla, coffee, black olive and smoke. On the palate it is round and dry with fine elegant supple characters. Spicy, black cherry, mocha, vanilla, peppery, spicy, black olive flavours with a touch of cardamom. Needs 1-3 years but try now with any grilled meat. The best red blend yet from Sandhill ─ 53/21/13/13 barbera, sangiovese, merlot and cabernet sauvignon.
89 Sandhill Small Lots Program Two Burrowing Owl Vineyard 2003
BC $29.99 winery direct and private wine shops
Open floral peppery nose with licorice, cassis, black cherry, mocha aromas with some barnyard and smoky leather. Rich, ripe and round with dry if soft tannins. Intense coffee, peppery, smoky, resin, vanilla, cassis, black cherry, black berry flavours on the palate with a warm, vanilla pudding finish. Needs 2-5 years but will improve. Good balance overall.
89 Sumac Ridge Pinnacle 2002 Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
AB $43.00 private wine shops; BC $50.00
Stewed cherry, cassis, and coffee nose streaked with pepper, smoke, bacon, leather, barnyard and garrigue-like spice. Rich, ripe, fat and round not to mention somewhat alcoholic. Smooth, substantial tannins but balanced. Intense smoky, coffee, cedar, mocha, cherry cola, black olive, rootsy clove flavours. Big and warm and ripe. This needs another 3 to 4 years in bottle to pull it all together. Good effort.
88 Sumac Ridge Pinnacle White 2004
BC $25.00 Winery Only
Toasty, sp
