November 01/05 - Our Latest Top Ten BC Picks

Wine CedarCreek Merlot Platinum Reserve 2002, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Price $39.99
UPC 778913062537
Score 91/100
Remarks    Peppery, spicy, prune plum, vanilla, black cherry, oregano, floral, black olive aromas ― Northwest merlot. Rich, round, supple style with light tannins. Nice minty, black cherry, chocolate pudding, vanilla, orange compote with more mineral, resiny, peppery undercurrents. A bit dry on the finish but good finesse and intensity. One of the best we have tasted from B.C.

Wine Quails' Gate Merlot Family Reserve 2002, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Price $40.00
UPC 778856202236
Score 91/100
Remarks    Super spicy, vanilla, clove nose with notes of coffee and pudding. Rich, round, ripe smooth tannins with big alcohol and lifted fruit flavours. On the palate look for big smoky oak, coffee, vanilla flavours with streaks of licorice and cedar. A very warm year has left this a bit over ripe but it's well worth cellaring to see how it develops over the next few years.

Wine Township 7 Syrah 2002, Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Price $22.90
UPC
Score 90/100
Remarks    Smoky sausage, peppery, spicy, leather, black berry aromas. Soft, round, elegant style with black cherry, spicy, licorice, floral, roasted coffee flavours with a warm, peppery, leather mineral finish. Good finesse, supple, has some Rhone like similarities. An excellent interpretation of B.C. syrah. Sold out.

Wine CedarCreek Chardonnay Platinum Reserve 2003, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Price $28.99
UPC 778913063046
Score 90/100
Remarks    Creamy lees, vanilla, green apple, floral, light citrus aromas with a touch of mango. Dry, fresh, round and elegant with green apple skin, mineral, spicy lees, vanilla, citrus rind flavours. Nice elegance and freshness, should improve over the next 1-3 years.

Wine Burrowing Owl Pinot Gris 2004, Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Price $20.00
UPC 626990004448
Score 89/100
Remarks    Another fine effort from BOV albeit slightly leaner and crisper than in the past and showing a touch more alcohol. Look for a floral, spicy, citrus, light buttery nose with mineral, earthy aromas. Round, dry, elegant palate with grapefruit rind, minerals and spice with light buttery lees and green apple flavours.

Wine CedarCreek Meritage Platinum Reserve Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc 2002, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Price $39.99
UPC 778913062568
Score 89/100
Remarks    Spicy, black cherry jam, cassis, coffee, black olive, saddle leather aromas with a vanilla clove note. Round, dry, elegant style with some dry, grainy tannins. Peppery, tobacco, smoky, cassis, vanilla, tobacco leaf, clove and dill flavours. A bit young and tight now, needs 2-4 years. History suggests this wine will continue to improve in the bottle.

Wine Herder Merlot 2003, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Price $18.90
UPC 814372000069
Score 89/100
Remarks    Spicy, peppery, earthy, coffee, vanilla, resin, tobacco aromas. Ripe, rich round but dry with some gritty, grainy tannins. Big spicy, clove, coffee, vanilla, peppery, licorice, black cherry jam flavours with some Christmas pudding notes. Good balance if a bit oaky, tannic and hot at this stage. Keep for 3-5 years. Fine effort.

Wine Jackson-Triggs Merlot Sun Rock Vineyard 2003, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Price $29.99
UPC 063657013489
Score 89/100
Remarks    Big lifted, mocha, vanilla coffee, spicy, savoury, sage, oregano aromas with some black cherry. Soft, round, ripe, fat, warm style with some tannins. Lots of vanilla, smoky coffee, peppery, black cherry, plum flavours with a savoury pudding finish. Warm, youthful tannin finish. Needs 2-4 years to soften.

Wine Lake Breeze Pinot Blanc 2004, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Price $14.90
UPC 6269900003069
Score 89/100
Remarks    Fresh mix of pear, mineral, nectarine skin, perfumed fruit nose with a hint of honey lees. Very lively on the palate with citrus, peach, butter, clover, honey and green apple flavours. A touch sweet but has good acidity and fruit intensity. Drink by the case.

Wine La Frenz Semillon 2004, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Price $17.00
UPC 626990013624
Score 89/100
Remarks    Pale to medium straw, with high intensity of aromatics, some grassy tones, ripe melon with a touch of tropicality. Dry, medium to full, creamy mouthfeel, rich texture, broad, well balanced, good concentration and long length. Excellent value.

Wine Mission Hill S.L.C. Syrah 2003, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Price $34.99
UPC 776545995674
Score 89/100
Remarks    Tight coffee, pepper, spicy nose with floral, black cherry, licorice root notes and smoky, vanilla-pudding tones. The entry is soft and rich, the best yet for a young Mission Hill syrah with grainy tannins in the back end. Fine minty, peppery, coffee, smoky vanilla, black cherry and tobacco flavours. Needs a few years to fully integrate and round out but well made cool climate syrah. Very promising, be patient. Good value.

Wine Sandhill Small Lots Program Syrah Phantom Creek Vineyard 2003, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Price $29.99
UPC 058976320615
Score 89/100
Remarks    Open warm, roasted pepper, tomato leaf and smoky-oak vanilla nose with prune/black cherry notes. Smooth, round, supple and dry on entry with fine spicy, vanilla, smoky oak and peppery, pudding, black cherry and anise flavours. Good ripeness and balance if a touch warm. Drinkable now but should improve in bottle for a year or two. Bravo.

Wine Sumac Ridge Merlot Black Sage Vineyard 2002, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Price $18.99
UPC 778876030536
Score 89/100
Remarks    Lots of spicy, peppery, savoury, vanilla, coffee, black cherry jam nose with some tobacco and chocolate. Rich, round, fat, supple entry with ripe tannins. Big smoky, espresso, vanilla, peppery, olive, black cherry, minty, plum flavours. A bit alcoholic but has lots of fruit intensity. Needs 2-4 years. Generous well made northwest merlot.