September 21/05 - Our Latest Top Ten BC Picks

91 Burrowing Owl Syrah 2003
Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $29.95 Winery
Very dark cherry colour. Big smoky, dried lychee, sausage meat aromas with peppery, licorice root, blackberry jam notes. Rich, round, fat and ripe with blackberry jam, smoky, peppery, vanilla, dried lychee, mineral, gamey flavours with a long, minty, smoky meat finish. Hot (alcoholic) but still a fine effort with a Northern focus. This young brute needs 2-4 years. (AG-ST)

91 CedarCreek Cabernet Sauvignon Platinum Reserve 2002
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $39.99 Winery

Dark cherry colour. Lots of spicy, peppery, cedar, tobacco leaf mixed with resiny, smoky vanilla aromas cassis and olive. Lovely round, ripe supple textures with fine grained tannins. Fresh cassis, coriander and pepper entry with spicy, cherry, smoky oak and vanilla flavours. Long and warm but well balanced with good finesse. Young, showing some oak, will improve over the next 3-5 years. Newer Bordelais style ― this is very fine, well-crafted cabernet sauvignon. Bravo B.C. (AG)

91 Quails' Gate Merlot Family Reserve 2002
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $40.00 Specialty
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. (AG-ST)

90 Burrowing Owl Meritage 2002 Cabernet Franc - Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot
Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $34.90 Winery Only
Just released the 02 is a blend of 40/40/20 cabernet franc, merlot and cabernet sauvignon. Mocha, minty, black cherry, tea, black berry jam aromas mixed with tobacco, leather, cranberry and peppery orange peel notes. Rich, round, warm and dry with supple, ripe tannins. Big spicy, mocha, peppery, minty, tobacco, clove, smoky black olive flavours with a cassis, coffee vanilla pudding finish. Quite suave with good intensity, should age well over the next 4-6 years. Impressive ― 1000 cases made in a new Pomerol-like style. Reminiscent of Vieux Chateau Certan but hotter. (AG-ST)

90 Township 7 Syrah 2002
Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $22.90 Winery and LRS
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. (AG-ST)

90 CedarCreek Merlot Platinum Reserve 2003
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $39.99 VQA Wine Stores
Deep, dark cherry red with youthful purple tinges. Nose is very ripe with vanilla/oak, but not overdone, fruit cake, butter, blueberries, and medium to high intensity but lacking any complexity - which may/should develop. Dry, very dry, with full body, rich ripe fruit, quite structured tannins that are high but fine. Plenty of concentration, good balance, coffee, mocha, black fruits - this is very good to excellent and the tannins will soften out and prevent that initial dryness on the attack. Equivalent to good cru classé right bank Bordeaux in a hot vintage. (JC)

89 Sandhill Small Lots Program Syrah Phantom Creek Vineyard 2003
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $29.99 Winery; Granville Island Brewing Retail Store
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. (AG-ST)

89 Burrowing Owl Pinot Gris 2004
Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $20.00 Winery
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. (AG-ST)

89 Lake Breeze Pinot Blanc 2004
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $14.90 VQA Wine Stores
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. (AG-ST)

89 Herder Merlot 2003
Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $18.90 Winery
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. (AG-ST)

89 CedarCreek Chardonnay Estate Select 2003
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $20.09 Specialty
Mid-straw colour. Medium intensity, soft French oak vanilla, ripe honeysuckle, apple, melon, biscuit, cheese, very attractive nose in an elegant style - not dominating. Very full on the palate, dry, warm and soft texture, enough acid to balance ripeness, fat, rich, concentrated, shows complexity, and quite long on the finish. This is very good and has attractive complexity. (AG-ST)

89 CedarCreek Pinot Noir Estate Select 2003
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $23.99 Specialty; BC $15.99
Light-ish color but still attractive in the pinot category, medium intensity with nutmeg, fresh strawberry, cinnamon, cloves. Dry, soft and supple texture, spicy, medium bodied, quite high acidity, moderate extraction and concentration, silky, medium to long length and good overall balance. This is very good quality Pinot equivalent to a lesser Premier Cru in Burgundy. (JC)

89 CedarCreek Merlot Estate Select 2002
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $18.99 Specialty
Very dark with high extraction, strong vanilla oak flavours, pleasant albeit powerful, ripe fruit with high intensity. Blackberries, chocolate, fruitcake, aromas. Dry, very full, with superb tannin texture, quite high acidity, round, soft, fruity, well balanced, medium to long length. Not much complexity but plenty of concentration. Very good to excellent quality of a lesser St Emilion/Pomerol Grand Cru style. (JC)