Pinot Gris, 2024

Tasting notes and review by Tony Aspler.

Geographical Indication: Yakima Valley AVA, Washington
Varietal: Pinot Gris
Vineyard: A Yakima Valley vineyard
Alcohol: 14%
Residual Sugar: 0.17 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 1,094

Appearance: Pale straw colour.
Nose: Peach pit nose with a light floral top note.
Palate: Medium-bodied, full on the palate; ripe peach flavour carried on lively acidity with a thread of minerality.

Quality: 90 points. Outstanding. Drink now and through 2026. 

Food Pairing: Dungeness crab cakes with lemon aioli, pear and arugula salad with honey vinaigrette and almonds, chicken piccata with capers and parsley, spaghetti alle vongole (clams) in white wine sauce, and roasted fennel and citrus quinoa bowl.

Estate Bedrock Red, 2022

Tasting notes and review by Valerie van der Gracht.

Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Merlot (55%), Cabernet Franc (28%), Syrah (7%), Petit Verdot (7%), Malbec (3%)
Vineyard: SIP, Sunflower, Chicane, and Hester Creek vineyards
Alcohol: 14.2%
Residual Sugar: 0.88 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 419

Appearance: A bright, clear red, not too dark, you can see through the bottom of the wine glass, good clarity.
Nose: Tantalizing scents, quite delicate, ripe red apple, black raspberry, and later dark cherry. A number of pleasant aromas are released as it sits. Plum, a hint of fruit torte with a suggestion of creaminess.
Palate: Just approaching a medium body which is expected given its age. Light and pleasing tannins. Mostly leaner but with definite, richer prospects as it ages.

Quality: 90 points. Outstanding. A very nice wine that should age well. I’d wait at least a year or two to fully enjoy this wine. Decanting: a minimum of two hours, 60 minutes before serving, refrigerate for 30 minutes followed by 30 minutes at room temperature.

Food Pairing: Pairs nicely with any red meat. More refined than I would pair with barbecue. A nice roast beef served with carrots, green beans, garlic mashed potatoes and pan gravy would be my first choice
Additional pairings: Wild mushroom and caramelized onion galette with thyme and Gruyère, Korean beef bulgogi, lamb rogan josh, and roasted root vegetable and chestnut cassoulet with smoked paprika crust.

Awards: Gold – International Wine and Spirits Competition

Reserve Piano Méthode Cuvée Close, NV

Tasting notes and review by Valerie van der Gracht.

Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Pinot Blanc (93%), Riesling (7%)
Vineyard: Miller Road and Black Dog vineyards
Alcohol: 12.5%
Residual Sugar: 0.46 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 552

Appearance: Pale in colour with just the right amount of effervescence.
Nose: On the nose red grapefruit and a touch of orange pith. Pleasantly citrus with an underlining note of brioche making this a mix of pleasant scents that are both delicate and distinctive.
Palate: Essence of mandarin orange bounces on the effervescence of the wine which is perfectly balanced with a palate pleasing dryness. A touch of floral with excellent acidity. The wine is crisp, fresh and light bodied that finishes in a fruity foundation with light notes of citrus.

Quality: 90 points. Outstanding. Don’t just save this sparkler for special occasions, it should be celebrated for its ability to make every sip its own occasion. Enjoy at a temperature of 6 to 8 degrees.

Food Pairing: Oysters, both on the half shell or as Oysters Rockefeller either would be ideal. Also nice with Coquille St Jacques but equally enjoyable with a variety of hard and soft cheeses. The more daring would try it with a lemon tart.

Additional pairings: Shaved fennel and orange salad with Champagne vinaigrette, and savoury buckwheat crêpes with goat cheese, tarragon, and lemon zest.

Awards:
Silver – Sommelier Challenge, 2024 International Wine and Spirits Competition
Silver – 2024 Las Vegas Global Wine Awards

Estate Pinot Noir, 2022

Tasting notes and review by Tony Aspler.

Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Pinot Noir 
Vineyard: Orchard Grove, Hester Creek, and Gold Hill vineyards
Alcohol: 13.3%
Residual Sugar: 2.3 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 1,127

Appearance: Deep ruby in colour.
Nose: Toasty, black raspberry nose with oak spice.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, richly extracted plum and raspberry flavours. Firmly structured with ripe tannins.

Quality: 90 points. Outstanding. Can be opened now but will reward 1-2 years cellaring. 

Food Pairing: Porcini mushroom and sage lasagna, grilled quail with pomegranate glaze, caramelized onion and gruyère tart, pan-roasted duck liver with cherry compote on brioche, and roasted sweet potato and lentil stew with smoked paprika.

Awards: Gold – Sommelier Challenge, 2024 International Wine & Spirits Competition

Pinot Noir Rosé, 2024

Tasting notes and review by Tony Aspler.

Geographical Indication: Walla Walla Valley AVA, Washington
Varietal: Pinot Noir 
Vineyard: A Walla Walla vineyard
Alcohol: 12.5%
Residual Sugar: 1 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 958

Appearance: Very pale pink in colour.
Nose: Minerally, raspberry nose.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, well balanced. Elegant and lengthy raspberry and red plum flavours.

Quality: 90 points. Outstanding. Drink now. 

Food Pairing: Seared scallops with strawberry gastrique, grilled halloumi with tomato-basil relish, tuna tartare with avocado and sesame crackers, Moroccan carrot salad with cumin and harissa dressing, and smoked turkey sliders with cranberry aioli.

Estate Pinotage, 2022

Tasting notes and review by Tony Aspler.

Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Pinotage
Vineyard: Stoneboat Vineyards
Alcohol: 13.5%
Residual Sugar: 1.06 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 346

Appearance: Deep ruby in colour.
Nose: Cedary, blackberry, and blackcurrant nose.
Palate: Richly extracted, earthy, black fruit flavours. Full-bodied, dry, firmly structured with ripe tannins.

Quality: 90 – 92 points. Outstanding. Hold 1-2 years to allow the tannins to soften.

Food Pairing: Korean BBQ pork ribs with gochujang glaze, spiced jackfruit and black bean enchiladas, wagyu beef sliders with blue cheese and fig relish, roasted cauliflower steaks with chimichurri and tahini, and tandoori chicken thighs with tamarind yogurt drizzle.

Bubble Boat Méthode Cuvée Close

Tasting notes and review by Valerie van der Gracht.

Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Riesling (55%), Schonburger (33%), and Pinot Blanc (12%)
Vineyard: Miller Road, Scenic Road, Domaine Roche, and Black Dog vineyards
Alcohol: 11.5%
Residual Sugar: 9 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 552

Appearance: A very light, clear straw colour.
Nose: Exhibiting fresh and clean scents, First of jasmine followed by intensely delicious stone fruit, ripe peaches especially. Very fruity on the nose yet also delicate with floral notes. As it sits it opens into wonderful tropical scents with some fresh pineapple.
Palate: The freshness continues into the mouth with excellent acidity and crispness. Lingering flavours of ripe stone fruit, especially peach, and a hint of strawberry.

This one knocked it out of the park for me. Everything I look for in a bubbly, so luscious.

Quality: 90 points. Outstanding.

Food Pairing: These bubbles are delectable and would pair wonderfully with any soft, stinky cheese. My favourite St. Albray comes to mind. Also nice with Asian dumplings, the gingery kind, any shellfish or crustaceans especially with a garlic butter sauce. Conversely I can see it pairing nicely with waffles for a late morning breakfast for two.

Additional pairings: Moroccan spiced carrot & chickpea fritters with lemon yogurt dip, and roasted garlic & herb polenta fries with parmesan dust.

Awards: Silver – 2024 West Coast Wine Competition

Reserve Lake's Edge Red, 2022

Tasting notes and review by Tony Aspler.

Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Merlot (47%), Cabernet Franc (32%), Malbec (9%), Petit Verdot (8%), and Syrah (4%)
Vineyard: SIP, Sunflower, Chicane, and Hester Creek vineyards
Alcohol: 14.2%
Residual Sugar: 0.88 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 381

Appearance: Deep ruby in colour.
Nose: Cedary, spicy, black fruit nose.
Palate: Full-bodied, dry, juicy blackberry and mulberry flavours. Rich on the palate with a savoury finish.

Quality: 90 points. Outstanding. Drink now and through 2027.

Food Pairing: Wild boar ragu with pappardelle, sweet potato gnocchi with sage brown butter and hazelnuts, pastrami on rye with grainy mustard and pickles, grilled eggplant steaks with romesco sauce, and beef brisket tacos with mole poblano.

Valley Commons Malbec, 2021

Tasting notes and review by Valerie van der Gracht.

Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Malbec
Vineyard: SIP Vineyard
Alcohol: 14.5%
Residual Sugar: 0.9 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 123

Appearance: An interesting colour variation on this wine, a shading that gives it a subtle blueish hue.
Nose: In a word, boldness. The scents of this wine are intriguing. A mix of berries, ripe, dark fruit yet also some interesting aspects of lighter fruits like raspberry and huckleberry mixed in. A hint of rosemary adds a mellow note. Intense violets, black cherry, cassis, smoke, savoury green herbs, black pepper, leather.
Palate: Quite smooth and definitely rich. The lighter fruit on the nose have given way to the burst of the darker, riper fruit essences. Medium but manageable tannins are mixed with the right level of acidity. The palate appreciates the boldness that was also exhibited on the nose.

Quality: 90 points. Outstanding. A bold and slightly rustic, full-bodied wine. Enjoyable now but patience would be a virtue for those that cellar this wine.

Food Pairing: Anything that matches the boldness of the wine; a rib-eye steak cooked rare to medium rare comes to mind. Beef stew or a savoury pot roast served with root vegetables.

Additional Pairings: Grilled portobello mushrooms with rosemary and balsamic glaze, and spicy vegan Shepherd’s pie with lentils and root vegetables.

Awards: Gold - 2024 National Wine Awards of Canada

Valley Commons Harvest Red, 2021

Tasting notes and review by Valerie van der Gracht.

Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Merlot (58%), Cabernet Franc (42%)
Vineyard: SIP and Libre Farms vineyards
Alcohol: 14.5%
Residual Sugar: 0.9 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 311

Appearance: Vibrant deep ruby colour
Nose: Bold scents of dark fruit, berries, especially delectable blackberry notes intermingled with some boysenberry. The rich aromas bring to mind a juicy slice of bumbleberry pie. Hints of leather and pipe tobacco.
Palate: Bold and full-bodied. A savoury treat for the senses. Rich and ripe in the mouth. With accents of dark fruit, stewed Italian plum, a touch of cranberry with delightful peppery notes. Medium but approachable tannins. Enjoy this bold wine with almost anything barbecued.

Quality: 88+ points. Very Good+. Bold and endearing. Drink now and over the next three years.

Food Pairing: A perfect match for beef ribs coated in a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. Try it with any cut of steak, add mushrooms sautéed in the wine for an extra indulgence. Great with smoked meats or game.

Additional pairings: Fire-roasted red pepper and eggplant lasagna with smoked tomato sauce, and grilled corn and black bean arepas with mole amarillo.

Valley Commons Rosé Frizzante, 2023

Tasting notes and review by Tony Aspler.

Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Gamay
Vineyard: Pipe Dreams Vineyard
Alcohol: 12.3%
Residual Sugar: 3 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 227

Appearance: Coppery orange in colour with a light spritz.
Nose: Pink grapefruit and cherry bouquet.
Palate: Light-bodied, dry, raspberry and rhubarb flavours. Good length.

Quality: 89 points. Very Good+. Drink now.

Food Pairing: Crispy coconut shrimp with chili-lime dipping sauce, watermelon and feta salad with mint and balsamic glaze, Vietnamese rice paper rolls with shrimp and herbs, ricotta and lemon zest crostini with microgreens, and grilled pineapple skewers with tamari glaze.

Valley Commons Pinot Gris, 2022

Tasting notes and review by Valerie van der Gracht.

Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Pinot Gris
Vineyard: Jaggi Vineyards
Alcohol: 13.4%
Residual Sugar: 0.2 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 250

Appearance: A clear, light yellow in colour, like the first rays of morning light.
Nose: Superb floral notes followed by cantaloupe, peach, and gooseberry. A delicate hint of citrus and an almost tropical impression. Also some banana, cut grass, and citrus. A treat for lovers of a wine that suggests a restrained boldness.
Palate: Fruit-forward with bold acidity, medium body with flavours of citrus on the palate. The wine is crisp but mellow and lingers with a finishing hint of black pepper.

Quality: 88 points. Very Good+. Bold and endearing. Drink now through 2026.

Food Pairing: This delectable wine would compliment any spicy dish. Great with seafood. It makes the perfect match for Indian, Chinese, Japanese, even Thai. So versatile.

Additional pairings: Sushi rolls with avocado, cucumber, and mango, and Thai green curry with tofu, bamboo shoots, and Thai basil