Red Rooster Winery
We were proud to feature Red Rooster in April 2020.
Perched high above Okanagan Lake, our winery is located among the rolling hills of Naramata Bench Road. Our engaging and, at times, offbeat approach gives a certain proud flair to everything we do. Not surprisingly, our wines consistently receive top honours at major wine competitions around the world. Not to mention, the 6 Lieutenant Governor’s Award of Excellence under our belts.
Our wines are crafted with a gentle approach and minimal intervention during the winemaking process. While specific processes vary from varietal to varietal, all of our wines are fruit forward, intending to bring out the best features of the Okanagan. All are ready to drink now.
Our reserve wines, however, have fuller-bodies and more structure, which makes them suitable for putting away.
Tasting Notes
BRUT, NV
Red Rooster Winery, Okanagan Valley Buy this wineTasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietals: Pinot Noir (51%) and Chardonnay (49%)
Vineyard: Various Okanagan Valley vineyards
Alcohol: 12%
Residual Sugar: 5 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 100
Appearance: Light straw in colour.
Nose: Leesy, apple bouquet with a note of white blossoms.
Palate: Medium-bodied, crisply dry with lemon and green apple flavours. Finishes on a note of green nuts – easy drinking.
Quality: Outstanding. Drink now or hold five years for a more mature (gout anglaise) flavour profile. An excellent first sparkling wine from Red Rooster.
Critic Rating: 90 points – Tony Aspler
Food Pairing: Linguini with clams and scallops, strawberry soufflé with freshly sliced strawberries, salmon with sage butter sauce, kale and persimmon salad with pecan vinaigrette, and beer-battered cod sandwich with garlic aioli.
CABERNET MERLOT, 2017
Red Rooster Winery, Okanagan Valley Buy this wineTasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: BC VQA British Columbia
Varietals: Cabernet Franc (41%), Merlot (33%), Cabernet Sauvignon (25%), and Petit Verdot (1%)
Vineyard: Various South Okanagan & Similkameen vineyards
Alcohol: 14.3%
Residual Sugar: 1.3 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 20,875
Appearance: Deep ruby-purple colour.
Nose: Floral, cigar leaf and white pepper bouquet with blackcurrant and plum, evident oak vanilla and a floral grace note.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, firmly structured, black cherry and plum flavours with fresh acidity and well-integrated oak.
Quality: Very Good+/Outstanding. Allow a year or two for the tannins to mellow.
Critic Rating: 89-90 points – Tony Aspler
Food Pairing: Tuna burgers with lemon and paprika, barbequed pulled pork, smoked chicken and cilantro pizza, grilled fava beans with balsamic herb dressing, and grilled lamb chops with harissa yogurt.
RARE BIRD SERIES VIOGNIER, 2018
Red Rooster Winery, Okanagan Valley Buy this wineTasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Viognier
Vineyard: Desert Wolf, Fools Gold, and Osprey Ridge vineyards
Alcohol: 14%
Residual Sugar: 0.8 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 215
Appearance: Light straw colour.
Nose: Lightly minerally, aromatic, honeysuckle and melon bouquet.
Palate: Medium-bodied, peachy-melon flavour; well-balanced with an Asian pear finish. Good mouth-feel.
Quality: Outstanding. Drink now through 2021.
Critic Rating: 90 points – Tony Aspler
Awards:
Food Pairing: Pork chops with honey Dijon sauce, blackened chicken with citrus and basil butter, hearty potato soup with carrots and onions, spicy lobster cakes with mango salsa, and almond-crusted sea bass.
MERLOT, 2016
Red Rooster Winery, Okanagan Valley Buy this wineTasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: BC VQA British Columbia
Varietal: Merlot
Vineyard: Various South Okanagan & Similkameen vineyards
Alcohol: 14.3%
Residual Sugar: 0.4 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 19,135
Appearance: Deep ruby in colour.
Nose: Cedary, pencil lead, lightly floral nose of black plum with vanilla oak spice.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, savoury-sweet black fruit flavours carried on lively acidity. Ripe tannins that give the wine structure. Velvety mouth-feel and good length.
Quality: Very Good+. Drinking well now but with a couple of years the bouquet will blossom.
Critic Rating: 88.5 points – Tony Aspler
Awards:
Food Pairing: Roast beef with peppercorn sauce and Yorkshire pudding, Mongolian-style stir fry, French green beans with Béarnaise sauce, braised pork shoulder with tomatoes and olives, and chicken cordon blue with Gorgonzola cheese.
PINOT GRIS, 2018
Red Rooster Winery, Okanagan Valley Buy this wineTasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Pinot Gris
Vineyard: Various Okanagan Valley vineyards
Alcohol: 13.3%
Residual Sugar: 0.8 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 5,009
Appearance: White gold colour.
Nose: Minerally, peach pit nose.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, well-extracted white peach and lemon flavours with a touch of chalkiness on the finish.
Quality: Very Good+. Drink now through 2021.
Critic Rating: 89 points – Tony Aspler
Awards:
Food Pairing: Seared foie gras with ginger cream sauce, barbequed chicken kebabs with pineapple and mixed vegetables, grilled squid salad with celery leaf pesto, chicken tikka masala, and roasted scallops with pancetta.
RARE BIRD SERIES MERITAGE, 2016
Red Rooster Winery, Okanagan Valley Buy this wineTasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon (38%), Merlot (27%), Cabernet Franc (22%), Petit Verdot (12%), Malbec (1%)
Vineyard: Various Okanagan Valley vineyards
Alcohol: 14.1%
Residual Sugar: 0.4 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 2,200
Appearance: Deep ruby-purple colour.
Nose: Rich cedary, spicy nose of blackcurrant and tobacco.
Palate: Medium-bodied, silky mouth-feel, dry, elegant, beautifully balanced and harmonious with ripe tannins.
Quality: Outstanding. Drinking well now, but will hold for 3 – 4 years.
Critic Rating: 91 points – Tony Aspler
Awards:
Food Pairing: Beef brisket with wild mushrooms, grilled polenta bruschetta with olive tapenade, duck and andouille sausage gumbo, jalapeño chicken burgers, and fusilli with artichoke hearts and parmesan.
RARE BIRD SERIES GEWURZTRAMINER, 2018
Red Rooster Winery, Okanagan Valley Buy this wineGeographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Gewürztraminer
Vineyard: Hidden Terrace and North of Oliver vineyards
Alcohol: 13.5%
Residual Sugar: 2 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 97
Appearance: Clear, bright. Pale straw core.
Nose: Orange, touch of honey, white flowers.
Palate: Medium acid, medium body. Pear, wet stone. Hint of yellow fruit, like nectarine. Some baking spice.
Quality: Very Good+. 89 points. Delicate and subtle. Drink now.
Food Pairing: Roasted ham with clove and orange marmalade, pan-seared goose with dates, breaded veal cutlets with sauerkraut, shrimp dusted in Asian five spice, and tempeh with squash and coconut.
RARE BIRD SERIES SYRAH, 2016
Red Rooster Winery, Okanagan Valley Buy this wineGeographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Syrah
Vineyard: Fools Gold and Desert Wolf vineyards
Alcohol: 13.6%
Residual Sugar: 0.4 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 1,038
Appearance: Bright, semi-opaque. Ruby core.
Nose: Stewed fruit. Ripe red and black cherry, blackberry, black currant. Red and black berry fruit forward, less savoury items.
Palate: Medium acid, medium body, medium tannin. Savoury. Cigar ash, tobacco. Savoury green herbs. Earth. Smoky.
Quality: Very Good+. 89 points. Well balanced, well structured. Lengthy finish.
Awards:
Food Pairing: Steak tacos with chimichurri, barbecued spareribs with collard greens, walnut and mushroom stuffed venison, smoked gouda grilled cheese with homestyle ketchup, and vegetarian chickpea chili.