Gold Hill Winery & Charisma Wines | 2023
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Gold Hill Winery, operated by the Gill brothers, epitomizes the essence of South Okanagan with over three decades of farming experience. Their dedication to understanding the unique terroir of each vineyard site has led to a focus on Bordeaux varietals, perfect for the warm regional climate. This focus has helped them cultivate a loyal following and an impressive portfolio, highlighted by their flagship cabernet franc. Under the guidance of veteran viticulturist and winemaker Val Tait, Gold Hill is exploring new frontiers with their TerreLab series, crafting exceptional small-lot wines from estate-grown grapes.
Charisma Wines leverages the diverse character of Okanagan’s vineyards to produce vibrant, fresh, and contemporary everyday wines. These offerings reflect the playful winemaking and terroir, appealing to a broad audience.
Wines included this month
February 2023
Enthusiast Red: White: 2020 Sauvignon Blanc, 2021 Charisma Cabernet Merlot
Enthusiast Red Only: 2021 Charisma Malbec, 2021 Charisma Cabernet Merlot
Enthusiast White Only: 2022 Charisma Pinot Gris, 2022 Charisma Chardonnay
Expert Red: White: 2020 Sauvignon Blanc, 2021 Charisma Malbec, 2021 Charisma Cabernet Merlot
Expert Red Only: 2017 Cabernet Franc, 2021 Charisma Malbec, 2021 Charisma Cabernet Merlot
Expert White Only: 2020 Sauvignon Blanc, 2022 Charisma Pinot Gris, 2022 Charisma Chardonnay
Master Red: White: 2020 Sauvignon Blanc, 2022 Charisma Pinot Gris, 2022 Charisma Chardonnay, 2017 Cabernet Franc, 2021 Charisma Malbec, 2021 Charisma Cabernet Merlot
Master Red Only: 2017 Cabernet Franc, 2021 Charisma Malbec, 2021 Charisma Cabernet Merlot, 2018 Syrah, 2019 Merlot, 2015 Grand Vin
SAUVIGNON BLANC, 2020
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Vineyard: Mirror Lake Vineyard
Alcohol: 13.5%
Residual Sugar: 2.69 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 200
Appearance: Bright, golden in colour.
Nose: Minerally, smoky, vegetal nose with a light floral note.
Palate: Medium-bodied, crisply dry, with lemon-lime and green plum flavours.
Quality: 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drink now and through 2023.
Food Pairing: Butter-and-herb baked oysters, Tuscan-style roasted asparagus, prosciutto pesto pizza, sweet potato quinoa salad, and grilled grapefruit-rosemary shrimp.
CHARISMA CABERNET MERLOT, 2021
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietals: Cabernet Franc (41%), Cabernet Sauvignon (40%), Merlot (19%)
Vineyard: Estate vineyard
Alcohol: 13.5%
Residual Sugar: 6.1 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 1,650
Appearance: Deep ruby colour.
Nose: Cedary, smoky, spicy nose of black fruits.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, smoked-meat, blackcurrant, and black licorice flavours. Well-balanced, well-integrated oak and soft tannins.
Quality: 89 points – Wine Club Canada. Very Good+. Very drinkable now, but will reward cellaring for 1 – 2 years.
Food Pairing: BBQ chicken pizza, applewood-smoked steak, marinated seared ahi tuna, fried tofu in teriyaki, and French onion soup.
CHARISMA PINOT GRIS, 2022
Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Pinot Gris
Vineyard: Mirror Lake Vineyard
Alcohol: 12.5%
Residual Sugar: 4.2 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 650
Appearance: Bright, clear. Pale straw hue.
Nose: A generous bouquet of white flowers, golden berry, honeydew melon, pear, nectarine, lime and lemon, and a touch of honey.
Palate: Medium acid, medium body. Notes of spiced pear, ripe peach, and melon.
Quality: 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drink now and through 2024.
Food Pairing: Oven-baked salmon with picholine olive sauce, bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin, curry chicken skewers with lime, vegetarian pad Thai, and steamed Dungeness crab with drawn garlic butter.
CHARISMA MALBEC, 2021
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Malbec
Vineyard: Estate vineyard
Alcohol: 14%
Residual Sugar: 0.4 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 790
Appearance: Dark ruby colour.
Nose: Cedary, toasty nose of blackberries with oak spice and a note of violets.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, elegant. Firmly structured but lots of finesse here. Beautifully balanced, blackberry flavour with chalky minerality and good length.
Quality: 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drink now and through 2025.
Food Pairing: Grilled cauliflower steaks, beef brisket nachos, stuffed jalapeño poppers, rosemary- and garlic-basted sirloin steak, and pomegranate-glazed lamb lollipops.
CHARISMA CHARDONNAY, 2022
Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Chardonnay
Vineyard: Mirror Lake Vineyard
Alcohol: 12.9%
Residual Sugar: 3.8 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 460
Appearance: Bright, clear. Staw-hued core.
Nose: A distinct floral perfume; white flowers with a hint of baking spice. Golden berry, stone fruit, citrus (orange, lime, lemon), green grass, and herbal notes.
Palate: Medium acid, medium body. Ripe peach, orange and lemon citrus, and honeydew melon. Savoury green herbs like tarragon. A hint of nutmeg and clove that leaves a pleasant hint of spice on the finish.
Quality: 89 - 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Very Good+ / Outstanding.
Food Pairing: Tequila-marinated chicken fajitas, pan-seared scallops, butternut squash risotto, Elote (Mexican street style) roasted carrots, and hazelnut-crusted pork chops.
CABERNET FRANC, 2017
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Cabernet Franc
Vineyard: Estate vineyard
Alcohol: 14.1%
Residual Sugar: 1.7 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 172
Appearance: Dense ruby colour.
Nose: Spicy, floral nose of blueberries with tobacco and vanilla oak notes.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, savoury flavours of blueberry and black plum. Beautifully balanced, ripe tannins and juicy acidity.
Quality: 91 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drinking well now, but can be cellared until 2025.
Food Pairing: Crispy roast duck, Philadelphia cheesesteak sandwich, ribeye steak with a ginger-garlic sauce, spinach-stuffed chicken breast, and bell peppers stuffed with quinoa and a plant-based protein.
CABERNET FRANC ROSE, 2021
Geographical Indication: BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Varietal: Cabernet Franc
Vineyard: Oxbow Reach Vineyard
Alcohol: 14%
Residual Sugar: 2.99 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 120
Appearance: Semi-opaque. Light salmon colour.
Nose: Notes of strawberry, cherry, raspberry, cranberry, and orange zest.
Palate: Medium acid, medium body. Luscious flavours of strawberry, cherry, rhubarb, tangerine, with hints of fresh basil and mint on the finish.
Quality: 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding.
Food Pairing: Charcuterie board with fresh fruit, hard cheeses, and thinly sliced Varzi salami, crispy beer-battered halibut, smoked gouda and bacon burger with barbeque sauce, traditional Spanish paella, and grilled eggplant with garlic and herbs.
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