1st wine 2012 Poplar Grove Pinot Gris from Penticton. Great fruit on nose and palate, long finish. 13.2% alcohol. Ian Sutherland winemaker. Retails for about $19. All estate grown fruit. Nice acidity, terroir and fruit shine through. This is their 17th Pinot Gris vintage. Wine Bloggers Conference fully underway in Penticton, British Columbia.
Donna Falgaux from Gray Monk pouring 2012 Pinot Gris, Canada’s first Pinot Gris. Heiss family brought 50 vines from Alsace in 1972. Winery is in Okanagan Landing. Retails for about $18. Excellent balance, clear Austrian influence. Love the finish. Perfect food wine, perfect summer wine.
Black Hills 2012 “Alibi”, Sauvignon Blanc Semillon blend. I am so impressed so far with the whites from the Okanagan. 14.5% alcohol, but doesn’t taste hot. Hot days, cool nights, 10 k from the US border, about 10″ of rain annually. Very fragrant, nice mouthfeel. Sells for about $25.
2011 Riesling from Monster Vineyards, named after monster in Okanagan Lake. Very dry, less than 1% residual sugar. Pairs well with scallops, shellfish. Great balance. Tropical fruits on nose. Sells for about $18. Sold mostly in BC, but they ship across Canada.
2012 Platinum Riesling from Cedar Creek, just south of Kelowna. Less than 300 cases produced. 2.5% residual sugar, but sure doesn’t taste like it. 8% alcohol, super bright acids. Almost completely dry-farmed. Sells for about $25. If you can find this, grab it!
Quails Gate Winery just stopped by. 2012 Chenin Blanc, 85% stainless steel, 15% French oak. Winery known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Just a touch of Sauvignon Blanc added. Again, an extremely crisp wine. Lemon lime at the beginning, lingering finish, lots of minerality. Winery is in west Kelowna. $18.99 SRP. They have a restaurant on property, family owned and operated. President Obama and Will and Kate have tasted this wine.
Bench 1775 Winery from Naramata Bench, 10 minutes from Penticton. 2012 Chill white blend. Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc and Gewürztraminer. Only 6% Gewürz, but it shines through. Another beauty, well balanced, plenty of bright acid, they call it “salad in a glass.” Sells for about $15.90. Name comes from their address.
Wine #7 is from Terra Vista Vineyards, 2012 “Fandango” Albariño Verdejo blend. Only one produced in Canada. Senka Tennant is the owner/winemaker. Less acidic than what we have been tasting. 800 case production. They make a summer white and a winter white. Sells for $24.90. Senka would pair it with charcuterie.
Township 7 pouring their 2010 Chardonnay. “Country comes to the city.” They call this wine a “pastry shop in the nose.” Aged 9.5 months in French and American oak. 100% Chardonnay from two vineyards, one a bit riper than the other. 13.2% alcohol. Good creamy mouthfeel. They served this wine to Queen Elizabeth and wore tiaras in honor of that. 6500 case total production, $24.99.
Mt. Boucherie 2010 Chardonnay. Total case production about 28,000. Largest family owned winery in BC. Have been around for 40 years now. Nice nose, good mouthfeel, slightly metallic finish. $25 retail.
10 wines in 60 minutes… all blogged about as it happend. I’m wiped out!