One of the cult producers of Canada offers British Columbia's rare example of Carménère only to club members, and this Andrew Peller gem along the Black Sage Bench can boast of 4 acres of the fascinating red Bordeaux grape in its two vineyards. Those plantings represent about a quarter of the Carm in the province, and it's worth noting Cabernet Franc, not Carménère, factors … [Read more...] about Black Hills Estate Winery 2018 Carménère, Okanagan Valley, $64
British Columbia
Wild Goose Vineyards 2019 Gamay Noir, Naramata Bench, $24
For a family with a portfolio that's come to include the Germany red variety Dunkelfelder, Gamay is relatively mainstream for British Columbia's pioneering Kruger family and its talented third-generation winemaker Nik Kruger. He's dialed in a sweet spot on the Naramata Bench near Penticton, pulling it into the Okanagan Falls winery on Oct. 12 and devoting 10 months in French … [Read more...] about Wild Goose Vineyards 2019 Gamay Noir, Naramata Bench, $24
Hester Creek Estate Winery 2020 Sèmillon, Okanagan Valley $19.99
One of the British Columbia wine industry's most historic properties, Hester Creek planted these Sèmillon vines in 1997 along what's now known as the Golden Mile Bench south of Oliver. With that in mind, they've dedicated this white Bordeaux to its Storied Series program and Mark Hopley's snapshot of the Sept. 24 harvest from a warm vintage in the Okanagan Valley showcases the … [Read more...] about Hester Creek Estate Winery 2020 Sèmillon, Okanagan Valley $19.99
Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery 2020 Optimum Pinot Gris, Okanagan Valley, $16.99
Some of the Pacific Northwest’s finest white wines appear annually when Gordon and Walter Gehringer release their stable of reliable Riesling, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc and Auxerrois. This year's Cascadia — a three-day tasting — was only a few hours old when the brothers Pinot Gris program had already won two gold medals. The 2020 Optimum appropriately sports that name with … [Read more...] about Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery 2020 Optimum Pinot Gris, Okanagan Valley, $16.99
Noble Ridge Vineyard and Winery 2017 Reserve Meritage, Okanagan Falls $37.99
It's been 20 years since Jim and Leslie D’Andrea acquired this property around the corner from famed Wild Goose Vineyards, and they've grown the vineyard from 3 acres to 35 acres. Harvest for their Right Bank Bordeaux expression began Oct. 16, and the blend by winemaker Benoit Gauthier is Merlot-dominant (73%) with Cabernet Sauvignon (23%) — both of which were first planted in … [Read more...] about Noble Ridge Vineyard and Winery 2017 Reserve Meritage, Okanagan Falls $37.99