There's no shortage of all-star talent at construction contractor Dennis O'Rourke's exciting and expansive young project in the Okanagan Valley's Lake Country north of Kelowna. Stephanie Stanley, a protege of acclaimed winemaker Howard Soon, built her résumé in the province at the Wayne Gretzky and Peller Estates programs in the Okanagan then Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards before … [Read more...] about O’Rourke’s Peak Cellars 2019 Block 11 Riesling, Okanagan Valley, $28
British Columbia
C.C Jentsch Cellars 2016 Small Lot Cabernet Franc, Golden Mile Bench, $50
Chris and Betty Jentsch grew up farming in the Okanagan Valley, and their vineyard program spans four sites, including the acclaimed Golden Mile Bench. Their winemaker, Paula Cooper, shepherded these barrels and helped turn them into a wine with considerable finesse with a nose of rose petal, red cherry fruit and the hallmark leafiness of Cab Franc, followed by red cherry, … [Read more...] about C.C Jentsch Cellars 2016 Small Lot Cabernet Franc, Golden Mile Bench, $50
Township 7 Vineyards & Winery 2018 Blue Terrace Vineyard Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, Okanagan Valley, $27
Sommelier-turned-winemaker Mary McDermott extends her string of success with Sauvignon Blanc at Township 7 on British Columbia's Naramata Bench, and this club offering signals a French oak barrel-aging program of seven months with weekly lees stirring from Blue Terrace Vineyard near Oliver. That time in barrel, just 15% of the wood, adds texture to the midpalate of stone fruit … [Read more...] about Township 7 Vineyards & Winery 2018 Blue Terrace Vineyard Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, Okanagan Valley, $27
Hester Creek Estate Winery 2018 Character Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer White Wine, Okanagan Valley, $16
Best Buy! One of the South Okanagan Valley's most popular proprietary white blends, this Alsatian-inspired blend of estate Gewürztraminer with Pinot Gris from nearby Fairview Vineyard, which is owned by Hester Creek vineyard manager Iqbal Gill. It's a charming wine all the way through, as its tropical profile of lychee picks up gooseberry, lavender and a twist of lemon. A … [Read more...] about Hester Creek Estate Winery 2018 Character Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer White Wine, Okanagan Valley, $16
Hester Creek Estate Winery 2018 Chardonnay, Golden Mile Bench, $22
A product of winemaker Mark Hopley's sixth vintage at Hester Creek, he focuses on the 50-year-old vineyard site just north of Osoyoos, British Columbia, for this Chardonnay harvested on Sept. 15. It spent eight months on stirred lees while being fermented separately, with 66% of the lot in stainless steel tanks and the remainder in French oak, 20% of those barrels being new. … [Read more...] about Hester Creek Estate Winery 2018 Chardonnay, Golden Mile Bench, $22