The remarkable vintage of 2012 elevated Pinot Noir beyond the Willamette Valley and into British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, as exemplified with this 12-barrel selection of Dijon clones by co-winemakers Heidi Noble and Robert Thielicke. The lot represents Cellarsbend Vineyard near JoieFarm’s Naramata Bench winery, Trout Creek Vineyard across Okanagan Lake from the winery and … [Read more...] about JoieFarm 2012 En Famille Reserve Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, $40
British Columbia
Silverside Farm and Winery NV Tayberry Wine, British Columbia, $20
Vancouver Island grower/winemaker Don Bull creates a variety of nongrape wines, but this one made with tayberry — a hybrid cross of blackberry and raspberry — off his Cobble Hill estate recently has merited gold medals across Canada. He serves its chilled, and it carries easy-to-grasp aromas and flavors of both. The nose also offers hints of poached Bing cherry, cola and a … [Read more...] about Silverside Farm and Winery NV Tayberry Wine, British Columbia, $20
JoieFarm 2012 En Famille Reserve Gewürztraminer, Okanagan Valley, $28
This acclaimed Naramata Bench winery near Penticton, British Columbia, continues to grow its estate Gewürztraminer program, and the stellar 2012 vintage allowed Heidi Noble to more than double production from the previous year. There are classic aromas and flavors of freshly peeled lychee, rosewater, mango and pink grapefruit along with pinches of anise and mustard seed. … [Read more...] about JoieFarm 2012 En Famille Reserve Gewürztraminer, Okanagan Valley, $28
JoieFarm 2014 A Noble Blend, Okanagan Valley, $24
Here’s one of the best-loved wines in British Columbia and perhaps the quintessential white blend of the Okanagan Valley with its Germanic makeup of Gewürztraminer (38%), Riesling (30%), Pinot Auxerrois (16%), Muscat (9%), Pinot Blanc (8%) and Schoenberger. Paxon Family Vineyard and Pipars Family Vineyard on the Naramata Bench contribute mightily to this 10-vineyard program, … [Read more...] about JoieFarm 2014 A Noble Blend, Okanagan Valley, $24
JoieFarm 2014 Re-Think Pink Rosé, Okanagan Valley, $21
Each year, this Naramata Bench winery near Penticton, British Columbia, produces one of the Pacific Northwest’s top-scoring rosés, and this blend of Pinot Noir (70%) and Gamay does not disappoint. On the appearance, it comes across as a cherry wine with its dark color, and indeed, there's ebullience with suggestive aromas of Rainier cherry, raspberry and plum juice, joined by … [Read more...] about JoieFarm 2014 Re-Think Pink Rosé, Okanagan Valley, $21