Kettle Valley Winery, one of the first iconic labels and vineyard programs from British Columbia’s Naramata Bench near Penticton, recently launched this second label from its young vineyards in river rocks near the town of Cawston in the promising Similkameen Valley. Technically, the vines are owned by sisters Colleen Ferguson and Janet Watts, and wines are made by their … [Read more...] about Great Northern Vineyards 2012 Zinfandel, British Columbia, $24
British Columbia
Wild Goose Vineyards 2013 Autumn Gold, Okanagan Valley, $19
Hagen Kruger, whose white wine program from Okanagan Falls, British Columbia, shines as brightly as any others on the West Coast, continues his Midas touch with this blend of equal parts Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc and Riesling. This tasting room favorite offers aromas reminiscent of a sliced yellow grapefruit with maraschino cherry in the middle, joined by Fuji apple, Asian … [Read more...] about Wild Goose Vineyards 2013 Autumn Gold, Okanagan Valley, $19
Bella Wines 2013 Chardonnay Sparkling Blanc de Blanc Single Vineyard Keremeos, Similkameen Valley, $24
There are a number of chef/somm/winemakers in British Columbia, and Naramata Bench bubbleman Jay Drysdale completed his winemaking certificate through Washington State University in 2012. He produced four vineyard-designated sparkling wines from Chardonnay in 2013, and this Sept. 13 harvest from Robin Ridge amounts to another crowd pleaser. Its effervescence releases notes of … [Read more...] about Bella Wines 2013 Chardonnay Sparkling Blanc de Blanc Single Vineyard Keremeos, Similkameen Valley, $24
Montakarn Estate Winery 2011 Merlot Blend, Okanagan Valley, $21
Gary Misson and his wife, Montakarn, purchased an orchard along Black Sage Road in 2003, and soon began to transform it into an vineyard near Le Vieux Pin south of Oliver, British Columbia. They opened their winery a decade later. The Merlot Blend incorporates the four red varieties they grow — Merlot (38%), Cabernet Franc (23%), Syrah (22%) and Malbec. There’s an easy elegance … [Read more...] about Montakarn Estate Winery 2011 Merlot Blend, Okanagan Valley, $21
50th Parallel Estate 2013 Riesling, Okanagan Valley, $18
As soon as he arrived in 2003, New Zealand-trained winemaker Grant Stanley took Quails’ Gate to new heights in British Columbia during his decade of work across the William R. Bennett Bridge from Kelowna. He’s doing the same for this young brand north of Kelowna, and this marks his first vintage with the Krouzels. The 21-day fermentation, classified as “icy cold,” fosters … [Read more...] about 50th Parallel Estate 2013 Riesling, Okanagan Valley, $18