Wild Turkey? Not quite. Wild Goose Winery

Today's tasting at Sardis Park VQA wine store features Wild Goose, a smaller Okanagan Falls winery that keeps the price down on all their wines; nothing on their website is over $25, and nothing that I tasted today is over $20.

As I've mentioned before, I (unfortunately) don't tend to like cheaper wines. I don't think it's because I'm a "snob", but I like what I like....heck if I could find great wines that I loved for $8 a bottle, wouldn't that be awesome? Who wouldn't love to get great wine at that price? Sadly, my experience is that isn't usually the case, so I was curious as to what today's tasting would bring.

2011 Blanc de Noir

Blanc do Noir would translate to "White of Black", so naturally this wine is a Rose. ???. Anyway, it punches you in the face with aromas of strawberry, and a hint of sweetness is a pleasant way to finish. This is a blend of Merlot (70%) and Pinot Noir (30%) and is one of my favorite BC Roses. At $18, it's a reasonable value.

Rating: 6.5/10

2011 Chardonnay

Lightly oaked, notes of butter and butterscotch greet your nose. A creamy finish brings back the butterscotch, with hints of pear and melon as well. At $19, an excellent entry level Chardonnay.

Rating: 6.5/10

2012 God's Mountain Riesling

Stong notes of grapefruit and apple on the nose, finishes with notes of honey and clove, and a little flinty. As with most BC Rieslings, too dry to really get me excited.

Rating: 5.5/10

2012 Autumn Gold

A blend of Riesling, Gewurtztraminer and Pinot Blanc, this is a top seller and for good reason. Notes of peaches and spiced apple are offset with a lingering residual sweetness that is very pleasing. This was my favorite of today's tasting and I took a bottle home to enjoy.

Rating: 7/10

2010 Pinot Noir

Light and fruity, with berry and vanilla notes. Likely would pair excellently with BC salmon, and a reasonable price point of $18.

Rating: 6/10

2010 Merlot

Beautiful berry and plum nose, with earthy tones mingling with the blueberry notes. Rich and firm, good to drink now but would definitely be enhanced with 4-5 years of careful cellaring. For $18, definitely worth a look if you have the patience to sit it down for a few years; would reward your patience handsomely.

Rating: 6.5/10

All in all, a very good lineup of inexpensive wines!