Okanagan Trip, Part Fourteen! Those scarves must really be expensive.....

One of the real joys of writing a wine blog is being able to champion a small winery that a lot of my readers may not be familiar with. That is the plan tonight, as we get up early and leave Kelowna, down the road to Summerland and a longtime favorite, Silkscarf.

Silkscarf is a "little guy" in the Okanagan wine business. They call themselves a "family boutique winery" and while I might stop short of calling it a "mom and pop shop" (I mean, it's not likely mom and pop are making all that wine), it's definitely an example of a little guy who makes good wine, even if you don't know much about them.

We've been fans for quite a while; way back when our wine love was in it's infancy, their Viognier was the only one of that varietal that we enjoyed, and their Reserve Shiraz (I want to say 2007?) was, at the time, the most expensive bottle of wine we had purchased (at around a whopping $60). Oh, how times have changed....but would our appreciation for their wine? Let's see.



Silkscarf 2014 Viognier ($20.90)

White flowers, apricot and citrus aromas greet the nose. The palate is ever so slightly off-dry, with a hint of peach and tropical fruit. Just like I remember it: lovely. 89.





Silkscarf 2014 Riesling Muscat ($20.90) 

The Riesling minerality dominates the nose, with some mango, slate and a touch of honeysuckle on the palate. 85.








Silkscarf 2014 Ensemble Blanc ($20.90)

Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Riesling combine in this Alsatian-style blend. Lychee and strong flower aromas. Lychee, pears and citrus mingle across the palate. 88.







Silkscarf 2014 Chardonnay ($20.90)

Like many BC Chardonnays these days, completely unoaked. Unlike many of them, it's really good. Hints of green apple, citrus and pineapple on the nose and palate. Slightly off-dry and finishes well. 90.







Silkscarf 2014 Saignee ($20.90)

A blend of Merlot and Malbec. Slightly off-dry, featuring notes of strawberry, rhubarb and just a slight touch of pink grapefruit. Refreshing as a warm weather patio sipper. 88.







Silkscarf 2010 Pinot Noir ($25.90)

Some red berries and violets on the muted nose. Blackberry, strawberry, blueberry on the very light and dry palate. 86.








Silkscarf 2011 Merlot Cabernet ($31.90)

95% Malbec, the nose is dominated by dark fruits and prunes. Medium bodied and juicy. Could improve with a bit of careful cellaring. 85.








Silkscarf 2011 Cabernet Franc ($32.90)

Brooding and intense notes of black currants, dark fruits and violets on the nose. The dark fruits and blackberries come through on the palate, with just a touch of bell pepper and spice on the finish. A superb example of this varietal. 90.





The only downside was that they weren't making the Shiraz Reserve anymore so they didn't have any to taste. No worries, they had some library vintages to buy, so we took a chance and bought one anyway. No disappointment.

Silkscarf 2009 Shiraz Reserve ($40ish)

Intense aromas of blackberry, black pepper and black cherry. Black black and black. The cherries come through on the palate with some spice on the finish. Finishes long and terrific. Just like we remembered. 91.



This should always be on your list of wineries to visit when you are travelling to or through Summerland!

Next up, we make our way down to Penticton and Okanagan Falls for our first ever visits to those areas! We begin at a very renowned winery, Painted Rock!