Okanagan Trip, Part XVIII, We go "Home" to Nk'Mip!

......"Home" because we were staying here, so it was easy to just stagger back to our suite after the tasting. And quite a lovely tasting it was. We set ourselves up in their special room for a full tasting of their reserve level (QQ) wines, and then back to the regular tasting room for the Estate level wines.

First off, their first ever White-Bordeaux style blend.

Nk'Mip 2016 White Mer'r'iym ($29.99)

70% Sauvignon Blanc/30% Semillon

Aromas of fresh cut grass, gooseberry and stone fruit. Peaches, nectarines, tropical fruit and a finish that features just a touch of grapefruit. Well balanced acidity. Lovely first effort here, and shows a ton of potential for the future.

Nk'Mip 2016 Qwam Qwmt Riesling ($23.99)

Green apple and citrus dominate the nose in this, another new entry to their portfolio. The palate starts with green apple and peach, and gives way to citrus, particularly lemon zest, and lively acidity. This should age gracefully.

Nk'Mip 2016 Qwam Qwmt Chardonnay ($24.99)

Intoxicating aromas of vanilla, pear and buttered popcorn. Caramel, baked apple, butterscotch and vanilla flavors dance across your palate. What a beauty.

Nk'Mip 2015 Qwam Qwmt Merlot ($25.99)

Cherries, both red and black, dominate the nose. Pay attention, though, and you might notice a whiff of dried sage hanging around. Full bodied with a luscious mouthfeel, with bright red cherries, vanilla, dark chocolate and spice. Lovely.

Funny story, opened up one of these (the 2014 vintage) with dinner the night before last; the wife wasn't feeling great, wasn't going to have any wine. OK, no problem.

Wife: "Wait, what did you open?"

Me: "2014 Qwam Qwmt Merlot"

Wife: *heads directly into wine room to get a Bordeaux glass* "You had me at Qwam!".

By the way, dinner was fantastic: a gourmet meatloaf from that BC wine cookbook that I have talked about many times. The dish takes a full cup of wine to make a glaze, for which I used this Merlot, and it was delicious. So, yes, I was sort of pairing the wine with itself.....no surprise, it paired perfectly.

Nk'Mip 2015 Qwam Qwmt Syrah ($32.99)

Aromas of black pepper, red fruit and a tinge of nutmeg. Black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, white pepper on the palate. Finishes very long. A beauty and it may improve with time if carefully cellared.

Nk'Mip 2015 Mer'r'iym ($54.99)

The jewel in their portfolio (well, excluding the Riesling Icewine, that is) is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon/21% Malbec/16% Merlot/6% Cabernet Franc. It opens up with provocative aromas of black fruit, black pepper. mint, tobacco and red cherry. Red fruit, milk chocolate and black pepper flavors coat your tongue. Lots of structure here, this will last a decade or more if you take care of it. It's already tremendous.

Nk'Mip 2017 Dreamcatcher ($17.99)

Aromatic blend of Riesling/Sauvignon Blanc/Pinot Blanc/Ehrenfelser/Chardonnay

Aromas of elderflower, tropical fruit and citrus. This is a little bit like a tropical fruit salad in a glass; as a well-priced patio sipper, you could do a lot worse.

Nk'Mip 2016 Chardonnay ($18.99)

Citrus, pear, peach and tangerine on the nose. 65% of the wine was oaked in French barrels for 9 months, providing some buttery notes, but this is more fruity than hedonistic. Stone fruit, pear and citrus flavors abound. Tough to get a much better Chardonnay for under $20.

AND....this one I reviewed when we visited last year, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to remind everyone how incredible it is.

Nk'Mip 2015 Qwam Qwmt Riesling Icewine ($68.09)

Intoxicating notes of honey, apple, cinnamon and apricot will overwhelm your olfactory senses. The palate features just the right amount of lemon, with hints of pineapple and baking spices. So special and so absolutely delicious.


That's all for now. ONE MORE POST and this April Okanagan trip is FINALLY wrapped up....but be warned, it's going to be a doozy. THE HATCH!!!