A truly delightful Okanagan wine tasting experience!

As I mentioned in yesterday's blog, we were in a hurry to get to our scheduled tasting at a winery I had virtually never heard of: Culmina (pronounced CUL-min-a, not Cul-MEE-na) Family Estate Winery. This wasn't on our radar when originally planning our trip, but after I had sent out a tweet to a few wineries that we planned on visiting, Black Hills responded that we HAD to also check out Culmina; so I pulled their website up and made an appointment.

Owned by Don Triggs (yes, THAT Triggs) and family, Culmina came to be a few years ago when Don "tried to retire" but wasn't all that successful at retirement. On a side note, I can GUARANTEE I will be successful when I try to retire....I'm just sayin'.

We pulled up to the gate, which was closed; we needed to buzz them to let us in (which we knew in advance). We arrived at their beautiful tasting room to find their wines already poured, just waiting for us. We were warmly greeted by our hostess Trish, who immediately made us feel like family. It was a private tasting, scheduled for 45 minutes, which I thought was going to be too much time given that we were actually only tasting four wines; boy was I wrong.

Trish, who I have decided is my new winery crush (if there is anything sexier than a beautiful young woman who seriously knows her s**t when it comes to wine, I don't know what it is), started by explaining their vision for the winery, and how they plan to go about achieving perfection in their wines. Now, if you know anything about wine you've heard the word "terroir" and probably understand a little bit about what it means; but Trish went into far more detail than simply explaining the terroir of the area. From the shadows created by the mountains to the type of grass planted between the vines, and everything in between, absolutely no detail, no matter how minute, was overlooked. I'm not a winemaker and I don't know much about horticulture, but it's tough to imagine they missed anything.

They currently have five wines in their portfolio, but their Chardonnay was so close to being sold out that we were not going to be able to taste it. The fee for this private tasting was a whopping $10. I actually told Trish they should charge more for this (but to wait until we left to raise the price of course).

So up to this point, we were very impressed, but it was time to taste the wine; ultimately, if the wine isn't any good, the rest of it wouldn't be much but smoke and mirrors. Sorry I didn't include the prices below, I forgot to make note of them; there was nothing out of the ordinary, though.

2013 Unicus

This is a first; the Okanagan's only (to this point) wine made from Gruner Veltliner, Austria's most famous grape. I had never tasted this varietal until a few weeks ago in Vegas, so it was interesting to compare.

This one begins with strong flinty notes, with a floral touch on the nose. Beautiful mid-palate gives way to light minerality with stone fruits and a light citrus finish. Absolutely lovely. 90.




2013 Decora

Not unlike the Unicus, minerality abounds on the nose as this varietal often does. The palate gives way to some peach and a hint of citrus. There is some minerality on the finish, but not as overpowering as this varietal often shows. This is about as good as a BC Riesling gets. 90.





2013 Saignée

This rosé features aromas of orange peel and strawberries. A blend of Merlot (51%), Cabernet Franc (33%), Cabernet Sauvignon (16%). Intense berry flavors, but bone dry, and I mean BONE dry. If you are a fan of dry rosés this may really knock your socks off. 85.






The suggested food pairing for the one above features one that caught my eye: "Portuguese-style suckling pig grilled and charred fava bean salad". Damn, I had that three times last week......

2011 Hypothesis

40% Cab Franc, 36% Merlot, 24% Cab Sauv, 100% delicious. The nose knows, and it knows that the beautiful floral, mint and dark fruit aromas are a sign of what's to come. Tannins are velvety, with notes of toasted oak, dark chocolate, and black currant. Finish is long and luscious. I would imagine this would only improve with 3-5 more years of careful cellaring. 92.




After we finished the tasting, I looked down at my watch to see we had been there well over an hour. We asked a lot of questions and got a lot of interesting information. A very special tasting, and perhaps a preview of the kind of experience we are going to get at some of the better wineries we will be visiting on our Napa Valley trip in September.

We picked up a bottle of all of the whites, including the Chardonnay that we didn't get to taste; the other whites were so good, we just assumed this one would be good too. We opened it up last night, and we were correct.



2011 Dilemma

Full bodied, elegant; some minerality mixing in with the fruit and spice on the nose. Oaked for 12 months in mostly new French barrels, the palate will not be overwhelmed with oak but the buttery, caramel flavors are there if you let them develop on your palate. Beautiful, long finish. 88.




This was our very favorite tasting of the trip, with the exception of Black Hills (which featured a tasting, a brunch, and a party). Trish did everything she could to make us feel at home, and make us feel valued. She succeeded, and Culmina is lucky to have her represent their brand. And it's a pretty damn good brand to represent.

This should be a "must do" for any of you who are planning to visit Oliver/Osoyoos.

Gehringer Brothers, and a former NHL coach, in today's entry

As we moved across the street from Hester Creek (yes I screwed up the order of Hester Creek and Silver Sage) to Gehringer Brothers, we had a bit of a time crunch, as we had an appointment for a tasting in about a half hour so we didn't have time to lollygag. Yes, I said an APPOINTMENT for a tasting; kind of rare in BC (my first one ever, in fact). More on that tasting in tomorrow's blog.

As we waited to get near the very busy counter at Gehringer Bros to taste their wares, my wife nudged me and pointed out that the man standing next to her was none other than former NHL head coach Marc Crawford! He seemed just like he does on TV; very nice and polite, but quiet and unassuming. I told him I didn't think Dallas should have fired him, to which he replied, "I agree". Well said, sir.

Gehringer Bros features a few wines you don't see much, if at all, in BC, and it's always nice to taste some varietals that are a bit off the beaten path.

2013 Auxerrois ($14.99)

This grape, sometimes called Pinot Auxerrois, features a mellow fruit profile, with just a touch of sweetness to enhance the flavors. 85.







2013 Ehrenfelser ($14.99)

Peaches, apricots and citrus on the nose and palate. Slightly off-dry and very nice. As is the Auxerrois, an excellent buy for the price. 84.







2013 Gewurtzraminer-Schoenberger ($15.99)

The only one of these in BC. Very floral nose, with some lychee and passion fruit and a touch of spice on the palate. 85.







2012 Optimum Pinot Noir ($20.99)

Plums and cherries dominate the nose. Plums continue on the palate in a very full-bodied Pinot, with a touch of pepper on the finish. 86.









2013 Minus 9 Ehrenfelser Ice Wine ($49.99)

Rich and viscous, less acidity than in some other dessert wines. Honey and white fruit dominate the palate. Beautiful. 91.







2013 Cabernet Franc Ice Wine ($49.99)

Cab Franc is rare in an Ice Wine, with concentrated berry flavors rolling over your tongue. Sweet, decadent, and delicious. 89.







Nothing but good stuff here, wish we had enough time to really savor the tasting rather than rush through it, but c'est la vie. Make sure you join me tomorrow when I report on a truly special experience.

Wine tour, part four, up the road to Silver Sage

One of my friend Bob's favorite wineries, and we have never been here and never tasted anything from them; you see this winery isn't part of VQA, which is fine in and of itself. When we got there, we found out WHY they aren't VQA: a lot of their wine doesn't actually qualify as wine! It is infused with berries or other stuff that doesn't qualify for VQA status. OK, that doesn't mean it won't be good, though. Let's see.\

Oh, and the winery itself was gorgeous. So many flowers you could almost be overwhelmed by the floral smell as soon as you arrive.

The staff was excellent, and they provided cheese and pretzels to cleanse our palates as well.

Tasting fee by donation, for as many wines as you like. We tasted all 12 they were offering.


2013 Gewurztraminer ($17.95)

Roses and honey on the nose and tropical fruit on a VERY sweet palate. This was our favorite. 85.

2013 Pinot Blanc ($15.95)

Lots of citrus, lots of apples. Slightly off-dry with a pleasant finish. 83.

2013 Sage Grand Reserve ($26.95)

Here's where it gets.....odd. This is their Gewurztraminer infused with Sage. Yes, sage. It's supposed to be a perfect pairing for turkey, and it just might be. Of course, they didn't have any turkey for us to sample it with, so on it's own, it's just a bit strange. Not bad, though, just very different. 83.

2011 Merlot ($17.95)

Blackberries and plums on the nose and palate. Medium-bodied with a soft finish. Could probably use some more bottle time. 80.

2012 Pinot Noir ($21.95)

Cherries and currents are the word of the day here; just a tiny hint of pepper on the finish. Another one that would only improve with a little time in a cellar. 81.

2013 Sunset ($16.95)

A rose-ise blend of white wine and berries. Very pleasing at first, but after a few sips I found the cranberry and strawberry flavors to be a bit much. Think of strawberry Kool-aid. 80.

Then we get into the Dessert wines which are all (I believe) infused with other fruits.

2009 Merlot (Raspberry/Blackberry) ($24.95)

The raspberry reallly shines through here; not as sweet as you might expect. 79.

2013 The Pearle (Black Currant/Blackberry) ($24.95)

A light port-style wine with intense berry aromas. 76.

2012 Blueberry ($24.95)

Natural blueberry aromas and flavors. 77.

2012 Pinot Blanc (Peach/Apricot) ($24.95)

They said this one would pair well with pancakes. Finally a breakfast wine! :-) It tastes just as you would expect; like peach and apricot juice. 79.

2013 The Flame ($24.95)

OK so you are probably not going to believe me, but this is true; you can't make up s**t like this.

It's a late harvest Gewurtzraminer, with peach/apricot fruit, and a hot pepper. Yes, a hot pepper....IN THE BOTTLE! They actually had two versions; a "hot" version, which we tried, and an "OH MY GOD CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT" version, which we did not.

It's a conversation piece for sure. I was tempted to buy a bottle just to put it on display. So very intriguing, and so very strange. 76.

2012 Raspberry ($24.95)

Just like most of the others, it's very much like drinking berry juice. If you like that sort of thing, this winery may be your Nirvana. 78.

So there you have it; we very much enjoyed our experience at this winery, more than we enjoyed the actual wine itself I think, but we took home a couple bottles anyway. I'm still intrigued about the Sage wine with turkey I must confess....

Wine trip part trois, as usual, I'm up the Creek......

...Hester Creek to be exact. Interestingly, this was the first winery we left without buying anything, but it wasn't an indication of the quality of the wine; but most (if not all) of the stuff we tasted is readily available in our local VQA store, so there was no urgency....and let's face it, there is only so much room in the car!

No tasting fee for up to 5 wines. They were not tasting their big red, The Judge, on our visit.



2013 Trebbiano ($22.95)

Light and fruity with a hint of minerality, tropical fruit and some grapefruit on the palate. BC's only Trebbiano is a good one. 88.






2012 Chardonnay ($24.95)

Butterscotch and a touch of honey on the palate, leading to a lovely caramel and citrus palate. Nice long finish. 86.







2012 Late Harvest Pinot Blanc ($17.95)

Peach and apple notes roll longingly over the tongue. If you are one who likes their dessert wine a bit on the less-sweet side (unlike me!), this is an excellent choice. 86.






2012 Merlot ($18.95)

Cherries and plums dominate on the nose and palate. Silky mouthfeel, tannins are not quite softened yet. Another year or three in the bottle would only improve. 85.








2012 Cabernet Merlot ($18.95)

Blackberries with some blueberry on the nose. Flavors are a bit weak, with some plums and berries, but this could use a little more time to develop. 84.





2011 Reserve Cabernet Franc ($28.95)

Plums and raspberries dominate the nose. Some strawberry and a hint of dill join in on the palate. Drinking well now but would only improve with up to a decade in your cellar. 85.

the Church of great wine is where I choose to pray.....

Shortly after we arrived and started tasting at Church & State, I get a tap on the shoulder, and notice it's my friend Bob and his lovely wife. Neither of us knew the other was going to be there. Freaking small world.

2013 Cuvee Blanc ($19.90)

To paraphrase Seinfeld's George Steinbrenner, "you can put orange Muscat on an old shoe and it would taste pretty good to me".

A blend of 49% Pinot Gris, 20% Riesling, 17% Orange Muscat, 14% Gewurztraminer, this lovely wine features floral notes on the nose, with stone fruits, pineapple and a touch of coconut on the palate. 88.





2013 Viognier ($20.00)

Peaches and apricots on the nose, and they continue through to the palate. Just the tiniest hint of honey joins them. One of my favorite of this varietal. 88.








2012 Chardonnay ($20.00)

More minerality than this varietal often exhibits; some apple, vanilla and a touch of butterscotch on the nose. The flavors are intense and the buttery notes are welcome. It's not as buttery as my favorite BC Chardonnays, but it's lovely nonetheless. 88.







2011 Cabernet Sauvignon ($25.00)

Blackberries and a hint of tobacco on the nose, dark fruits, tobacco and a hint of vanilla on the palate. Good now, could probably age and improve for another 3-4 years. 88.






2010 Coyote Bowl Cabernet Franc ($35.00)

Blackberries and cherries on the nose, a touch of tobacco on the palate. Long, silky mouth-feel. Seems like it is a bit closed still, and will only improve with a few more years of careful cellaring. 87.








2010 Coyote Bowl Merlot ($25.00)

A beautiful example of a top-end BC Merlot at a very reasonable price. Currents and herbs on the nose, with strong flavors of dark fruit and a bit of vanilla on the palate. Will only improve with a few more years of loving attention, but it's already great. 90.






2011 Coyote Bowl Syrah ($35.00)

Black pepper. Pepper. Pepper. Ah-chooooooooo...... if you like pepper, you are going to love the nose on this one (and I do). The pepper continues on the palate and right through to the long, lovely, lingering finish. Terrific. 91.






One of our favorites from this trip; we took home four bottles and they are going to be a treat to enjoy, now or in the future.

Oliver/Osoyoos trip begins!!! La Stella up first.

Today, the first entry from our epic trip last weekend through Oliver and Osoyoos. Our main purpose of the trip was to attend the Nota Bene Release Party at Black Hills Winery on Saturday night, and the members-only brunch on Sunday.

We have never been to this area of the Okanagan, so we were eager to get up there and hit as many of the terrific wineries as we could. It was, overall, a fantastic experience. Of course some wines were better than others, but I can't think of one single wine that we sampled that was awful.

Our trip began at La Stella. We have tasted and enjoyed many of their wines in the past, but we were eager to taste the newest releases. Here we go......

La Stella charges a tasting fee but the very friendly girl there (sorry I have forgotten her name) told me it was refunded with purchase, and I expected to buy something so I didn't even make a note of how much it was.

2013 Leggario Un-Oaked Chardonnay $25

We tend to gravitate to big, buttery Chardonnay, which generally means big oak. This one was lovely, though. Notes of apple and citrus on the nose, with well balanced acidity. Tons of minerality and fruit. 85.

2013 Vivace (Pinot Grigio) $25

Some lime and herbs greet your nose, with nice minerality and notes of lime and green apple on the palate. 83.

2013 Lastellina Rosato $21

Very aromatic, and lovely. Cabernet Franc and Merlot merge nicely in this top-quality Rose. Some dark fruits and light notes of herbs on the palate. 86.

2011 Fortissimo $35

A Tuscan blend heavy in Merlot (71%), with Cabernet Sauvignon (22%), Cabernet Franc (6%) and Sangiovese (5%). Cherries and raspberries on the palate, with a dusty finish from the Sangiovese. Even at 3 years old, this could age another 4-5 years and improve. 85.

2011 Allegretto (Merlot) $65

Cherries and blueberries on the nose and palate. Ripe tannins suggest that it's still a little young and would benefit from aging for another 5 or more years. 85.

2013 Moscato D'Osoyoos $20 for a 375ml bottle

Inspired by Moscato D'Asti of Piedmont in Italy, this low alcohol light-sparkler is lively, fresh and sweet. A perfect apertif, or to pair with spicy foods, or just enjoy on it's own. 90.

Some great (and some not so great) wine consumed this past week......

Desert Hills 2009 Cabernet Franc ($22.99)

Quite literally the first Cab Franc single varietal we have ever purchased; notes of mint and pepper on the nose and palate. Medium bodied with a lovely, long finish. Delicious. 88.



Cedarcreek 2013 Pinot Noir Rose ($18.99)

A different Rose than their past incarnations and the changes have all been for the better. Lighter and fruitier with notes of juicy strawberries. Beautiful. 88.








Quails' Gate 2012 Gewürztraminer ($17.99)

This was the wine that made me love wine (I want to say it was the 2007 or 08 vintage), and this vintage is no exception. Exotic notes of lychee and spice, slightly off dry, and completely terrific. Very versatile. 92.





Wayne Gretzky Okanagan 2011 Merlot ($15.99)

Red and black berries on the nose and palate, with a touch of spice and cocoa on the finish. 79.








Fairview Cellars 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon ($39.90)

One of BC's most reliable of this varietal, it features notes of cherries and blueberries on the nose. A long and lingering finish featuring some cassis mixing with the fruit. Drinking well now but would have probably improved even more with a little more patient cellaring. 89.



Church & State 2008 Coyote Bowl Meritage ($34.90)

I think this is my favorite $35 wine ever, certainly in the top 2-3. Well-integrated oak mingles with the dominant berries, with all the complexity you could ask for. Tannins are smooth and silky; ready to drink now, but would certainly reward cellaring for another few years. It's a multiple Gold Medal winner for a reason. 93.





To celebrate the exciting Stanley Cup victory of my LA Kings, we popped open this beauty:



Piper Heidsieck Brut Cuvee NV ($65.00)

Full bodied with great structure. Notes of pear, ginger, citrus and a hint of grapefruit. A truly fantastic Champagne at that price point. 90.