Okanagan Trip Part Seventeen! The mountain may be blue, but I'm only blue when the wine runs out!

On a trip full of beautiful wineries and picturesque scenery, this one stood right up there with the very best. Although the tasting room itself may be pretty basic, the rolling hills of vines made for quite a view.

Blue Mountain is particularly known for it's Pinot Noir, which we weren't going to be able to taste because it sells out in less than a day every time they release it. They did have four other wines for us to try, however, so here we go.

Blue Mountain Brut Gold Label (N/V) ($24.00)

Lemony and toasty on the nose and palate. Finishes tart as the lemon really shines through. 85.








Blue Mountain 2014 Pinot Blanc ($18.00)

Peach and stone fruit on the nose. Peach and apricot seemingly trade places on your palate with a touch of minerality. Finishes long. A really nice value at this price point. 87.







Blue Mountain 2014 Sauvignon Blanc ($19.00)

Light grassy notes intertwining with aromas of citrus. Lemon and a touch of grapefruit on the palate. Definitely will improve with careful cellaring of 3-4 years. 88-90.







Blue Mountain 2013 Chardonnay ($21.00)

Citrus and toasty oak on the nose and palate. Just the right amount of buttery characteristics. A real steal at this price. 90.






We couldn't taste this at the winery, but we figured if we liked the regular Chardonnay that much, we'd probably love the reserve version , so we picked up one of those.

Blue Mountain 2012 Reserve Chardonnay ($29.90)

Aromas of apple, citrus and just a touch of oak. Lighter and fruitier than it's cheaper cousin, and this is a rare occasion where I liked the cheaper option better. Well-structured, leading me to believe it will greatly improve with some more aging. 88.




Up next: the place just about everyone told us we just HAD to eat at (which wasn't going to happen as we already had lunch and dinner plans, but we'll keep an eye out for next trip), Liquidity!

Okanagan Trip, Part Sixteen! First visit to Meyer Family Vineyards

Holy out in the middle of nowhere, Batman!!

After travelling down The Long and Winding Road (not the Beatles song), we arrived at a lovely, quaint little winery, Meyer Family Vineyards,

We had tasted a few wines here and there, but this was going to be our first try at tasting a variety of their wares. Known for single vineyard wines of a few different varietals, particularly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Meyer Family Vineyards 2012 Tribute Series Chardonnay ($30)

The Tribute Series is an annual award to an outstanding Canadian in their field. This year's tribute is Pat Quinn. Click this link to read the very interesting story behind the man and the tribute.

Fruity and lightly oaked. Notes of lemon and a tinge of butterscotch. 87.





Meyer Family Vineyards 2013 McLean Creek Road Chardonnay ($30)

A touch more oak on the nose and palate than the above. Still very light and very fruity, with a finish of citrus and toffee. 87.








Meyer Family Vineyards 2013 Gewurtzraminer ($18)

Enticing aromas of lychee, pineapple and citrus. The fruit carries through on the palate. Well balanced and tasty. 88.








Meyer Family Vineyards 2014 Rose ($20)

85% Pinot Noir, 15% Gewurtzraminer. Strawberry, cranberry and a hint of green tomato on the nose and the palate. Rich and delicate. Would pair beautifully with pasta and tomato sauce. 87.







Meyer Family Vineyards 2013 Okanagan Valley Pinot Noir ($25)

Light aromas of blackberry and plum. Rich and smooth mouthfeel, with blackberry, blueberry and a hint of spice on the finish. 88.








Meyer Family Vineyards 2013 McLean Creek Rd. Pinot Noir ($40)

Plum, blueberry, blackberry and a hint of vanilla mingle across the nose. Excellent use of oak creates a top-notch Pinot that finishes long and lovely. 90.








Meyer Family Vineyards 2013 Reimer Vineyard Pinot Noir ($40)

Blackberry, strawberry and vanilla on the nose. Red fruits dominate the palate, which is slightly less developed than the above....but still quite nice. 89.




A very pleasant tasting experience and we left happy with a couple bottles of the McLean Creek Pinot in tow. Definitely visit this one on your next trip to the Okanagan...just follow the signs (and a GPS wouldn't hurt!!!).


Up next another well regarded winery that we have never visited until this trip: Blue Mountain!!

Okanagan Trip, Part Fifteen! Our first visit to Penticton and Painted Rock!

A beautiful tasting room, and not too bad a view as well.

$10 per person to taste, which is kind of high for BC....but you definitely do get more to taste than a lot of wineries. Also, you get a chance to taste their signature red wine which is not always the case.


Painted Rock 2013 Rose ($21.69)

50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc.

Herbaceous aromas of tomato leaf and some strawberries. The strawberries follow through on the palate with just a touch of rhubarb. 88.





Painted Rock 2014 Chardonnay ($30.35)

Lemongrass, citrus and grassy notes on the nose. Tropical fruit, minerality and white grapefruit on the palate. Incredibly young and will improve with some time. We picked up one of these to put away for a while, I am expecting significant improvement. 88-92.







Painted Rock 2012 Merlot ($34.69)

Cherries, licorice, vanilla and some flowers on the nose. Some cocoa, vanilla, dark berries, tobacco and licorice shine through on the palate. Just a touch of spice on the long finish. Will age gracefully for a decade. 89.







Painted Rock 2012 Syrah ($34.69)

Blackberries, plums and black cherries on the nose, with a touch of pepper. Sweet fruits and black cherries on the palate, Finishes lovely with some pepper. Another one that will improve with age. 89.







Painted Rock 2012 Red Icon ($47.79)

Their big bad Bordeaux-style blend. Lots of black cherries, cassis and vanilla on the nose. The palate is rich and expressive, with mocha, baking spices and black fruits. Finishes long. Tannins are ripe and will improve with careful cellaring, which is what we are doing with the one we bought. 92-94.






All good wines and lots of opportunity for the good wines to turn into "great" wines with some proper aging. Tons of potential!

Next up, another first-time winery visit, this time to Meyer Family Vineyards!

We interrupt this Okanagan trip report to bring you a very special news bulletin.

OK not a news bulletin at all, but a very special bottle of wine.

Last night was the start of a new chapter of our lives. Don't ask me to elaborate, I'm not going to go into details, but we are turning something quite negative into something completely positive. In celebration, we decided to crack open one of the big boys.....something that I had given my wife for Christmas last year. Nothing like giving the wife a present that I get to enjoy too :-)

The first scents of this wine are almost overpowering. Something like this:

You just have to use your imagination to replace the fish with the aromas of a beautiful bottle of red wine.

For dinner, I cooked up one of my favorites, prime rib with a red wine and thyme au jus. And no, I didn't use THIS red wine in the au jus, that would have been a tragedy (although I'm sure the jus would have been exemplary). So here it is:

Robert Mondavi 2008 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($150)

As I mentioned above, the powerful aromas hypnotize your senses. Blackberry, black cherry, cedar, vanilla and slight notes of violets all come through to varying degrees. On the palate the black fruits are joined by a touch of minerality and earthiness. This wine is huge and will only improve with more time. To think, this would have probably improved for another DECADE, maybe more, in the bottle, if we had that kind of patience. Well, I'm gonna go get another bottle and we'll find out. This is a tour-de-force in winemaking and worth every penny. 96.

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!

Okanagan Trip Part 13! Lucky 13 at Quails' Gate and Old Vines Restaurant

Here we are at our last Kelowna stop of this trip (we actually tried to squeeze in a tasting at Mission Hill but we got there about 4:45 and they close at 5PM for goodness sake so we skipped that), the winery that started it all for us: Quails' Gate.

This was the first wine club that we joined, and they take excellent care of us. Most of the wine clubs say that they will, from "time to time", include some wines from their library in a club shipment; but Quails' Gate actually does it. We can count on at least one library wine in every shipment. Their service is second to none, as well.

When we arrived at our table, a bottle of wine was waiting for us, compliments of the wine club.

Quails' Gate 2013 Stewart Family Reserve Pinot Noir ($45)

Subtle aromas of oak mingling with some tobacco, berries and spice. The berries dominate the juicy palate, with just a touch of tobacco and spice. Finishes long and lovely. Drinking well now but a few years of careful cellaring will enhance it's enjoyment. 92-94.






This was actually the only wine we consumed at Quails' Gate this trip; given the amount of wine we had already tasted today, we were pretty much "wined-out" (in fact it was even difficult to finish this one terrific bottle). We had a fabulous dinner and then hit the restaurant bar where we bought a bunch of library wine, much of which we have already consumed.

Quails' Gate 2006 Stewart Family Reserve Chardonnay ($80)

Now THIS is what Chardonnay is supposed to taste like. Hints of peach and citrus are present but the butter is paramount here. Fully oaked with all the butterscotch, caramel and butter you could possibly asked for. Nicely aged which smooths the flavors out and adds complexity. Simply brilliant. 95.





Quails' Gate 2007 Pinot Noir ($50)

Ripe cherries, plum and cloves on the nose and the palate. Some vanilla joins in on the palate. Long finish and the aging has brought with it some forest floor and a touch of leather. Really hitting it's peak now. 93.




As always, a terrific meal beautiful scenery and terrific wine. Quails' Gate never disappoints.

Next up: we leave Kelowna, and drive through Summerland to taste at a small winery that has long been one of our favorites: Silkscarf!!

A short break in the Okanagan trip report to tell you about a very special evening!

Firstly, when did I move to the Sun??? Jesus it's hot. It's hotter in my living room right now (8 AM) than it was in the Okanagan during the trip that I have been reporting on. Unreal.

Secondly, for some perspective on this blog entry, please read this one first if you haven't already:

http://deanswineblog.blogspot.ca/2015/06/a-relative-newbie-in-bc-wine-race-comes.html

So after tasting the Riesling, I reached out to Jim to let him know how much we had enjoyed it.... and he offered to come to my house so I could taste their entire portfolio! What a special treat. We made this happen last Friday, and Jim did indeed drive out to Chilliwack and he brought a bit of wine with him.

Eleven bottles!

Four of them were the ones I reported on in the above blog post, so we'll focus today on the other seven. Jim specifically asked for honesty when rating the wines, even if that honesty was negative, so I'm giving it to him....not much "negative" about these wines, though.

Moraine 2014 Cliffhanger White ($16.50)

70% Pinot Gris, 30% Gewurztraminer. Lychee, guava and melon on the nose. Well balanced acidity and a crisp finish. 87.








Moraine 2014 Pink Mountain ($19.90)

A blend of Malbec and Merlot, this Rose features fruity aromas of strawberry, raspberry and rhubarb. The palate features the same berries with a touch of plum and spice thrown in for good measure. It avoids the grapefruit flavors that so many BC Roses feature prominently. 86.






Moraine 2013 Cliffhanger Red ($18.90)

Their "everyday" red comprised of Merlot and Malbec, with black cherry dominating the nose. The palate gets some chocolate, vanilla, mocha and a bit of spice on the finish. A nice bargain at this price. 87.







Moraine 2012 Syrah ($23.90)

Intoxicating nose of blueberry, blackberry and white pepper. Medium bodied, almost meaty, with hints of cold cuts joining in on the palate. Finishes long with a touch of spice. Lovely already and will improve with some careful cellaring. 91-93,







Moraine 2012 Red Mountain ($26.90)

40% Merlot, 30% Malbec and 30% Cabernet Franc. Aged 20 months in 40% new oak. Notes of toasty oak and cherries on the nose. Cherry, plum, strawberry and black currants on the palate. This is already lovely, and we finished this bottle off at the end of the tasting. As it opened up, it got even better. It's tough to imagine a wine from BC (or anywhere) that is better than this around this price point. 93.





Moraine 2013 Twin Peaks Icewine ($26.90)

Apples, honey, pineapple and cherries mingle on the nose. A touch of raisin. Incredibly balanced and lovely; not nearly as sweet as some icewines. If you are one who enjoys dessert wine but finds some of them overly sweet, check this one out, you will love it. I love sweet sweet sweet icewines and I still loved this one. And at this price, run out and get some while you can! 93.




Hmm, that's six wines...and four from the other blog post makes 10. I am sure I counted the 11 bottles that Jim brought, but I don't think I missed anything. Could be I have forgotten how to count in my old age.

The damage after the tasting:

They also have a very limited Chardonnay that we didn't get to sample, but Jim insists it is absolutely fantastic. We will check it out when we make our first visit to Naramata, sometime next year.

What a great evening! Jim couldn't have been more engaging...and the stories he told! He's been in the wine industry forever, and knows everyone. Stories about lots of names we know (McWatters, Shafer, Mondavi) and lots we didn't....but all entertaining. He even had some funny stories about a couple people in the industry that we know quite well....but those stories are for another time and medium.

He came out of retirement specifically to work for Moraine because he believes in their philosophy of making great, approachable wines at a very affordable price. You'll notice above there isn't a single wine above $30! Not even the icewine. Definitely a winery to watch and a "can't miss" on any wine tour of the Naramata Bench.

Check out their website for more info on the wines. You won't be disappointed!

http://morainewinery.com/