WEEKEND WINE PICKS
Lang Vineyards Syrah 2015, Okanagan Valley
$26 | 88/100
UPC: 626990209058
The wine is opaque on the way from bottle to glass. The nose is lifted by sweet florals over a meaty undercurrent. The entry is ripe with rich blueberry compote, a touch of cracked pepper and a ripe, dense, soft tannin finish. A solid effort that speaks to a warm year and earlier drinking. Lamb chops or grilled pork would be a good match. Hillside Syrah 2014, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley
$26 | 89/100
UPC: 626990053538 Sourced from nearby Hidden Valley Vineyard, just south of the winery. The nose is an attractive mix of floral, finely-ground, black pepper and ripe red and black fruits. This Syrah is all about elegance and finesse from its fine-grained tannins to its juicy fruit flavours. The style is fresh, the alcohol barely 13.5 per cent, and there is plenty of acidity. Elegant, round and forward drink over the next three to four years. Perfect with a pulled pork sandwich. Stag’s Hollow Syrah Amalia Vineyard 2015, Okanagan Valley $25.99 | 89/100
UPC: 626990095552
Fresh juicy and peppery says it all here, despite a warm year. Winemaker Dwight Sick has those rare light hands light that lets the fruit shine. Look for a Rhone white pepper nose, a juicy, red, fruity, stony, mineral, mid-palate and a soft almost quaffable finish. Round and ripe with silky tannins this is one for earlier drinking. Think roast chicken or quail as food matches. Quails’ Gate Syrah The Boswell 2015, Okanagan Valley
$50 | 92/100
UPC: 778856415285
The Boswell label honours the family grandparents and is made in limited quantities, namely 24 barrels this year. The nose is an enticing mix of floral notes, lavender and violets with that cool climate white pepper and spice that keeps the fruit in check but never buries it. The palate is juicy and dry with silky/leathery tannins that persist throughout the finish. The oak is more seamless this year. A complex Syrah capable of many years of bottle age. Lamb, venison or aged hard cheeses all work here. Laughing Stock Vineyards Syrah +17/09 2015, Osoyoos, Okanagan Valley
$35.99 | 91/100
UPC: 850451001961 Consistency from year to year is the measure of any exceptional wine and the LS Syrah has it in spades. Dark, inviting florals mark the nose of what is an elegantly styled Syrah packed with blueberry, Bing cherry fruit flavours with some white pepper, stony minerals and just a hint of smoky roasted meats. Youthful and robust this will need a decade to come into its own but should be very refined at that point.