WEEKEND WINE PICKS
Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards Interloper Gewürztraminer 2016, Okanagan Valley
$24.50 | 88/100
UPC: 626990252849
A ripe and fragrant garden in a glass. For all its perfumed intensity, this midsweet wine holds its form well. The style is fresher than some of its contemporaries, with a dry resiny back end. Drink all winter with a favourite Indian curry. Winery direct, grocery stores private wine shops.
Blue Mountain Pinot Noir 2015, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley $30 | 90/100
UPC: 626452501157
Cured pork, light smoke and tobacco season some serious black raspberry, cherry, flecked with thorns. The attack is earthy, with hints of celery and a fine peppery grip that frames wine from front to back. Despite the warm year and the darker, more flush, duskier fruit, the wine remains gentle, light and finessed. Winery direct, grocery stores private wine shops.
Tinhorn Creek Cabernet Franc 2015, Okanagan Valley $21.99 | 87/100
UPC: 624802971063
Tinhorn was an early champion of Cabernet Franc in the Okanagan Valley, a grape that has come to distinguish itself among province’s top reds. This is from Tinhorn’s 18-year-old Diamondback Vineyard, east across the valley, on the Black Sage Bench. Brooding cassis, blackberry, dark cherry, bittersweet chocolate and espresso fill the juicy, oak-covered palate with some gritty, grippy tannins. This shows its youth through rusticity and is best, for the moment, tamed with lamb or beef shank. Winery direct, grocery stores private wine shops.
JoieFarm Pinot Noir 2015, Okanagan Valley $25.90 | 88/100 UPC: 00692739000170
One of the better Joie Pinots, with its smoked berries, forest floor, black cherries and black currants in what is a fuller, darker, brooding Pinot Noir. Toasted wood and earthy spice filters throughout, with some light, tarry tannins and brightened with tomato-tinged acidity. One year in bottle before release has softened the wood, but it’s still rich enough to call for skirt steak or grilled pork ribs at this point. Solid. Winery direct, grocery stores private wine shops.
Hester Creek Terra Unica Riesling 2016, Golden Mile Bench, Okanagan Valley
$22.95 | 89/100
UPC: 626990222088
An early warm growing season followed by a cool long fall on the Golden Mile Bench has made for some clean, juicy fruit with plenty of residual sugar. The fruit was dry-farmed before going through a stainless-steel ferment, halted before dryness, and leaving 26 grams per litre of residual sugar. Expect a fresh, mineral, citrus nose with generous orange and lemon flavours and a shake of sea salt. It was perfect with breaded pork. You will have to join the Bench Wine Club to gain access to their Terra Unica Riesling.