Medium honey-gold colour and light honey-mineral nose. Deep sweet apricot acidic slate balanced tingling apple evolving transporting. As easy to drink as water. Not much else to say: I like it very much. 12% alcohol, higher than most I’ve tried from the region. $42.90 at Marquis Wine Cellars. See Weingut Markus Molitor.
Month: September 2010
Blue Mountain Pinot Blanc 2009
I enjoyed the 2008. This one is similar in colour, medium gold with a bit of a greenish tint (or maybe it’s the trees outside my window). Mellow citrus-steel nose with that OK dry hills quality. Strong acidity, very dry, green apple and lime. Perhaps a bit lighter than the ’08, but quite consistent with it. Lengthy finish. Very nice; definitely recommended. 13% alcohol; $21.90 at Marquis Wine Cellars. See Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars.
Oak Bay Gewürztraminer 2008
When I think Oak Bay I think of the neighbourhood in Victoria. There must be another Oak Bay in the Okanagan, as this is from Kelowna. This Gewürz is a pale silver, with a strong, straightforward grapefruit nose—maybe a bit of that BC Interior sage. A nice light but acidic drink, with spice, citrus, and peach notes, and the hint of bubbles typical of the varietal. Quite good. 12.6% alcohol. $16.90 at Marquis Wine Cellars. See St. Hubertus & Oak Bay Estate Winery.
Gray Monk 2008 Riesling
Medium gold appearance; light apple-citrus nose with a touch of mineral and honey. Medium body slightly off-dry with well-balanced stone fruit and citrus flavours, and good acidity. Straightforward but quite nice. 13.8% alcohol, quite high for a Riesling it seems to me. About $20 at Granville Liquor Store, 2658 Granville. See Gray Monk Estate Winery.
My father (born Blackall, Queensland; currently residing Vancouver, BC) bought me this bottle. Thanks, dad.
Martin’s Lane Riesling 2009
Medium pale silver-lemon appearance. A typical Okanagan nose: pineapple and a hint of sage brush, with subtle earth and mineral aromas. Muted acidity and well balanced; ever so slightly off-dry, with, again, a mixture of regional fruits: peach, apple, along with a bit of citrus, particularly lime; and mineral. Very enjoyable, and quite distinct; one of the better recent British Columbia Rieslings I’ve tasted. 13.0% alcohol. $27.90 at Marquis Wine Cellars. This wine is by Mission Hill but I couldn’t easily find mention of it on their site.
Alkoomi Frankland River Riesling 2005
Rich lemon-gold appearance. Subtle nose of citrus and green apple. Medium body with strong acidity, dry with mineral, lime, and grassy notes. Quite nicely done, actually; perhaps the best Aussie Riesling I’ve tried (but I haven’t tried many). Comparable to some of the French varietals I’ve tasted. 13.0% alcohol. See Alkoomi Wines, and their tasting notes for the vintage (PDF file). $29.00 at Steamworks Wine Thief.