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.
BC Wine
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.
Gray Monk 2007 Pinot Auxerrois
Tried this a few years ago (perhaps the 2005) and enjoyed it. This one is a medium gold colour. A Chardonnay-like nose (according to Wikipedia, Auxerrois Blanc is “a full sibling of Chardonnay,” though Winegeeks says it’s a Pinot Noir), with peach and a hint of sweetness. Very smooth on the palate, with nice acidity balancing Okanagan fruit flavours, apple and peach—and a nice black licorice finish. This one was a gift. 11.4% alcohol. See Gray Monk Estate Winery.
8th Generation Riesling Classic 2009
Very pale silver appearance with a light grapefruit-sage nose. Just off-dry, medium body, nice acidity, and a good balance of honey, stone fruit, and strong mineral notes. I think this is a step forward from the 2008, and remains one of my favourite BC Rieslings. 13.5% alcohol. $24.50 at Steamworks Wine Thief. See 8th Generation Vineyard.
Red Rooster 2008 Pinot Blanc
I’ve enjoyed recent Red Rooster Rieslings (2008, 2009). This Pinot Blanc is a medium lemon-gold with a very light citrus-pineapple nose. Dry with strong acidity; apple and floral notes dominate, with a hint of lemon but a bit of a dull finish. A nice enough drink, but not of the quality of their Rieslings. 12% alcohol. $15.70 at Crosstown. See Red Rooster Winery.
Blasted Church Mixed Blessings 2009
This blend is 66% Pinot Blanc and 34% Chardonnay—see the winemaker’s notes (PDF file). Light lemon-silver appearance; straightforward apple-citrus nose with a hint of the Okanagan sage. Dry, with a nice light and well-balanced palate dominated by citrus and pineapple, and a nice finish of ripe fruit—as the winemaker suggests, a quality of pear. This is very nice; strikes me as a great summer wine in particular—perhaps it’s just the summer weather today in Vancouver. 13.5% alcohol. See Blasted Church Vineyards.
Red Rooster 2009 Riesling
I liked their 2008, so was eager to see how this has developed. Light clear silver-gold again sporting a grapefruit nose but with perhaps less sweetness. Medium body off-dry with nice acidity balancing honey, citrus, and a hint of sage. Medium body, well balanced—very enjoyable, and I think a step forward from the previous vintage. 14% alcohol (up from 13%); $19.20 at Crosstown. See Red Rooster Winery.
Intrigue Riesling 2008
Medium-light gold, nice honey-mineral nose. Medium body with strong acidity; off-dry with grapefruit and honey notes. A straightforward Riesling, not outstanding but another in the German tradition, which I’d like to see more of from BC. I’ll be interested to see how they develop in future years. (However, I have to assign a few demerit points for the inexcusable grammatical gaffes on their label: “Enjoy with asian [sic] cuisine, seafood, or on it’s [sic] own.”) 13.5% alcohol. $20 at Taylorwood Wines. See Intrigue Wines.
Hainle Vinehards 2007 Riesling Kabinett Estate
Medium-pale gold appearance. Nice mineral-stone fruit nose with a hint of citrus. Apricot-honey dominates, with nicely balanced acidity and an intense finish that goes to the nose. This is one of the best British Columbia Rieslings I’ve ever tried, no question. Recommended. 12.9% alchohol; $27.90 at Marquis Wine Cellars. See Hainle Vineyards Estate Winery.
