Collectibles: September 2017

Most of the exceptional BC wines amassed this month are brand new releases. That’s not to say they will be easy to find, as nearly all represent extreme rarities, but every one is well worth tracking down. They range from a single barrel of an experimental variety never before seen in Canada, to the first vintage of a long-awaited flagship for a winery about to make a major transition. The beginning of fall represents a chance to celebrate the harvest with past years’ finest, and a great opportunity for collectors. Not to mention every winery is now finding themselves in need of cellar room for another celebrated vintage!

Liquidity 2015 Equity Pinot Noir: After some time in bottle, the inaugural 2014 flagship Equity was awarded a silver medal at Mondial des Pinots this month. Of course, that vintage is long since sold out, and this year’s sequel is approaching the same status. In lieu of clone 667 as per last year, the 2015 blends clone 828 with clone 115 from vines fruit-thinned to just one and a half tons per acre to yield 125 cases - prioritized for wine club members. After spending 15 months in (36% new) French oak the release this spring has left very little remaining in the Okanagan Falls wine shop. A pattern is forming at Liquidity, with the Equity being noticeably darker-fruited and more structurally intense than the Estate and Reserve tiers, immediately apparent upon tasting them side-by-side, and something Treve Ring noted last year as well. Winery Direct $64

Moon Curser 2015 Carménère: Although it is included amongst the traditional components of Bordeaux, few Canadian wineries bother to include this challenging grape in their red blends, and only a mere handful of single varietal examples exist. While Black Hills doesn’t even sell theirs outside the wine club, Moon Curser has managed to produce nearly 300 cases from a banner year for Osoyoos East Bench vines in their eleventh leaf. The wine was aged in a restrained 25% new French oak after malolactic fermentation, before bottling in March. For sale since early summer, this Gold Medal winner at the Okanagan Spring Wine Festival provides one of the rare opportunities to sample Canadian Carménère; an exciting chance to test out Winemaker Chris Tolley’s impression of “plum, green peppercorn, ripe raspberry, and fennel seed.” Winery Direct $43

Cassini 2014 Nobilus Merlot: Adrian Cassini’s 2013 Merlot is one of two wines for which he received the Lieutenant Governor’s Award this summer, after it was named Best of Varietal at the Okanagan Spring Wine Festival (and Best of Category at the 2016 All Canadian Wine Championships). Needless to say, the 2013 vintage is sold out, but fortunately the 2014 was quietly released last month, all 125 cases worth (it’s always a “Limited Edition”). Coming from what Cassini describes as an usually cold growing season it offers a very elegant nose and grippy but fully ripe tannins in the delicious palate, where 15% alcohol dwells despite the cooler temperatures. The grapes come from Oliver’s Bella Vineyard (not to be confused with Naramata’s Bella Winery), and are said to have spent a full two years in new French oak before bottling, and then several months in bottle while fans patiently awaited their opportunity. Winery Direct $40

Orofino 2014 Petit Verdot: While not nearly as rare as single varietal Carménère, Petit Verdot is still primarily reserved for blending, and not often seen on its own, anywhere for that matter. Cawston’s Orofino Vineyards last released a Petit Verdot from the 2010 vintage, preferring instead to integrate the small amount they receive from the neighbouring Hendsbee Vineyard into their Beleza blend. It would seem that aficionados got lucky in 2014, as enough remained after blending to allow for 75 cases to be assembled, introduced firstly this month to members of the winery’s Collector’s Club. I myself was certain to pick up a bottle while present at the winery on the very day it was released! A bottle of the 2010 vintage enjoyed a couple years back was superb, with strong juicy acidity that should keep it lively for years to come, just as the 2014 is a prime long-term cellar candidate. Winery Direct $45

Clos du Soleil 2013 Estate Reserve Red: While the more prevalent “Signature” is considered the popular flagship red at Clos du Soleil, the smaller lot Estate Reserve is crafted in an even more cellar-worthy style, and sourced exclusively from the organic home vineyard on the Keremeos Upper Bench. Just 200 cases of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec were aged for 18 months in French oak before extended bottle-aging (a year beyond that of the Signature). My bottle came on the fall equinox as part of my bi-annual Wine Club shipment, alongside a bevy of other brand-new reds. With a long life ahead of it the wine will need even more time to mature and knit together – perhaps why it “only” received a Bronze Medal at this year’s National Wine Awards. Nevertheless, Judge Michael Godel felt 90-points appropriate for what he saw as a Bordeaux ringer: “cool and minty, with espresso and dark bitter chocolate...well-positioned, purposed, and appointed.” Winery Direct $60

Tinhorn Creek 2014 The Creek: Just weeks after Tinhorn Creek President Sandra Oldfield introduced her winery’s new flagship wine (23 years in the making) news emerged that she and her partners had sold the winery to Peller and she was departing. With the upcoming sale undoubtedly being negotiated at the time, the launch party must have been bittersweet for Sandra. Perhaps it is apropos that new winemaker Andrew Windsor crafted the inaugural and subsequent vintages, having taken over the role from her in 2014 with Sandra’s blessing. In contrast to Tinhorn’s typical focus on Merlot, (Black Sage Bench) Cabernet Sauvignon leads “The Creek”, comprising more than half the blend with 19% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 9% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot, all aged for two years in (40% new) French and Hungarian oak. Early reviews of the 1,475 case production at GismondiOnWine have been very positive, noting the balance and elegance in what is deemed to be an age-worthy wine with strong potential. Winery Direct $63

Stag’s Hollow 2015 Teroldego: Honestly, unless you’re a member of Stag’s Hollow’s Wine Club, or are lucky enough to visit their (brand new) tasting room in the next week, you’ll never see this wine. Only a single barrel came from Winemaker Dwight Sick’s first harvest of this esoteric grape planted in the winery’s young Okanagan Falls “Shuttleworth Creek” vineyard, where it grows alongside Dolcetto. After sending the vast majority to Club members this month a few cases remain for sale in the Stag’s Hollow wine shop to celebrate the Fall Wine Festival. Impressively, Dwight feels it is the best wine on hand at present, despite having recently released 2016 Grenache, 2015 Syrah, and the highly anticipated 2014 Renaissance (Reserve) Meritage – so that speaks volumes! Subsequent vintages are expected to increase in volume, but not massively so, making it very much a prime pinch for wine geeks. Winery Direct $40

Celebrating with Poplar Grove

Penticton’s Poplar Grove Winery hosts a generous party for their many loyal Wine Club members each September, and for the first time since joining said Club I was in the Okanagan and available to attend this year. By design, the expansive Munson Mountain tasting room and grounds are a near-perfect event space, and so the facility closed early this Saturday to welcome hundreds of devotees and their guests. In past years, the “Member Appreciation Event” has taken the form of a barbecue, but with the Vanilla Pod restaurant now firmly established, an even more diverse spread has become the norm. Although the winery kept expectations in check with a caveat they would only be providing “small bites,” I’m glad I brought my appetite!

Upon arrival – dodging the many complimentary shuttle buses bringing in guests from Naramata to Summerland – we were treated to a glass of welcome bubbly. The winery’s inaugural Extra Brut 2014 was no doubt made with this party in mind, and members have had the chance to enjoy the crisp Blanc de Blanc since this spring. Knowing the Chardonnay was hand-picked by Proprietor Tony Holler from his personal home vineyard engenders a certain gratitude when he hands you a glass! Later in the evening, Tony revealed that the highly enjoyable sparkler will remain a member-exclusive wine for the foreseeable future, another one of several Club wines that serve to entice new members.

A brief cold-spell in the central Okanagan prevented some of the sun-kissed photographs taken in previous years, but organizers were prepared for rain or shine conditions with tents should the worst come to pass. Fortunately, the occasionally-overcast skies stayed in check, and the tasting room itself provided a dash of warmth once a chill set in outdoors. The grounds included a triplet of food and wine stations in the lower picnic area, along with heartier fare on the restaurant patio, and well-refreshed snacks indoors. Although I kept a laser-like focus on the wine, an expansive non-alcoholic bar was highly visible and reflected well on our responsible hosts.

Combined with coordinated wine pairings from across the portfolio, the many food stations dished out delicacies and hometown favourites. With a glass of Brut in hand one was invited to enjoy Pulled Pork Sliders alongside Vegetarian Chili while talented local musician Nikita Afonso serenaded the reception area. On the grass below long lines formed for Prawns and Tomato Cucumber Salad with the striking new 2016 Chardonnay – bursting with fresh peaches & cream and mandarin orange aromas. Maple Glazed Salmon matched the 2016 Rosé, a complex, lip-smacking Blanc de Noirs of Malbec, Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, unexpectedly still available for sale on-site! The intensely-flavoured 2014 Syrah was superb with Grilled Fennel Sausage and Sweet Corn Hash; the rich new release is boosted by 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and was fermented with a small proportion of Viognier skins for added aromatics.

In the tasting room itself a half dozen wines were available from the fully staffed “pods”, where sales seemed brisk as well. Opportunity to compare the 2016 Pinot Gris and single-vineyard Munson Mountain bottling of the same (another Club exclusive), showed off the home vineyard’s minerality with ease. The vivacious upcoming “Collectif” 2016 was also being showcased, a follow-up to last year’s delicious new white blend that brought together Riesling, Chardonnay, and Viognier/Marsanne/Roussanne. Newly released 2014 Merlot and 2014 Cabernet Franc provided plenty on which to chew as well, with bright and juicy heirloom tomato flatbread emerging at a furious pace from the hard-working kitchen. For extra-hearty fare the patio was home to Beef Brisket, Baked Beans, and Cornbread, showcased by the much-loved 2013 CSM red blend, and the golden-hued, thought-provoking 2014 MRV white.

Should the seemingly-endless array of food and drink somehow prove unsatisfying the on-site barrel hall was home to Winemaker Stefan Arnason and a pair of open barrels (plus a cloud of fanatic fruit-flies). The barrel thieves were dispending mouth-filling 2016 Syrah and fresh, juicy 2016 Munson Cabernet Franc (surprisingly approachable) to those looking for a glimpse into the future. Platters of Apple Sauce Cake and Chili-spiced Brownies offered a sweet treat on the room’s impressive long-table, just to cover all the culinary bases. After three hours of festivities there could not have been a hungry belly or thirsty palate left in the house; I certainly left merrily mellow. In an increasingly competitive marketplace, Poplar Grove has continued to provide added value for their Wine Club members – I’m happy to oblige!