Tags
bc wine, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Golden Mile, Meritage, Merlot, okanagan, Oliver, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, wine tour, wineries
I have finally begun to have some time to visit some Okanagan wineries this season. It seems odd to be so far through the summer without having visited more but life is busy this year. I have recently visited a handful of wineries, new and old and will post on them in the upcoming weeks.
I stopped in at Fairview Cellars to taste through what was on offer and to visit with Bill Eggert and his brother Chuck. Bill showed off the newest addition to the winery building – a great mural on the side of the cellar by local artist Leza Macdonald. Back in the tasting room we began with the 2013 Sauvignon Blanc. It has a tropical nose with notes of tangerine, is dry with crisp acidity and ripe flavours of grapefruit, tangerine, lemon and green apple. It is well-balanced with a long finish. The 2012 Eagle Bluff Pinot Noir is pale ruby in colour with notes of caramel, raspberry and red plum on the nose. It is dry with medium-plus acidity, medium-minus tannins and flavours of strawberry, raspberry, tart red plum and spice. It is well-balanced with a long finish. The 2011 Two Hoots is a Cabernet/Merlot blend that is medium ruby in colour, with dried herbs, cherry, plum and liquorice on the nose. It is dry, with medium-plus acidity and medium tannins. It is still young and a bit closed but there are some nice notes of cherry, plum and spice. The 2011 Madcap Red is a Merlot-dominant blend with Cab Sauv and Cab Franc. It is a medium ruby in colour with aromas of cherry, liquorice and plum. It is dry, with medium-plus acidity, medium-plus-plus tannins and flavours of sour cherry, damson plum, cassis, spice, cocoa and espresso. It has lovely complexity, is well-balanced and has a long finish. The Bear, 2011 vintage, is a Cab Sauv-dominant blend, along with Merlot, Cab Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. It is medium ruby-purple in colour with aromas of ripe cherry and liquorice on the nose. It is dry with medium-plus acidity and full ripe tannins. It has flavours of cherry, plum, cassis, spice and tobacco on the palate with a long finish – delicious! The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon is a medium-plus purple-ruby in colour with aromas of cassis, spice, violets and dried herbs. It is dry, with medium-plus acidity and big ripe tannins, with flavours of cassis, damson plum and the barest hint of green bell pepper and spice. It is well-balanced with a deliciously long finish. I was able to try the 2012 Premier Series Cabernet Franc but unfortunately it’s already sold out. I was quite enjoying the nose long before I even took a sip, with lovely plum and spice aromas. It is dry, with medium-plus acidity, medium-plus-plus tannins. It is still quite closed but already so very tasty; such a shame that it’s all gone. The library wine that is currently on offer is the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a medium-plus ruby in colour with a ripe nose of dark cherry and cassis with some savoury meaty notes. It is dry with medium-plus acidity and tannins, flavours of cassis, smoky, meaty notes and candied plum with a long finish. This is drinking so very well right now although has plenty of life left in it. We finished off with the 2009 Iconoclast (Cabernet Sauvignon). It is medium-plus ruby in colour with aromas of black forest cake, cassis, violets and dried herbs. It has a rich mouthfeel, is dry with medium acidity and full ripe tannins. It has flavours of cassis, hints of leather, spice, plum and cocoa. It is beginning to transition from full fruit flavours to some of the more savoury notes.