2005 Quails’ Gate Family Reserve Pinot Noir, Okanagan
2005 Quails’ Gate Family Reserve Pinot Noir, Okanagan
Appearance: dark purple red, clear rim.
Nose: dark Pinot fruit (more a mix of black and red cherry than just red cherry or strawberry fruit etc.), fair degree of oak here, perfumed.
Palate: rich black and red cherry fruit, integrated if ‘youthful’ oak, lovely acidity, medium silky tannins.
Conclusion: seemingly a better bottle than that tasted on 18th August 2007. This is one to age for it really to come together.
Rating: 17.5/20 [potentially 18/20]
Labels: 2005, Canada, Okanagan, Pinot Noir, Quails' Gate, red
2004 Lailey Cabernet Sauvignon, Niagara Peninsula
2004 Lailey Cabernet Sauvignon, Niagara Peninsula
Appearance: medium to deepish purple-red, slightly orange rim.
Nose: lovely nose of crushed blackcurrant fruit with green pepper and leather notes (good oaking here).
Palate: ripe medium chewy tannin, great fruit, good acidity and very good length.
Conclusion: I don’t get to taste many Niagara Peninsula wines, but this Cabernet from Lailey was very impressive. Somehow – perhaps with a little addition of Merlot? – they’ve managed to smooth out Cabernet’s coarser components, but still keep its aromas. Might just be very well made and ripe Cabernet. Very good.
Rating: 17.5/20
Labels: 2004, Cabernet Sauvignon, Canada, Lailey, Niagara Peninsula, red
Canada's Okanagan: A Rising Star?
2001 Oculus, Mission HillAppearance: deep purple to black, clear rim.
Nose: initial green aromas, probably from the Cabernet Franc here rather than from unripeness. Later complex black fruits and high-quality, integrated oak. Savoury.
Palate: beautiful fruit, good, firm but not astringent medium tannins, excellent acidity, good length and approachable now, although will benefit from further ageing.
Conclusion: This wine is 45% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot and is Mission Hill’s top red. The green notes from the Cabernet Franc settled down after opening and this revealed itself as a sophisticated beast. Each grape variety sings through here (although the 5% Petit Verdot is not really something one could detect without considerable experience of that grape, if then). We'll be blogging on a whole range of Okanagan producers on this site. Mission Hill is the largest producer, but some of the best wines come from Burrowing Owl and Cedar Creek, among others. The Oculus is a fine thing, however. Buy whilst it's still affordable!
Rating: 18.5/20
Labels: 2001, Bordeaux-blend, Canada, Mission Hill, Oculus, Okanagan Valley, red
