Round Two B.C. Pinot Noir 2012s #19

Wines from the Penticton/Naramata Bench,Kelowna, Oliver and a Guest Pinot from Oregon

Evolved amazingly – LC
Layered, aromatic fruit plus some barrel markings – BG
Big smoky/chocolate/espresso nose. Fruit is not obvious, very distinctive – EH

#1 Mission Hill Reserve Pinot Noir 2012  13%

Quality Rating: B ~ 92    Value Rating: B to B+
Price: $28.00

Eye
LC: Ruby, fair depth of colour.    BG: Ruby, pale.    EU: Red, purple edge    Jacquelin G: Bright and clear, medium Ruby body – watery rose rim!    EH: Burgundy, not as brilliant as the others.

Nose
LC: Cranberry, pomegranate, cloves, cinnamon, slight earthiness, slightly hot?    BG: Sugary plum, dark red fruit, pomegranate, some floral which later increased.    EU: Red, fruits, smoke, forest, roast meat in time as it opened.    Jacquelin G: Ripe strawberry jam, sweet cherry, cherry Kool-Aid – tutti-frutti, hint of alcohol, lacking any tertiary notes!    EH: Medium intensity for Pinot Noir. Cherry fruit pleasant – no barnyard/terroir . Evolved a lot after 15 minutes.

Palate
LC: Sour, bitter,cherry,cranberry,simple,light bodied. Didn’t deliver what nose promised! Changed significantly inside the glass, cellar for 2 to 3 years. Evolved amazingly.    BG: Simple, balance, actually fairly long, intensity medium plus, a little herbal. Not complex but long with dark red fruit.     EU: Good tannin, light metallic, reduced with time, good acid, barrel fruit light, very simple, long finish. Dried cherry becoming more full and complex after time    Jacquelin G: Grippy tannins, but otherwise well-balanced, not tasting as fruity as the nose promises! Slightly acidic but great food wine! Medium short length finishes clean not enough fruit for further aging drink now. Huge evolution over an hour all fruit became complex game and savoury fruity notes!    EH: Round, good structure/both feel. Cherry, pomegranate. More flavour than on the nose.

Notes:
NWAC14 Bronze Medal Winner, Silver at the International Wine & Spirit Competition and Bronze at the International Wine Challenge.  Closure – cork

Trade sample.

Mission Hill Family Estate Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability

#2 Tightrope Pinot Noir 2012 13.6%

Quality Rating: B- to B ~ 91    Value Rating: C+
Price: $32.00

Eye
LC: Youthful, almost purple – good depth of colour.    BG: Cherry, touch of purple, touch of plum.    EU: Purple    Jacquelin G: Bright and clear; medium Ruby core – purple rim – youthful?    EH: Burgundy, was a bit more cloudy.

Nose
LC: Warm spices, blueberry.    BG: Floral, roses, cherry, lovely Oak.    EU: Citrus (lemon, lime), black pepper, light barnyard, smoky oak    Jacquelin G: Toasty oak; cherries, cranberries, warm baking spices: cinnamon and cloves.    EH: Oak, smoke? Barnyard develops after 15 minutes. More elegant perfume with black cherries, tutti-frutti. More depth than number 1 wine.

Palate
LC: Blueberry, cherry high (cinnamon, bright flavours, tannin finely controlled) well-balanced. Smoky, long finish – fruit. Cellaring potential. Sour cranberry first restrained mouth feel, almost harsh. Long finish. Not enough fruit to know where it’s going.    BG: Silky mouth feel, roses, vanilla, not a long finish, could develop. Stops at mid-palate. 828 or Pommard clones? Opened to cherry fruit – lovely.    EU: Red fruits (cherry, strawberry), strawberry dried red fruits on finish, good body, pleasant finish, clean flavours.    Jacquelin G: Great, balance – slightly acidic – good food wine! Lots happening on the palate, fruity and complex finish. Fruit, spices, Oak drinking well now and could evolve over two years and hold for five years!    EH: No terroir. Fuller more intensity. More flavour than on the nose and more acid than number one wine with decent tannins. Finish ishttps://www.tightropewinery.ca/Wines longer than number 1. Cranberry and black cherry.

Notes:
This is the first Pinot Noir from this Naramata Bench winery.  The grapes were de-stemmed, but not crushed, and put directly into small half ton fermenters where they cold soaked for five days before a wild ferment began.  The must was hand punched twice daily, until the ferment was finished.  The grapes spent 21 days on skins before being pressed.  The wine was aged in French Oak, 30% new, for about 10 months before being bottled.  Closure – Stelvin

Awards:
Silver Medal – NorthWest Wine Summit
Silver Medal – Riverside International Wine Competition 2014
Gold Medal National Wine Awards of Canada 2014

150 cases produced.

Tightrope Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability

#3 Tantalus Juveniles Pinot Noir 2012 13%

Quality Rating: D+ to C- ~ 83    Value Rating: D+
Price: $23.00

Eye
LC: Youthful almost purple, good depth of colour.    BG: Beautiful ruby, touch of loaf. Pale.    EU: Red    Jacquelin G: Bright clean; Ruby body/purple rim.    EH: Burgundy.

Nose
LC: Tutti fruity, strawberry, spicy. Simple nose youthful nose.    BG: a bit of alcohol heat, Kirsch. Black forest cake, cotton candy, later got floral.    EU: Complex, rose, strawberry, raspberry, leather, tar (very light).    Jacquelin G: Fresh wild strawberries; rose petal, sweet cherries.    EH: Distinct red fruit, bit like soap.

Palate
BG: Nice balance, slightly bitter pomegranate, short finish.    EU: Thin, light vanilla, tannic, light red fruit palate suffers in relation to nose.    Jacquelin G: Youthful grippy ripe tannins (need cellar time) – Cleansing acidity! A very young wine – finish is a bit tannic and acidic at this time!    EH: Big flavour, tart (young). Rough finish, raspberry. Clumsy finish, more tannins than 1 and 2. Tastes like a homemade Pinot. Unbalanced.

Notes:
The wine was matured in French oak barrels and aged for 11 months.  Closure – Composite cork

Trade Sample.

Tantalus Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability

#4 Cassini Red Carpet Pinot Noir 2012 – 13.8%

Quality Rating: C+ to B- ~ 89    Value Rating: B
Price $20.00

Eye
LC: Garnet, brilliant.    BG: Light garnet, ruby, cherry.    EU: Garnet    Jacquelin G: Bright, clear. Hint of bricky orange, suggestive of age?    EH: Hint of orange throughout the colour. Is this an older Pinot?

Nose
LC: Caramel, darker fruits, warm spices.    BG: Cranberry, slightly floral, layered aromatic fruit plus some barrel markings.    EU: Strong leather, cigar, tobacco, roast red fruit, dried cherries.    Jacquelin G: hot! Mostly closed, opens up a hint of cherries and hint of wet forest floor or earth!    EH: Tea leaves, faint rose. No fruit at first, port nose develops.

Palate
LC: Sweet, toasted plum, silky, fairly full mouth feel. Medium finish with good second wave of flavour. Better on finish, hot though it holds well. (Plum clafoutis) Drinking well now.    BG: Savoury caramel, light, fairly long, beautiful oak, fruit. Very well balanced    EU: Good vanilla oak, roasted and dried cherries, nice acid tannin balance long finish. Tamarind, sappy, wet leaves.    Jacquelin G: hot! But otherwise well-balanced. Green simple! Drink now. Earthy.    EH: Black cherry, strawberry, caramel, green vegetal flavour? Tawny port flavour. Reduced acidity. Sweetness on mid-palate, smooth. Off dry finish and hot fruit. Tastes closer to California Pinot Noir! Earthy note develops after 20+ minutes

Notes:
Release Date: June 2012
RS 9 g/L, PH 3.73, TA 6.2g/L   CSPC: 167007   Closure – cork
Production: 1049 Cases

Cassini Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability

#5  Moraine Pinot Noir 2012 – 13.3%

Quality Rating: C- to C ~ 85    Value Rating: C
Price: $23.00

Eye
LC: Red to Garnet.    BG: Pale, Ruby rim.    EU: Red    Jacquelin G: Bright, clear, Ruby core, watery, rose at rim.    EH: Paler Burgundy.

Nose
LC: Toasty, nutty, allspice, nutmeg, darker fruits. Quite complex nose, geraniums.    BG: Tart, plum, haunting.    EU: Barnyard, cloves, nutmeg, where’s the fruit? Light chocolate, with time cocoa.    Jacquelin G:    EH: Big smoky/chocolate/espresso nose. Fruit is not obvious, very distinctive.

Palate
LC: Sour blueberry/cranberry. Very soft tannins, medium long finish, finishes a tad hot, almost a bit of rubber in finish. Young, needs to integrate.    BG: Beautiful fruit, cranberry! Layered, Crisp lovely acidity which gives length on the finish. Great balance, silky mouth feel, poise. Long complex fruit.    EU: Cherry, very light forest or other flavours, distinct acidity with balanced tannins. Faulted    Jacquelin G: Flawed. Mercaptans – burnt rubber.    EH: Would go well with sockeye salmon. Smoke on palate overshadows the fruit, tart, vanilla finish and tartness. Smooth tannins, taste like a South African Pinotage (Grinder).

Notes:
Made from relatively young vines, this is Moraine’s inaugural vintage of Pinot Noir.  The wine was handpicked from Sophia’s vineyard in October 14th, 2012 then fermented in small bins. It was then aged for 10 months in premium French oak from the Tronçais forest.  Closure – Stelvin screwtop

Awards:

Best Medium Red Wine, Vancouver Magazine International Competition
Silver Medal BC Wine Championship,

Bronze Medal Finger Lakes International Wine Competition, New York, USA

Winemaker – Jacqueline Kemp.
582 cases produced.

Trade sample.

Moraine Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability

#6 McKinlay Pinot Noir 2012 (Oregon) 13%

Quality Rating: B+ to A- ~ 95    Value Rating: B
Price: $40.00

Eye
LC: Red, not brilliant clarity but not cloudy. Ringer?    BG: Pale, ruby rim.    EU: Old roses, distinct, black pepper, roast meat (light), or wild    Jacquelin G: Bright, clear, ruby body, rose at rim.    EH: Darker Burgundy colour than number five.

Nose
LC: Hints of rose, dusty, blueberry, very ripe strawberry, slight wax crayon nose, truffle/cheesy.    BG: Violets, cherries, roses harmonious layered fruit, resinous, mint    EU:    Jacquelin G: hot! Cherries, toasty oak and spices strawberry jam, caramel, savoury, meaty, gamey nose!    EH: None at first, then everything fruit! Evolving raspberries, cherries, vanilla.

Palate
LC: Blueberry, unripe blackberry. Fruits, tannin and acid good but needs time to integrate. Hot on finish. Would cellar.    BG: Rounded, long, pomegranate, layered, but a bit low acid? Polished, very well balanced.    EU: Roses, light vanilla oak, cherry, strawberry, Yum. Very good balance of tannins, acidity and fruit. Very good likely to be much better with time    Jacquelin G: Great mouth full! Refreshing acidity, needs food. Fruity palate, balanced tannins, drinking well now and will hold for 2 to 5 years – look for some tertiary development.    EH: Black pepper, black cherries delicious, smooth, hint of vegetable, vegetal black cherry. Peppery fruit, bigger body than most other wines in the tasting. Later gentle taste and roasted meat/chocolate, more depth rich flavour, round, well-balanced. More elegant than number 7 wine

Notes:
McKinlay Pinot noir ferments with native yeasts, without enzyme additions and ages in (25%) new oak and is neither fined nor filtered at bottling.  The vineyard that provided grapes for the wine was planted in 1997, mostly to Hanzell and Pommard  Clones.

#7 La Frenz Pinot Noir One Hundred Series Reserve 2012 13.5%

Quality Rating: B- ~ 90    Value Rating: B- to B
Price: $32.00

Eye
LC: Not brilliantly clear but no cloudiness. red garnet rim.    BG: Pale, cherry, ruby rim.    EU: Dark garnet.    Jacquelin G: Slightly cloudy, garnet core.    EH: Burgundy.

Nose
LC: Caramel, waxy, dark fruit! Cherry/blueberry.    BG: Chocolate, plums, tar, dark red fruit, plush.    EU: Green leaves, cigar, almost no fruit, light citrus, earth.    Jacquelin G: Wild sour cherries, wet leaves, toasty/savoury caramel. Alcohol heat.    EH: Toasty with oak vanilla instant red fruits, smells elegant.

Palate
LC: Sweet cherry/blueberry, pomegranate. Hint of cinnamon. Lower acid.    BG: Flowery but with lingering tannins, odd flavour combination for Pinot Noir    EU: Light citrus, strawberry, nutmeg, pepper, distinct acidity and tannins, caramel, roast.    Jacquelin G: Good mouthful; well-balanced, more savoury than fruity, very pleasant, drinking well, should improve for two years and hold for five years!    EH: Oak, vanilla, red fruits, smooth tannins, black cherry, finish is well-balanced with chocolate. Richer than number six. Lower acid level and more silky than number 6 wine.

Notes:
Grown in the Desperation Hill Vineyard, the grapes are Dijon clone 828 (33%) Dijon clone 667 (33%) and Dijon clones 115 and 91 (33% together).  Closure – cork      Winemaker – Jeff Martin

La Frenz Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability

Tasting held October 7, 2014