Tasting #1 – The Excellent 2006 Vintage

Wines from Naramata, Oliver, Kelowna, Okanagan Falls & Summerland. One stunning value and a “guest pinot” from Chehalem, Oregon

“Cinnamon – tannic & tart–spiced game – good balance. Very long and rich, nutmeg – sweet edges”-JL  

“balanced,elegant,mouthwatering,subtle, but lovely”-AKG
“Pine cones,forest,nutty”- PAK

#1 Thornhaven Barrel Reserve Pinot Noir 2006  11.45%

Quality Rating: D- ~ 78     Value Rating: D
Price: $18.00

Eye
KM: Very light colour, brick/orange tinge, age    EU: brown    JL: Brown, brick light    AKG:  Almost yellowish, bricky smooth (viscous) rim colour almost pale brown, heart is light, clear brick colour    PAK: Brownish, oxidized    BG: Brown/Tawny throughout

Nose
KM: Almost fruity, slight mushy aroma    EU: light cherry, cranberry sauce    JL: Oxidizing, slightly musty    AKG: sweet marshy, hot tub?, bit of plum    PAK: Bad apple    BG: vegetal, oxidized

Palate
KM: Dulled fruit, extremely light body. Oxidized    EU: thin, light, metallic, old, long bitter tannic    JL: Acidic, dry, no fruit, tannic – dead    AKG: Sour at first aftertaste becomes more coherent. Don’t like this one. Smooth and light but overly simple?    PAK: tasteless    BG: rubber, vegetal, oxidized

Notes:
Closure – plastic cork

Thornhaven Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability

#2 Laurel Hood 2008 Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountains, Yamhill County  13.1%

Quality Rating: C+ ~ 88    Value Rating: C
Price: $35.00

Eye
KM: Bright Ruby colour. Young    EU: bright purple/red    JL: Youthful garnet, slightly bluish edge    AKG: Cherry red, candy coloured, scarlet, clear    PAK: Cherry    BG: light cherry rim, light depth

Nose
KM:    EU: bright herbal, wintergreen, cherry    JL: light cranberry, cherry notes – fresh    AKG: peppery, dirt, fig    PAK: Woodsy    BG: Raspberries, pomegranate

Palate
KM: Light body, good acidity, with dry tannins and tart fruit    EU: long, kirsch, cherry, full spicy    JL: light body, tannic, well balanced, tart medium finish    AKG: grows on the tongue, shifts into good structure but not enough finish. Nice mouth feeling mellow, tongue glow afterwards    PAK: clean but not spectacular    BG: Light, deft wine with longish berry aftertaste, cherries, smoky plum

Notes: On the western edge of the Chehalem Mountain AVA, focused on personally tended, non-irrigated vines first planted in 1989. The small production of wine is made using gentle handling and judicious use of oak in order to let the character of the vineyard shine through. The vineyard gives fruit that makes wines that are exceptionally age worthy. This Pinot noir is produced from Pommard and Wadensvil clones.  Closure – cork

#3 Cedar Creek Estate Select Pinot Noir 2006  13.6%

Quality Rating: C+ ~ 88    Value Rating: C+
Price: $26.00

Eye
KM: Deep garnet colour    EU: bright red light brown    JL: Medium dark garnet    AKG: Dark cherry , rich even colour compared with some pinot noirs    PAK: Deep cherry    BG: Rim is garnet/brick

Nose
KM: Lively nose, cherry    EU: cedar smoke? Sour cherry, dried strawberry, cherry, earth, animal    JL: slightly coal oil nose over sour cherry, slightly powdery and hot    AKG: Creosote, salted caramel, honeysuckle    PAK: Bark, woodsy, smoky    BG: Pepper, plum, almost smells like syrah, smoky, cured meats

Palate
KM: Medium body, high acidity, high tanning, youngish, needs food or time to shine . Deep cherry and raspberry flavour    EU: long tannin, cherry, cranberry, vanilla    JL: Medium tannins, good solid acid, juicy sour cherry, long finish    AKG: Strong flavour, hits the palette, warms up in the middle. Mouth watering acidity and a bit tannic    PAK: medicinal tang, good flavour, cherry    BG: Pepper, alcohol, green pepper

Notes:
Closure – cork

Cedar Creek Pinot Noirs – Current Vintage & Availability

#4 Kettle Valley Pinot Noir Reserve 2006 14%

Quality Rating: B To B+ ~ 93    Value Rating: C+
Price: $35.00

Eye
KM: deep garnet, some age, unfiltered? Fig    EU: Dark    JL: Dark ruby/ garnet/ slight bluish rim    AKG: Dark brick, very smooth    PAK: Garnet    BG: Cherry rim, not fully bright, medium depth

Nose
KM: Slight funky aroma, mushroom, wet rag? leathery    EU: bright cherry, strawberry    JL: Strawberry – rich –fat-ripe-oak    AKG: rainy pavement, wet earth hint of charcoal    PAK: Smooth. Pear like, spiced fig    BG: wood, alcohol, dried plum, vinous, cherries

Palate
KM: good acid and tannin , complexity, black cherry , tobacco, fuller bodied pinot, long finish    EU: cherry, vanilla, raspberry, kirsch, balanced, roses, long spice on finish    JL: Full bodied, rich, well balanced tannic and acid round – very long and slightly warm, very complex – California style    AKG: Hits the back of the mouth first, a bit boring shapewise, but lingers and flavour is pleasant minerals, unambitious, vanilla    PAK: Round, slightly tangy – young well blended flavours    BG: Biggish flavour with some authority, long finish

Notes: Blend of Cole, Hayman and Trovao vineyards in Naramata and the Thibault vineyard in Summerland. 24.9 brix. , full malolactic and then French Oak for 20 months. Production of 284 cases. Closure – cork

Kettle Valley Pinot Noirs – Current Vintage & Availability

#5 Le Vieux Pin Emoi Pinot Noir 2006  15.4%

Quality Rating: B+ ~ 94    Value Rating: B-
Price: $35.00

Eye

KM: Garnet with brickish hue, age    EU: Garnet brown red    JL: Garnet with broad amber/brick edges – very mature    AKG: Yellow tint, brick, dried blood, smooth and viscous    PAK: Garnet, brown, bricky    BG: Bricky/garnet rim with medium depth

Nose
KM: Cherry , oak, tobacco, meaty    EU: harsh ketone, green fruit strawberry, oak    JL: Gamey-meaty-very clean and complex    AKG: Mild, rubbing alcohol, wet socks, cherry    PAK: Berries, mushroom taste, forest floor    BG: glycerin, mushroom and bit of barnyard

Palate
KM: Balance of fruit and smokiness, fairly strong tannins , good acidity, complexity    EU: strong tannin, ripe cherry strawberry, long herbal earthy finish    JL: Burgundian – solid rich – sweet strawberries – very long with perfect balance    AKG: big flavour, pleasant, smooth, good structure but not filled in with enough subtlety? A bit tannic, a bit bitter at the end    PAK: Tangy, slightly medicinal, rich    BG: Still some tannic grip, plum , cured meat, savoury almost like Italian Nebbiolo with slightly exotic spiciness. Flavour stays big all the way through from start to finish. Wonderful balance, fine grained tannins

Notes:
Feuille D’or Vineyard. Aging:13 months in oak 100% French with 1/3 new.  Age of Vines:9 years. Harvest Date: October 3, 2006. Production: 290 cases. Closure – cork

Vineyard Manager: Harold Gaudy
Winemaker: Daniel Bontorin

#6 Okanagan Vineyards Pinot Noir 2006  14.5%

Quality Rating: B+ ~ 94    Value Rating: A
Price: $10.00

Eye
KM: Garnet with brickish hue, almost jammy    EU: Dark brown red    JL: Amber rim/garnet    AKG: Brick, very bright, viscous    PAK: Garnet to brown    BG: Tawny rim, light to medium depth

Nose
KM: bright cherry ,n hint of oak, cloves    EU: full ripe red fruit, plum, spice    JL: Spicy and gamey – full and rich    AKG: spices, alcohol    PAK: Pine cones, forest, nutty    BG: not a lot

Palate
KM: Good tannins but without the big grip on the tongue, good acidity , fruity cherry preserves, less “funk” than previous 2 pinots    EU: Fully glycerol, complex strawberry, porty alcohol – acid high    JL: Cinnamon – tannic & tart – spiced game- good balance. Very long and rich, nutmeg – sweet edges    AKG: A little sharp, bit, grand, warm end is slightly tannic, impressive, heart skips a beat at aftertaste shape. Rich cherry flavour – oak    PAK: Peppery, complex/round/ full bodied    BG: Supple, tar, truffle, big alcohol, concentrated, long aftertaste spicy with final flourish of nutmeg/ cinnamon

Notes:
Closure – plastic cork

#7 See Ya Later Ranch Pinot Noir 2006  14.5%

Quality Rating: B ~ 92    Value Rating: B
Price: $22.00

Eye
KM: ruby/garnet , orange rim    EU: Red    JL: Garnet, slightly bricky edge    AKG: Brick, a bit dull    PAK: dark cherry    BG: Tawny/garnet rim

Nose
KM:    EU: Smokey, pomegranate, animal, sweat, strawberry    JL: Gamey –berry – medium full acidic nose    AKG: Flowers,manure    PAK: Cherry    BG: pepper

Palate
BG: all mid-palate, dried cherry with very soft, fat/silkymouth feel on the edges    KM: Cherry, plummy, smooth velvety tannins, raspberry, silky but not overly complex    EU: high alcohol, good acid, balanced, ripe red fruit    JL: Sweet spicy strawberries, well balanced – soft tannins, medium long finish, dry    AKG: balanced, elegant, mouthwatering, subtle, but lovely    PAK: smooth, round, full bodied

Notes:
Closure – Stelvin

See Ya Later Ranch Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability

Tasting Held January 18th 2011