First Reviews – Six From The 2012 Vintage #18

Wines from Summerland, Cobble Hill, Lake Country, Lillooet and a ringer from New Zealand

Medium long finish but very appealing, nicely balanced, elegant – feminine – LC
Rose, cigar, smoke, earth, complex – EU
Vanilla, oak, cloves, floral, roses, effortlessly beautiful, pine, forest floor, cross currents of cherry, raspberry – projected bouquet. – BG

#1 Tyler Harlton 2012 Pinot Noir   12.5%

Quality Rating: B+ ~ 94    Value Rating: B- to B
Price: $30.00

Eye
LC: Pale garnet    BG: Very light, dusty rose, just off light cherry    AKG: Rosy – garnet EU: Light garnet     Jacquelin G: Bright, clear, light, almost rose

Nose
LC: Strawberry, rhubarb? Hints of forest.    BG: Rhubarb, roses, light cherry, slightly stewed but attractive, vanilla, savoury caramel.    AKG: baked smell, baked earth, apricot    EU: Light earth, roast fruit, plum, pomegranate    Jacquelin G: Cranberries, crab apple, strawberries, wet earth and wet leaves Autumn. Yum.

Palate
LC: Sweet strawberry. Carmel – lightly. Hint of bitterness, medium long finish but very appealing, nicely balanced, elegant – feminine. Drink now.    BG: Roses, light pomegranate, cherry, stone, floral, great mid palate.    AKG: Nicely balanced, great acidity, not spectacular but very enjoyable. Smoky, maybe a bit too much Oak? Touch of strawberry, delicate and graceful    EU: Peppery, light cherry, well-balanced acidity and tannins, light oak. Light but long finish    Jacquelin G: Good acidity, ripe tannins, lingering finish, very earthy palate & finish, light bodied wine – great with salmon! drinking well now, and hold for a couple of years.

Notes:
270 cases produced. Closure – cork

Tyler Harlton Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability

#2 Unsworth Pinot Noir 2012   13%

Quality Rating: B- ~ 90    Value Rating: C+ to B-
Price: $24.00

Eye
LC: Clear, garnet. Light in colour.    BG: Light, pale cherry.    AKG: Cherry, glossy    EU: Ruby    Jacquelin G: Bright, clear, medium garnet

Nose
LC: Cherry, hints of rose, white pepper.    BG: Some acidity, cranberry, bit earthy.    AKG: Woody, pine, medicinal, pomegranate, cherry    EU: Strong dried cherry, cranberry, Kirsch, jasmine, rose    Jacquelin G: Sweet fruit, hint of alcohol, candied? Black cherry fruit.

Palate
LC: Acidic, oak well integrated. Bright strawberry/cherry, cranberry – white pepper, anise, long finish.    BG: Poised, cherry now more than cranberry, good acidity, pomegranate finish, some minerality, finish rose. Became more serious and complex the longer it sat    AKG: Nice balance, great acidity, yum! cherry, long finish, plum, lime    EU: right acidity, cherry, lime citrus, some dry tannin on finish and sour cherry at end    Jacquelin G: Medium plus acidity, ripe tannins sour cherries, acidity dominates the finish, perhaps its “dumb stage”. Hold for a year and taste again.

Notes:
100% Pinot Noir harvested October 20, 2012
Tank fermented then barrel aged 18 months ph 3.65   Residual sugar 0   Total acidity 11
350 cases produced.  Closure – cork

Judge’s Choice at the 2014 World Wine Awards of Canada.

Unsworth Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability

#3 50th Parallel Pinot Noir 2012   12.2%

Quality Rating: B ~ 92    Value Rating: B- to B
Price: $32.00

Eye
LC: Deep Garnet.    BG: Pale, ruby    AKG: Dark cherry, rich looking    EU: Dark garnet, purple rim    Jacquelin G: Bright and clear, medium garnet with watery rim

Nose
LC: Blueberry, earthy slightly, hints of caramel.    BG: Hot! Kirsch, cherry, sunny ripe fruit. Burnt match.    AKG: Hesitant, withdrawn, alcohol, sharp, candied fruit, coffee, chocolate    EU: Rose, cigar, smoke, earth, complex    Jacquelin G: Earthy, black cherries, herbal-spicy, savoury!

Palate
LC: Blueberry, cranberry. – sour notes. Hint of mushroom. Caramel towards finish – finishes in waves. Reasonably well-balanced. Slightly bitterness. Would hold. Medium bodied.    BG: A bit stiff, some tannins, alcohol heat, blueberry, berry, guessing Cowichan valley due to presence of dark fruits. Something a little strange on the end herbal/medicinal.    AKG: Sweet fruit, big ending. A bit tannic, would wait for this one. Great mouth feel, cherries, chocolate    EU: Right acidity, complex red candied fruit, good tannins, strawberry, cherry, peppery but citrus finish    Jacquelin G: Great balance of acidity, fruit and tannins. Medium plus body-great mouth feel! Finish lingers! Long! Serve with chicken pot pie and roasted root vegetables. Drinking well now and could improve over to 2-5 years.

Notes:
Selectively hand harvested and sorted into small individual batches. Cold soaked and fermented spontaneously with natural yeast for 21-28 days. Aged in French oak barrels for 12 months before blending. Bottled unfined, unfiltered in January 2014.
Closure – Stelvin screwtop

GOLD – 2014 All Canadian Wine Championships – Windsor, ON
SILVER – 2014 San Francisco International Wine Competition – San Francisco, CA
SILVER – 2014 Los Angeles International Wine Awards – Los Angeles, CA
BRONZE – 2014 International Wine & Spirits Competition – London, UK
BRONZE – 2014 Decanter International World Wine Awards – London, UK
BRONZE – 2014 Pacific Rim International Wine Competition – San Bernadino, CA
BRONZE – 2014 National Wine Awards of Canada – Penticton, BC
BRONZE – 2014 BC Wine Awards – Kelowna, BC
HONOURS – 2014 InterVin International Wine Awards – Niagara, ON

50th Parallel Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability

#4 Fort Berens Pinot Noir 2012  13.5%

Quality Rating: C+ ~ 88    Value Rating: C+ to B-
Price: $26.00

Eye
LC: Deep ruby red – almost purple to edge.    BG: Pale/med , dark cherry on rim    AKG: Purple to cherry – pigment rich    EU: Dark garnet    Jacquelin G: Bright, clear, garnet/hint of purple!

Nose
LC: Closed. earthy, cherry. Spice? Mace. Waxiness appeared as it opened up. Dark fruit    BG: Plum, roses, black & red fruits, a floral component kept opening up the longer it sat, Pommard clones?    AKG: Sherry, rose hip, menthol, seaside, strawberry, liquorice    EU: Dusty gravel, medicinal [camphor etc.], heavy toast barrel, pomegranate, roasted beet    Jacquelin G: Cherries, hot, spices almost merlot-like! Oaky, toasty, confectioners sugar.

Palate
LC: Creamy, blueberry – dark cherry, soft acids. Medium to full-bodied. Longish finish. Masculine.    BG: Still some tannins and a little closed, plum, dark cherry, very very long fruit with power, needs 2-3 years to come into its own.    AKG: Rich, a bit tannic, mineral, strawberry, nice balance, buttery middle, earthy woody finish    EU: Full body, rich mid-palate weight, pomegranate, cherry and vanilla wood. Well-balanced not overly tannic    Jacquelin G: Well balanced, medium plus body, medium plus length, well made wine, but does not exude pinot character! Drinking well now and will hold for 2 years or more

Notes:
The yield on this all estate 2012 pinot noir was 2.5 tons per acre and was harvested at 23 Brix. It was subsequently aged in French oak barrels for 12 months.  Production 475 cases.  Harvest Date October 10th, 2012 Sugar 0.7 g/L     Acid 13.5%     pH 3.59     Residual Sugar 0.7 g/L     Tannin 6.4 g/L
Closure – cork

Fort Berens Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability

#5 Saint Clair  Pinot Noir 2012  13.5%

Quality Rating: B ~ 92    Value Rating: B- to B
Price: $25.00

Eye
LC: Clear, garnet to rim    BG: Pale, ruby rim    AKG: Cherry, rich, glossy    EU: Dark garnet    Jacquelin G: Bright, clear.

Nose
LC: Menthol, wood, beet, darker fruit – plum? Blueberry.    BG: Pomegranate! Plum almost merlot like, floral, sweet cherry, wet basement, wet forest floor, tree bark    AKG: Gravel pit, poptarts, some hot fruit, creosote, pepper    EU: Black pepper, orange/tangerine, sweet spice, light, floral vanilla    Jacquelin G: Earthy savoury, candied cherries, mint, vanilla-oak.

Palate
LC: Sweet cherry. Medium body, long finish. Big but simple – will it develop? Masculine.    BG: Big structure, good oak, some noticeable tannins and slightly elevated alcohol, formative, savoury, Burgundian. Long finish with big rolling complex fruit, yet much more to develop very long finish.    AKG: Great body, long finish, glamorous! Strawberries, caramel, dark fruit, peppery, vanilla    EU: Strawberry, sour cherry, sweet spice, orange? Bright acidity, long finish showing wild strawberry    Jacquelin G: Well balanced, medium length with cherries and savoury herbs medium body.

#6 Sage Hills Vineyard Small Lot Pinot Noir 2012  13.3%

Quality Rating: B- ~ 90    Value Rating: C- to C
Price: $45.00

Eye
LC: Almost bricky, slight cloudiness.    BG: pale, ruby rim    AKG: Garnet, slightly dull (pigment rich).    Jacquelin G: Bright, clear, medium garnet

Nose
LC: Cardboard initially. Earthy, underlying strawberry, hint of cinnamon.    BG: Vanilla, oak, cloves, floral, roses, effortlessly beautiful, pine, forest floor, cross currents of cherry, raspberry – projected bouquet.    AKG: Vanilla, rather closed, at first, menthol, blueberry, chocolate, spicy    EU: Green herbal (dill), savoury spices, cooked fruit (cherry, strawberry) maybe chocolate    Jacquelin G: Wet forest floor and wild strawberries, cherries,hint of alcohol, savoury herbs, salted caramel.

Palate
LC: Plum, rhubarb, hints of anise, caramel, bright acid, medium body, long finish, slight bitterness on finish. Wants more time but seemed to be integrating. Improved significantly the longer it sat in the glass.    BG: Vanilla, cedar, cloves, sweet spices, penetrating flavours, not typical Pacific NorthWest pinot. Reminiscent of,weightier,but balanced & elegant California pinot esp. from Santa Maria AVA.    AKG: Slightly bitter, sour cherry, nice caramel oaky finish, blueberry, mushroom.    EU: Roasted red fruit, candy, smooth, well-balanced acidity and tannin medium finish    Jacquelin G: Initial blast of sweet fruit-not what I was expecting! Then a touch of bitterness carries through the finish. Well balanced with a crisp edge. Finish is a bit short and doesn’t quite deliver on what the aroma suggests.

Notes:
Closure – Stelvin screwtop

Sage Hills Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability

Tasting held September 16, 2014