Looking to shake things up a bit? Here are five wines deserving a spot at your table that are just hitting shelves now.
CedarCreek 2013 Platinum Viognier | Okanagan Valley, BC | $24.95 | Winery Direct/Private Stores
Viognier isn’t the easiest white grape to ripen, it usually has to hang pretty late into the fall and hope for sunny days all the way through. You don’t see much of it coming out of Kelowna, CedarCreek’s home, since the area is one of the slightly cooler grape-growing sub-regions in the Okanagan. So why does this one work so well? A combination of a hot and sunny summer of 2013, with lake proximity and diurnal temperature variation keeping the grape’s natural acidity in check make this a wine that isn’t too heavy and cloying – something the variety can flirt with on occasion. Nope, instead this one’s all orange blossom, honeysuckle, lemon balm and minerals. Elegant and refreshing at the same time, a definite charmer.
Les Ligeriens 2013 Rose D’Anjou | Loire Valley, France | $16.95 | BC Liquor Stores
It’s summer, so we want to make sure we’re drinking plenty of pink! Often, there’s nothing better with burgers, seafood, potato chips or pretty much anything else. This combo of gamay and grolleau comes across light and breezy, with soft summer berries like huckleberries, Saskatoon berries and a few black currants thrown in for good measure. A splash of peach and a wisp of spearmint on the finish keep things sailing along well.
Tinhorn Creek 2011 Pinot Noir | Okanagan Valley, BC | $21.99 | Winery Direct/Private Stores
Put a bit of a chill on this brick-red, slightly earthy pinot noir that cracks some black peppercorns atop wild raspberries and a smattering of thyme. I’m digging that this 2011-vintage is just being released, it’s had just enough time in the bottle to allow the slight lashing of oak to integrate well. Don’t be timid because of its pale colour; grilled meats will go alongside perfectly.
Moon Curser 2012 Carménère | Okanagan Valley, BC | $37.90 | Winery Direct/Private Stores
Moon Curser only made 190 cases of wine from this grape variety that we normally associate with Chile, and the deserts of Osoyoos do it so many favours that it should all fly out of the winery by winter. Dark chocolate, cherries and mint swirl together, both as aromatics and on the full-bodied, juicy palate. Dried herbs and a hint of smoke continue through each sip; the whole package being so warm and cozy-it’s akin to sitting by the campfire.
Chateau Grand Renom 2011 | Bordeaux, France | $18.49 | BC Liquor Stores
The 30-year-old vines producing the fruit in the Grand Renom bring plenty of personality amongst black fruit, pencil shavings, leather, blackberries, and violets. The character is most certainly classic Bordeaux, maybe a touch lighter than one might expect, but quite the steal at this price nonetheless.
Winery Direct BC wines can be found in local private wine stores; expect a few more bucks tacked on to prices listed. Need help tracking something down? Hit me up via KurtisKolt.com or Tweet me at @KurtisKolt.
