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Undurraga Gran Reserva “Sibaris” Pinot Noir, 2020
We came across this wine at a social event then started serving it to guests. Instead of a review, because review wise we don’t have much to say, here’s our alternative take: People love it. We’ve served it to guests umpteen times. It never seems to disappoint. It’s a remarkably affordable bottle, you don’t feel […]
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Roche Wines Texture Pinot Noir, 2019
First tasted with duck in a fine restaurant in early December and it sang. Not Ethel Merman belting it out, more like Elvis on Are You Lonesome Tonight?, just in sympathy with the food, red currants and pungent acidity and nothing declarative. It didn’t attack the food, or make any demands. Note to self: get […]
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Bizou + Yukon BEE-zoo Bubbles, 2018
This is an easy-off flip cap and easy on the pocket-book super effervescent, no buoyantly effervescent sweet—but not too sweet, not cloyingly sweet—decently fruity if in a faux fruit sort of fashion, bubble gum fruit flavour, perfectly sippable patio style (not so much celebratory style) lively and colourful as in literally colourful Okanagan fizzy that […]
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Burrowing Owl Pinot Noir, 2018
From our most recent mixed case, we busted out a bottle of the PN as a tester. OOF, what a punchy pop; no pointster is going to review this as “tight”. Super pronounced, sharp and peppery on the first sip, gobs of nuanced berry, cedar shavings and a soft, long, long finish. It was satisfaction […]
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Burrowing Owl Pinot Noir, 2017
We received our annual case from the vineyard and thought we should “finish up” last year’s remnants to avoid any confusion (!). Of two bottles in a mixed case we had the first last December. Our review, here, was of a take it or leave it nature, unimpressed and let down. So, on first sip […]
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Chateau de Laborde Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune En Cuillery, 2016
Have you ever read a professional review where they say the wine has “tension”? That’s this red. We wanted to jump up and down: A red from Volnay under $50 in BC? Shurely shome mishtake? For us, it didn’t shine. It was good Pinot. The “delicate violet flower” was too delicate to last; […]
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Blue Mountain Reserve Pinot Noir, 2015
It opens up beautifully. But it opens up slowly. There is definitely a matrooshka doll onion skin Pandora’s box motif going on. It’s beauty does not give it the full marks the vintner and pointsters do: it is a tad thin and not nearly as eloquent as other PNs in this price range, and of […]
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Stoller Family Estate Pinot Noir, 2017
By way of extension from yesterday’s post on Burrowing Owl Pinot Noir, we did a quick compare with an Oregon bottle, sort of a standard-bearer here on the West Coast when it comes to PN. It was silky, smooth, approachable, balletic in its lightness and deftly textured with berries and the thinnest whiff of cedar. […]
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Burrowing Owl Pinot Noir, 2017
Uh-oh. That was my note on the first bottle. Notes. Sum total. Uh-oh. So we didn’t post. I just couldn’t wrap my head around this. But, as is our wont, we got around to a second bottle and gave it some thought and I guess it’s more of a what’s up BO than yikes. […]
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Intrigue Social, 2018
A mostly Pinot Gris with a Jamie Oliver sized dab of Gewürztraminer, this is astonishingly good value. In BC, the sparklers generally go, in this order, bats piss to Prosecco to Australian and European bubbles to OVERPRICED BC faux-champers then onto the real McCoy. And here, in a lovely pocket to compete with Cava, is […]