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Patty’s Pinot Closet publishes this newsletter on the enjoyment and appreciation of Pinot Noir. We welcome you to enjoy the newsletters and to share them with others. You can find past newsletters at www.pinotnoirs.com
Each newsletter covers a different Pinot Noir growing area in the world. Areas covered include California, Oregon, British Columbia, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and France.
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Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada
The Okanagan, also known as the Okanagan Valley and sometimes as Okanagan Country, resides in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canadian portion of the Okanagan River define The Okanagan. It lies about 390 km (234 miles) East of Vancouver, BC.
Being one of the warmest areas of Canada it makes a wonderful vacation area. Golf courses, wineries, water sports, and ski resorts can be found in The Okanagan.
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada -- Food, Restaurants & Accommodations
The British Columbians are very proud of their local sustainable and organic vegetables and fruits, as well as their pastured meat. I especially enjoyed a Charcuterie Plate at Mission Hill Estate Winery‘s Terrace Restaurant. The plate contained Pork Rillets, Venison Sausage, Duck Prosciutto, Linguica, and coppa served with a wonderful rocky brassica mustard.
The menu also contained a Chilled Bing Cherry Soup. The Okanagan Valley chefs take full advantage of all the wonderful stone fruits grown in the area. Many of the restaurants have their own kitchen gardens where they grow their own vegetables. Plums are a favorite of mine, especially when made into a soup for dessert.
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Recipes
Elephant Heart Plums
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Pinot Noir Plum Soup
Serves six.
3 pounds ripe purple-skinned, red-fleshed plums
1/4 cup mild honey
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 inch cinnamon stick
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 strips orange zest
3/4 cup Pinot Noir
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
For garnish: 2 lighter-fleshed plums, very thinly sliced
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1. Cut the plums in half, cutting around the sides of the pits. You will remove the pits after the plums have simmered.
2. Combine the plums with the honey, vanilla extract, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, orange zest, Pinot Noir and 1/2 cup of the orange juice in a heavy, medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat. Remove the cinnamon stick and orange zest.
3. Allow to cool, then remove the pits from the plums and transfer to a food mill fitted with the medium blade. Press the plums through the food mill into a bowl. Whisk the mixture to amalgamate. Cover and chill for at least an hour and for up to a day.
4. Just before serving, whisk in the remaining orange juice. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with thin slices of lighter-fleshed plums and serve.
Advance preparation: This will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator. Whisk in the remaining orange juice just before serving.
Restaurants
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Bouchons Bistro
Phone: 250.763.6595
www.bouchonsbistro.com
A classic French bistro in the heart of Kelowna. Here you‘ll find the relaxed bistro environment with great French food. I had Duck Confit surrounded by perfectly cooked vegetables, followed by a wonderful Lemon Tart. The wine list contains both French and British Columbia wines.
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Sonora Room at Burrowing Owl Estate Winery
www.bovwine.ca
Located in the Southern portion of the Okanagan Valley. The restaurant overlooks 140 acres of picturesque vineyard from both the patio or inside the warm and inviting dining room.
Frog City Café at Linden Gardens
www.lindengardens.ca
Frog City Cafe, located in the heart of the Linden Gardens, offers an eclectic atmosphere and fresh homemade menu selections. A great place to stop for lunch while out wine tasting.
Hooded Merganser
www.hoodedmerganser.ca
Named after the rare and reclusive North American duck that shares its name (and flew onto the restaurant patio during name selection) the Hooded Merganser is a culinary and architectural masterpiece that straddles Okanagan Lake to offer panoramic views of the lake and mountains.
Local Lounge & Grille
www.thelocalgroup.ca
Located at The Summerland Waterfront Resort Hotel & Spa in Summerland, BC. The restaurant features a Grille, a lounge and a large dining patio on Lake Okanagan. Their menu features cuisine inspired by locally grown and sustainable ingredients. Their wine list features more than one hundred British Columbia wines.
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Mission Hill Estate Winery‘s "Terrace Restaurant"
Open daily May 11 to October 7, 2012.
www.missionhillwinery.com
Overlooking rows of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Lake Okanagan, the Terrace Restaurant offers stylish, seasonal wine country fare. Travel + Leisure magazine recently recognized this spectacular culinary destination as "one of the top five winery restaurants in the world". We enjoyed the Pilgrims‘ Organic Produce Salad with preserved pear emulsion and raisins, as well as the ‘Farm to Table‘ Charcuterie Meats & Estate made pickles, house rye bread, and rocky Brassica Mustard.
Cobblestone Wine Bar at the Naramata Heritage Inn & Spa
www.naramatainn.com
The Cobblestone Wine Bar and Restaurant opens daily for Lunch and Dinner. Located in the small town of Naramata at the end of the Naramata Bench Wine Tasting Area. We enjoyed Hearth Bread platters that included loaves of fresh baked bread with marvelous cheeses, pâtés, savories and vegetarian offerings.
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Mission Hill Estate Winery‘s "Terrace Restaurant"
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Quail‘s Gate "Old Vines Restaurant"
www.quailsgate.com
The Old Vines Restaurant & Wine Bar, on the slopes of the Boucherie Mountain Bench in the Kelowna Westbank area, overlooks grape vines and Lake Okanagan.
Their Restaurant earned a "Green Table" certification and partnership in the Vancouver Aquarium‘s Ocean Wise Program. Views of the vineyards and Lake Okanagan abound in this beautiful restaurant. The chef sources the ingredients from their own kitchen garden and local British Columbia farms and pastures.
Quail‘s Gate ‘Old Vines Restaurant‘
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Accommodations
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Delta Grand Resort and Conference Centre
www.deltahotels.com
Recently ranked among the Top Waterfront Hotels in Canada for 2010 by Canoe.ca, this Resort is close to top Okanagan wineries, skiing, snowboarding, and water sports.
Penticton Lakeshore Resort
www.pentictonlakesideresort.com
This full service hotel in Penticton offers luxurious amenities, clean, spacious rooms, and a spectacular view of Okanagan Lake. The Hooded Merganser restaurant resides here.
Naramata Heritage Inn & Spa
www.naramatainn.com
Originally built in 1908, the hotel has been lovingly restored to provide guests an exceptional experience during their visit. After three years of extensive restoration, the Inn opened in Summer 2001. The well appointed 12-room Inn hosts the Rock Oven Dining Room for fine dining, the Cobblestone Wine Bar, the areas only Wine Bar, and the Heirloom Spa, a full service Aveda Concept Spa.
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Naramata Heritage Inn & Spa
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Things To Do In Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
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Being one of the warmest regions in all of Canada, the Okanagan Valley offers a vacation paradise. The major centers are Kelowna, Penticton, Vernon and Osoyoos. Countless sandy beaches, hot sun, and a variety of outdoor and water activities abound for visitors.
The more than 120 wineries producing very good wines also attract many visitors through the year.
Visitor Information:
Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association
www.thompsonokanagan.com
Tourism Kelowna
www.tourismkelowna.com
Tourism British Columbia - Thompson Okanagan
www.hellobc.com/bcescapes
Owner Direct Vacation Rentals in Kelowna
www.ownerdirect.com/resortmenus/kelowna.htm
TravelKelowna.com
www.travelkelowna.com
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Pinot Noir Festivals
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Australian Wine Festivals
- 5 - 14 October 2012 –– October Pinot Week Peninsula Pinot Noir Dinners, Pinot Noirs by the Glass, regional tastings, Wine & Food partnerships. www.mpva.com.au
- TBD January 2013 –– Tasmanian Wine Show , Launceston, Tasmania, Australia. www.taswineshow.org/
- 8 – 9 February 2013 –– MPVA Pinot Noir Celebration, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia www.mpva.com.au
- 10 March 2013 –– Peninsula Piers & Pinots, Mornington Peninsula Vignerons showcase their Pinot Noirs with matched food and live music www.mpva.com.au
- 9 - 11 June 2013 –– Winter Wine Weekend, Vignerons welcome visitors to warm Cellar Doors this Winter to taste new release wines, visit old favorites and to experience the seasonal offerings of the region. www.mpva.com.au
British Columbia Wine Festivals
- 7 – 25 Feb - 3 Mar 2013 –– Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, Vancouver, BC. www.playhousewinefest.com
- 28 Sept – 7 October 2012 –– Okanagan Fall Wine Festival, Okanagan Valley, BC www.owfs.com
- 16 – 20 January 2013 –– Okanagan Winter Wine Festival, Okanagan Valley, BC www.owfs.com
- 3 – 12 May 2013 –– Okanagan Spring Festival, Okanagan Valley, BC www.owfs.com
- 7 – TBD July 2013 –– Okanagan Summer Wine Festival, Okanagan Valley, BC. www.owfs.com
New Zealand Wine Festivals
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US Wine Festivals
- 7 – 8 September 2012 –– Winesong! Weekend, Anderson Valley & the Mendocino Coast. Visit Anderson Valley & the Mendocino Coast for a spectacular weekend of wine, food, music & more! www.winesong.org
- 21 October 2012 –– Pinot on the River, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, CA www.pinotfestival.com/
- 13 October 2012, 1–4 pm –– 2012 Santa Barbara County Celebration of Harvest, Rancho Sisquoc Winery, Santa Maria. www.sbcountywines.com/
- 4 & 10 November 2012 –– ¡Salud! Oregon‘s Pinot Noir Auction, Oregon‘s top Pinot Noir producers unite to provide much-needed healthcare outreach and services to seasonal vineyard workers and their families. This two-day event is a rare opportunity to preview the latest vintage, bid on unique Pinot Noirs created especially for ¡Salud!, and other exciting auction lots. www.saludauction.org/
- 10 November 2012 –– Party in the Hangar, 1-4 pm, 40 Monterey County Wines, www.montereywines.org
- TBD November 2012 ––Pinot Days, Chicago – Navy Pier www.pinotdays.com/
- TBD January 2013 –– Pinot Days Southern California, Santa Monica, CA www.pinotdays.com/
- 29 January – 9 Feb 2013 –– Pasadena Pinot Fest www.pasadenapinotfest.com/
- TBD February 2013 –– Pinot Noir Summit, San Francisco, CA. www.affairsofthevine.com/pn_summit_8.php
- 3 & 4 March 2013 –– World of Pinot Noir , The Cliffs Resort, Shell Beach, CA www.worldofpinotnoir.com/
- 23 & 24 Mar 2013 –– Pinot Paradise – Includes Pathway, the Technical Session, & VIP Grand Cruz Tasting! www.scmwa.com/
- TBD April 2013 –– Dundee Hills Appellation Passport Tour, Dundee, OR www.dundeehills.org/
- 4 – 7 April 2013 –– Pebble Beach Food & Wine, Pebble Beach, CA. The Premier Epicurean Lifestyle Event in the Country. www.pebblebeachfoodandwine.com/
- TBD April 2013 –– Santa Barbara County Vintner‘s Festival. Lompoc CA The festival features the wines of their 100+ members of the Association, live and lively music, a silent auction and wine country cuisine by the area‘s finest chefs. www.sbcountywines.com/
- 17 – 19 May 2013 –– Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival, Anderson Valley - Philo, CA www.avwines.com/
- TBD May 2013 –– SLH Winegrowers Gala VII, Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County, CA www.santaluciahighlands.com
- 2 June 2013 –– Pinot & Paella Cook-Off, Templeton Community Park, Paso Robles, CA www.pinotandpaella.com
- TBD June 2013 –– Pinot Days, Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA www.pinotdays.com
- TBD July 2013 –– Central Coast Wine Classic, Avila Beach Resort, Avila Beach, CA www.centralcoastwineclassic.org
- 26 – 28 July 2013 –– International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC), McMinnville, OR www.ipnc.org
- TBD August 2013 –– West of West Wine Festival, Occidental, CA First-ever event celebrates West Sonoma Coast wines www.westofwestwine.com
- TBD August 2013 –– Wine & Fire. Sta. Rita Hills Winegrowers Alliance casual weekend of tastings and open houses www.staritahills.com
- TBD August 2013 –– Winemaker‘s Celebration, Monterey, CA www.montereywines.org/
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Click Here for a complete list of Pinot Noir Wine Festivals. If you have a Pinot Noir festival you would like to add send a note to pat@pinotnoirs.com
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada Pinot Noirs
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The Okanagan Valley, along with the nearby Similkameen Valley, accounts for approximately 9,900 acres (4,000 hectares) of vineyards. These vineyards account for more than 90% of all wine produced in British Columbia. They are Canada‘s second leading wine producer after the Niagara Peninsula of Ontario. Vineyards can be found all along the 70 mile (113 km) Lake Okanagan and many of its neighboring lakes, including Osoyoos Lake, Skaha Lake and Vaseux Lake. The diverse terrain features many different microclimates and vineyard soil types in their more than 120 wineries.
History
The history of wine production in the Okanagan dates back to the 1850s. The Oblate Mission in Kelowna planted grapevines to supply sacramental wines in 1859. Prohibition wiped out many of the Okanagan‘s earliest wineries in the early 20th century. The first commercial plantings of vinifera grapes came in 1975 when the Osoyoos Indian Band established Inkameep Vineyards (today Nk‘mip Cellars).
Calona Wines have continuously operated their winery since 1932. The Stewarts of Quail‘s Gate Estate Winery pioneered the use of French-American hybrid grapes, such as Marechal Foch and Vidal Blanc.
The North American Free Trade Agreement opened up the Canadian markets to American wines from California, Oregon and Washington. The competition from imported wines caused the Canadian government to implement a vine pulling scheme with grants for growers to replace their vines with vinifera vines.
Geography and climate
Lake Okanagan helps moderate the climate in the Okanagan region which receives very little rainfall throughout the year.
Lying between the 49th and 50th parallel north, puts the Okanagan Valley in the same latitude as Champagne.
The British Columbia Wine Institute lists five unofficial sub-regions of the Okanagan Valley. They are Kelowna, Naramata, Okanagan Falls, Golden Mile and Black Sage/Osoyoos.
The deep Lake Okanagan moderates the continental climate of the Okanagan Valley. Annual rainfall ranges from 150 millimeters in the southern tip of the region around Osoyoos to 300 millimeters in the northern part of the region between Kelowna and Vernon. Most vineyards require irrigation from nearby water sources. Temperatures can fall as low as -25 ºC (-13 ºF) resulting in frost risk damage to the vines.
Daytime temperatures can reach 40 ºC (104 ºF) in July and August. Because they are located so far north they experience longer hours of sunlight during the growing season.
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Naramata Bench
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Selected Wineries of the Okanagan Valley
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I‘ve selected six wineries to tell you about out of the more than 120 wineries in the Okanagan Valley.
Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars
Ian and Jane Mavety purchased land for their Blue Mountain Vineyards in the Okanagan Falls area in 1971. Today both their children, Matt and Christie work in the winery. Christy manages the Sales and Marketing. Matt followed his father‘s course, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture at the University of British Columbia. He majored in Agricultural Economics. Matt had the good fortune to study viticulture and oenology on a student exchange at Lincoln University in Christchurch, New Zealand. Upon graduation from university in 1997, he started working full-time with Blue Mountain. Today Matt, as the winemaker, makes the wonderful Blue Mountain Pinot Noirs.
www.bluemountainwinery.com
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Blue Mountain by Andrea Johnson
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Lawrence and Diane, Bonitis Winery
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Bonitis Winery
Bonitas Winery, Summerland‘s only winery on Okanagan Lake, offers panoramic views. Their Mediterranean style winery offers a wonderful place for lunch at their Bonitis Bistro. Many couples choose to have weddings, anniversaries and other special events at Bonitis.
www.bonitaswinery.com
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Howling Bluff
Luke Smith and his son Daniel produce small lots of pinot noir on their vineyards on the Naramata Bench. They planted their Summa Quies Vineyard to exacting standards. They chose this site specifically for the deep clay soils and for the gently rolling nature of the site.
www.howlingbluff.ca
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Mission Hill Barrel Room
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Mission Hill Family Estate Winery
Anthony Von Mandl, a native of British Columbia, helped to pioneer the making of fine wines in the Okanagan Valley. He located Mission Hill Family Estate Winery in the Kelowna Westbank area.
Visitors to Mission Hill first pass under a set of contemporary, curved arches held together by a single Keystone. Past the keystone they enter into a spacious courtyard with an imposing 12-story bell tower. This courtyard also contains the Terrace Restaurant, Loggia, Wine Education Centre, the winery itself, and an outdoor amphitheatre for Shakespeare, opera and jazz. In my opinion this is one of the most beautiful wineries in the world.
The winery offers a huge assortment of concerts, culinary events, and seminars.
www.missionhillwinery.com
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Quail’s Gate
Owned by the Stewart Family, Quail‘s Gate‘s beautiful vineyards overlook Lake Okanagan in the Kelowna Westbank area. Their beautiful tasting room makes it one of the most rewarding wineries to visit. Richard Stewart, Sr came to Kelowna in 1908 and started a nursery business. 50 years later his son Dick Stewart moved into grape growing. In 1989, Ben and Ruth Stewart founded Quail‘s Gate Winery.
Today the family farms more than 180 acres of grapes. They introduced the Dijon clone grapes to Canada. They farm using sustainable and environmental practices. They also use organic fertilizers and nutrients supplemented by their composting program. The winery uses Eco-glass bottles in their winery, which are light-weight and contain a high recycled content.
www.quailsgate.com
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David Patterson, Tantalus Winemaker
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Tantalus Vineyard
David Patterson, Winemaker, showed us around the historic old vineyard and their new state-of-the-art LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) winery. We tasted wine in the stunning gallery-style tasting room, surrounded by works of art from some of Canada‘s most highly acclaimed artists.
Located in the Kelowna East Bench area the Grapes were first planted on the Tantalus site in 1927. This makes it one of the oldest continuously producing vineyards in British Columbia. Today, Riesling vines planted in 1978 and Pinot Noir planted in 1983 make up the backbone of the vineyard.
David Patterson, the Tantalus winemaker makes all their wines from sustainably grown fruit at their estate vineyard. A non interventionist approach to the winemaking process allows each wine to convey the fine quality and unique character of this historic vineyard.
While Canadaian born, David learned his winemaking skills in New Zealand. He‘s also worked in Oregon and Australia.
www.tantalus.ca
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About my scores: I believe that no one gains by embarrassing someone or something, be it my husband, my children, someone’s wine, a co-worker, a subordinate, an enemy or a friend. I therefore, try to never criticize a person or a thing. I believe in keeping my life and surroundings positive. So, I rate all the wines I taste and then draw a cut-off line at 85 points. Who knows, maybe that wine that got an 84 was just having a bad day — why make it worse!
About Scoring: As I go around to Wine Events I hear a lot about Wine Scoring. At the “Women in Wine Seminar” many of the speakers (not all) seemed to feel that numerical scoring for wine was wrong — not the womanly way! They seemed to feel that some kind of “Wishy-Washy” system like good, bad, or ugly would be better. Having been formally educated as a mathematician I first like to see a numerical score. Second, I like to see a description where I can look for key words important to me such as Black Cherry, Dense, Earthy, etc. Third, I recommend to wine enthusiasts that they look for wine critics who like what they like and stick with them — it’s a three step formula for finding wines you’ll enjoy.
With that, here are my scores and descriptions for Pinot Noirs from Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada.
Wines
Patty’s Pinot Closet lists all the wines reviewed in current and past newsletters. We’ve included a price taken from the winery website or other retail sources if possible. They are included for relative comparison only, your price may be different. All prices in this newsletter are in US dollars unless stated otherwise.
| Pinot Noir | Year | Price | Rank | Description |
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8th Generation Vineyard
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Estate Pinot Noir | 2010 | – | 94 | Earthy black currant aromas with hints of chocolate. Complex, well-balanced wine with tastes of velvety earthy dark fruit. Long finish.
| Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Sparkling Brut | NV | 24CA$ | 92 | Méthode champenoise of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. Lovely sparkling wine.
| Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Estate Pinot Noir | 2010 | 25CA$ | 94 | Medium intensity wine with a black cherry color. Earthy black currant aromas with hints of violets. Complex well-balanced velvety earthy dark fruit tastes. Long finish.
| Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Reserve Pinot Noir, Blue Strip Label | 2009 | 36CA$ | 96 | Medium intensity wine with a black cherry color. Burgundian aromas of earthy black currants with hints of violets. Complex, well-balanced velvety earthy dark fruit tastes. Long finish.
| Bonitis Winery
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Pinot Noir | 2008 | 35CA$ | 92 | Medium intensity wine with a black cherry color. Wonderful aromas of earthy boysenberries. Well-balanced velvety tastes of dark fruit with hints of forest floor. Medium finish.
| Bonitis Winery
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Reserve Pinot Noir | 2009 | 45CA$ | 95 | Medium intensity wine with a black cherry color. Burgundian aromas of earthy olallieberries with hints of chocolate. Tasted wonderful with some chocolate also. Well-balanced tastes of velvety earthy dark fruit. Long finish.
| Cedar Creek Estate Winery
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Estate Pinot Noir | 2009 | 25CA$ | 89 | Medium intensity wine with a black cherry color. Aromas of Asian spice and black cherry. Tastes of silky dark fruit with nice tannins. Short finish.
| Cedar Creek Estate Winery
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Platinum Pinot Noir | 2008 | 40CA$ | 92 | Medium intensity wine with a black cherry color. Cherry, strawberry and raspberry aromas. Well-balanced tastes of dark fruit with good tannins. Medium finish.
| Cedar Creek Estate Winery
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Pinot Noir Rose | 2011 | 18CA$ | 90 | Light intensity wine with a cherry color. Aromas of strawberry and raspberry. Well-balanced silky wine with a medium finish.
| Foxtrot Vineyards
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Erickson Vineyard Pinot Noir | 2008 | 44.95CA$ | 92 | Medium intensity wine with a black cherry color. Burgundian aromas of earthy black currants, plums and hints of violets. Well-balanced tastes of silky earthy dark fruit. Medium finish.
| Foxtrot Vineyards
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Estate Pinot Noir | 2009 | 54.95CA$ | 94 | Medium intensity wine with a black cherry color. Burgundian aromas of earthy black currants and plums. Complex well-balanced tastes of silky earthy dark fruit. Long finish.
| Haywire
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Pinot Noir | 2010 | 27CA$ | 92 | Medium intensity wine with a black cherry color. Burgundian aromas of earthy black cherries with hints of tobacco and chocolate. Complex, well-balanced velvety earthy dark fruit tastes. Medium finish.
| Howling Bluff
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
3 Sisters Pinot Noir | 2010 | 28CA$ | 93 | Medium intensity wine with a black cherry color. Floral, Asian spice, and black cherry aromas. Tasted of complex earthy dark fruit. Long finish.
| Howling Bluff
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Summa Quies Pinot Noir | 2010 | 35CA$ | 94 | Medium intensity wine with a black cherry color. Aromas of roses and earthy black cherries with hints of chocolate. Well-balanced complex velvety earthy dark fruit tastes. Long finish.
| Kettle Valley Winery
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Reserve Pinot Noir | 2008 | 38CA$ | 91 | Medium intensity wine with a black cherry color. Aromas of fruity Asian Spice. Well-balanced tastes of velvety, earthy dark fruit. Long finish.
| Lake Breeze Vineyards
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Seven Poplars, Pinot Noir | 2009 | 25CA$ | 88 | Medium intensity wine with a black cherry color. Aromas of Asian spice and black cherry. Short finish.
| Lake Breeze Vineyards
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
XV Pinot Noir | 2010 | 49CA$ | 90 | Light intensity wine with a black cherry color. Floral aromas with Asian spice and cherry. Long finish. XV honors their 15th vintage.
| Meyer Family Vineyards
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
McLean Creek Road Vineyard | 2010 | 40CA$ | 92 | Medium intensity wine with a black cherry color. Earthy aromas of Asian spice, black cherries and vanilla. Tastes of earthy velvety dark fruit with fine grain tannins. Medium to long finish.
| Meyer Family Vineyards
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Pinot Noir | 2010 | 25CA$ | 86 | Light intensity wine with a cherry color. Aromas of roses, cherries, and raspberries. Well-balanced with a silky red fruit taste. Short finish.
| Meyer Family Vineyards
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Reimer Vineyard | 2010 | 40CA$ | 92 | Medium intensity wine with a black cherry color. Earthy aromas of black currant and a hint of violets. Well-balanced wine with earthy dark fruit tastes. Long finish.
| Mission Hill Winery
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Martin‘s Lane Pinot Noir | 2010 | 25CA$ | 91 | Medium intensity wine with a black cherry color. Aromas of blueberry and vanilla with hints of oak. Tastes of well-balanced velvety dark fruit with a medium finish. This is the first vintage from the Martin‘s Lane Vineyard.
| Mission Hill Winery
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
5 Vineyards | 2009 | 20CA$ | 87 | Medium intensity wine with a black cherry color. Aromas of Asian spices and black cherries. Tastes of well-balanced velvety dark fruit with good tannins. Short finish.
| Mission Hill Winery
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Pinot Noir Reserve | 2010 | 24.99CA$ | 94 | Medium intensity wine with a black cherry color. Burgundian aromas of black currant, and earthy tobacco. Tastes of well-balanced velvety earthy dark fruit with fine grain tannins. Long finish.
| Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Family Reserve Pinot Noir | 2009 | 29.99CA$ | 88 | Light intensity, ruby-garnet color. Earthy cherry flavors. Aromas of cherry and pomegranate. Tastes of silky red fruit with good tannins. Medium finish.
| Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Pinot Noir Ice Wine | 2008 | 44.99CA$ | 91 | Beautiful Salmon colored wine. Aromas and flavors of ripe dark berries, honey and caramel with a medium finish.
| Quails‘ Gate Estate Winery
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Pinot Noir | 2010 | 24.99CA$ | 90 | Medium intensity wine with a black cherry color. Aromas of cherries, tea and vanilla. Tastes of well-balanced velvety earthy dark fruit with a long finish.
| Quails‘ Gate Estate Winery
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Stewart Family Reserve Pinot Noir | 2009 | 45CA$ | 94 | Medium intensity wine with a black cherry color. Aromas of earthy black cherries, roses, tea, and vanilla. Tastes of well-balanced silky dark fruit with fine grain tannins. Long finish.
| Summerhill Pyramid Winery
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Cipes Rose Pinot Noir Sparkling | NV | 29.95CA$ | 85 | 100% Organic Pinot Noir with aromas of toasty strawberries and raspberries. Tastes of apricots and peaches.
| Summerhill Pyramid Winery
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Cipes Ice Pinot Noir Sparkling | NV | 45CA$ | 92 | Aromas of intenst strawberry and raspberry. An ice wine was used as the dosage.
| Summerhill Pyramid Winery
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Jazz Blush Pinot Noir Rose | NV | 24.95CA$ | 86 | Light intensity wine with a cherry color. Aromas of roses and raspberry. Presented in a beautiful trumpet bottle.
| Tantalus Vineyards
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
Estate Pinot Noir | 2010 | 29.9CA$ | 95 | Medium intensity wine with a black cherry color. Burgundian aromas of earthy black cherries. Complex well-balanced tastes of earthy dark fruit with hints of forest floor. Long finish.
| Therapy Vineyards
Okanagan Valley, BC, CA
3 Vineyards Pinot Noir | 2010 | 22CA$ | 87 | Medium intensity wine with a black cherry color. Smokey lemoney aromas. Tastes of velvety earthy dark fruit. Medium finish.
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Glossary:
Cloying – Excessively sweet taste.
Cold Stabilization – Chilling wine before bottling to remove potassium acid tartrate crystals or other sediment from the finished wine.
You can find more definitions in my wine glossary at www.pinotnoirs.com
Advertising Enquiries:
To inquire about advertising on Patty‘s Pinot Closet web site, please e-mail pat@pinotnoirs.com. There are now 17,500 passionate and engaged wine lovers who subscribe to Patty‘s newsletter.
Subsequent Newsletters:
To view the publication schedule for 2012 Click Here.
| October 2012 | Mendocino, Anderson Valley, CA |
| November 2012 | Sonoma, CA |
| December 2012 | Willamette Valley, OR |
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Contains information on Pinot Noir such as newsletters (current and previous), Pinot Noir culture, wine making, serving, regions and wineries, storing, wine events, restaurants with good wine lists, and wine glossary. To access Patty‘s Pinot Closet Click Here.
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