As a freelancer, Im usually on a deadline of one kind or another. My birthday last week was no exception. In celebration of my long fermentation on Earth, I was bundled into a van and ping-ponged from one Okanagan wine-tasting station to another, comfortably blurring the line between relaxation and research. Fruit stands and sunflowers rolled past the passenger window as I scribbled notes in a chardonnay-soaked cursive. Partly translated, here are my late-season recommendations for some of the best wines from B.C.s award-winning vintners:
- Highway 97 Cabernet Franc, $18.99 (Road Scholar Estates)
This elegant Cabernet conjures up the Okanagan in rich, full-bodied form. Smoky aromas evoke images of billboard forests, strip malls, firestorms and beachfront panhandlers. This Cab is still youthful and will require decanting an hour or more prior to drinking, to allow the wine to fully open up and demand you head over to Lake City Casino with a fistful of change. Strong ripe tannins supported by sunbaked conservatism give this Cab excellent structure.
- The 2010 HST Frizzante, $35.99 (Rattlesnake Winery)
Available on store shelves for another 18 months, this effervescent yet evasive little wine swings from 12 to 10 per cent in alcohol content. It opens to the nose with a big floral announcement of riches to come, but backtracks on the palate with stinkweed and smoking balance sheet. In spite of this dubious start, it finishes nicely with an aftertaste of people power and arse-kicked Premier. Goes well with lame duck.
2009 Guwurzeweimaraner, $24.99 (Ribonucleic Estates)
The notes of wet dog are not accidental. Gene-splicing arborists have fused the legs of a much-loved canine breed to the light body of a B.C. vintners classic. This charming Guwerz has a woody overtone of bark without the bite.
- Alberta Expat Pino Noir, $16.99 (Old White Cracker Winery)
Bright aromas of prairie wildflowers and oil patch gas flares are wafted to the nose, with a tranquil hint of Nyquil. Notes of polyester and pomegranate make for a beautifully balanced wine, which reclines on the tongue and mutters about the good old days of Ralph Klein.
- Bullet Trailer Chardonnay, $8.99 (Mr. Laheys Estates)
A lower-end wine for the cost-conscious connoisseur, the BTC opens with notes of fried chicken and cannabis resin, which are quickly overcome by the aroma of RCMP boot polish and fingerprint ink. Pairs well with Hostess Twinkies and Wheel of Fortune.
- West Van Matron Muscat Ottonel, $47.00 (Stepford Wife Winery)
Grapes of outstanding varietal expression deliver sassy hints of collagen, Botox and Lululemon. Long-lasting tannins overlay notes of Lexus interior and maid service cleanser. Nicely complements Stevie Nicks tickets and watercress sandwiches.
- Hells Own Merlot, $34.99 (Gog and Magog Estates)
Older vines in Naramata tended by fully certified Satanists have yielded a big, brooding Merlot thats popular with the heavily tattooed set. Raspberry and currant flavours arrive on the first blush in the mouth, but are overcome midpalate by leathery notes of cloven hoof and Count Chocula cereal. Nicely complements raw beef and Rob Zombie CDs.
- 2009 Ogopogo Rosé, $22.99 (Altered Estates)
Huckleberries and floral notes of iris arrive on the nose. A taste of kelp and flounder with a hint of Jet Ski gasoline follows, along with something described as sea monster. Secondary notes of Red Bull add to the palates confusion. The compelling, contradictory medley of flavours compels you to ask the question, Am I losing my mind or am I in the presence of an awesome, Epicurean truth? Another sip and youre a believer.
- Left Behind Riesling, $18.99 (End Times Winery)
End Times Winery has been doing very nicely in the past few years, winning several top awards in the Survivalist Beverage Competitions. Crafted from grapes field-tested by cropduster strafing runs, this full, hardy Riesling is best sipped well before you leave behind an empty pile of post-Rapture clothing. However, its high alcohol content goes well with crying jags and hand-to-hand combat: perfect for wine connoisseurs abandoned by God to live out the Tribulation in misery and terror. Classic apple and lemon aromas are highlighted here by violet, gunpowder and votive candle. Beautifully complements B.C. Dungeness Crab and Jack Van Impe Presents.
www.geoffolson.com
