Are the 2005s alive? - #3
Wines from the Cowichan Valley, Saturna Island and the Okanagan.
“Roses, black tea, earth, woods”- EU “Very dry, tannic, slightly bitter, where’s the fruit?”- JL
Tinhorn Creek Pinot Noir | 2005 | $18.00 | D+ ~ 82
Saturna Island Family Estate Winery Pinot Noir | 2005 | $18.00 | D ~ 80
Nichol Vineyards Pinot Noir | 2005 | $30.00 | C ~ 86
Blue Grouse Vineyards Pinot Noir | 2005 | $30.00 | C- to C ~ 85
Nk’Mip Cellars Pinot Noir Qwam Qwmt | 2005 | $26.00 | C- to C ~ 85
Foxtrot Vineyards Pinot Noir 2005 | $50.00 | C- to C ~ 85
Sonoma Cutrer Pinot Noir (California) | 2005 | $40.00 | C+ ~ 88
#1 Tinhorn Creek Pinot Noir 2005 14.1%
Quality Rating : D+ ~ 82 Price: $18.00
Eye
LC: Garnet/Brick, clear BG: Bricky edge, light, cherry at center AKG: Dirty cherry, jam coloured, yellow tint JL: Ruby & brown KM: Light garnet and some brick tones EU: Red and brown highlights MW: Medium, hint of brown on edge
Nose
LC: Strawberry and violet BG: Dusty, bit sour AKG: Cherry, metallic, oaky JL: Bright strawberry, forward, cherries, straightforward, simple, attractive KM: Cherry fruit with earthiness, somewhat mushroomlike EU: Sharp, light cherry, volatile aroma, bruised fruit MW: hint of heat, ripe cherry, hint of blackberry
Palate
LC: Slightly spicy, Caramel, long finish, – heat/tannin , nasty licorice BG: Very simple, sour , touch or cherry, bitter on end, a small wine AKG: Sharp at first, long but fairly flat taste oaked JL: Dry, finely tannic, hot, slightly tart, medium long KM: Decent structure and acidity, would improve with time? Tart. Tannin comes out in the end. Much fruitier than nose would suggest EU: Cherry, tannin, acid, bitter? MW: Big tannins, cherry, strawberry in finish
Notes:
Closure – Stelvin
Tinhorn Creek have also been making pinot noir in the Golden Mile for a long time. Their inaugural pinot noir vintage was in 1994. They own approximately one hundred and fifty acres on both sides of the Okanagan Valley just South of Oliver. They make two pinot noirs, an entry level estate bottling and their premium Oldfield Series wine, produced from twenty year old vines.
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards Pinot Noirs – Current Vintage & Availability
#2 Saturna Island Family Estate Winery Pinot Noir 2005 12%
Quality Rating : D ~ 80 Price: $18.00 – $20.00
Eye
LC: Garnet/brick BG: Bricky edge, light/med depth AKG: Dirty cherry JL: Similar to #1 KM: Light garnet with some brick tones EU: Brown MW: medium brown edge, lighter than first wine
Nose
LC: Weird BG: Sour cough drops AKG: alcohol, fruit JL: Oxidized, baked KM: Bright fruit but oxidized EU: Perfume, oxidized, dried cherry MW: Barnyard, alcohol
Palate
LC: Sour, hint of vanilla ? Cherry. Medium long finish BG: Pretty dried out, some dry strawberry fruit AKG: Fruity but oxidized? Puff of fruit at the end JL: Fini! KM: On its way out! EU: Tannins, cherry, cranberry, caramel MW: Bright fruit behind oxidation
Notes:
Closure – Stelvin
#3 Nichol Vineyards Pinot Noir 2005 12.7%
Quality Rating : C ~ 86 Price: $30.00
Eye
LC: Ruby/Garnet BG: Cherry heart with a dry cherry rim AKG: Garnet JL: Garnet, bright KM: Ruby colour, vibrant EU: Dark red MW: Medium to edge, red/brown on edge
Nose
LC: Closed. Dried floral note? – Violets. Sour fruit BG: Spicy. cherry, pomegranate, wood AKG: Field in summer, fruit, barnyard, candy JL: Woody, cherry, oak/cedar , smoky notes KM: Earthy, meaty with cherry EU: Roses, black tea, earth, woods MW: Hint of barnyard, ripe berry
Palate
LC: Good acid, some heat, menthol, Cedar, sour cedar, medium long finish BG: Woody, closed, compressed structure, black tea AKG: Velvety mouth feel, climbs higher ¾ of the way along, tannic but has a graceful end feeling JL: Medium long tannic finish in good balance, opens later to maraschino cherries, fine acidity KM: Good structure and acidity, nice fruit but a bit tight EU: Strawberry jello, significant tannins, long, flavour short MW: Ripe fruit, medium acid, tons of young ripe cherry fruit, oak up front and in finish, tannins at end as well
Notes:
Closure – Composite Cork
Nichol Vineyards Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability
#4 Blue Grouse Vineyards Pinot Noir 2005 13.6%
Quality Rating : C- to C ~ 85 Price: $30.00
Eye
LC: Deep garnet red BG: Dried cherry AKG: Cherry, jewel like, dark center JL: Medium dark ruby KM: Deep ruby EU: Brownish red, dark garnet MW: Medium dark throughout
Nose
LC: Strawberries – dryness/dusty, layers of spices – cinnamon BG: Barnyard, watermelon rind, earthy, menthol AKG: horse manure, straw, charcoal, Vick’s Vaporub, mildew JL: Smoky cherries, strawberries/barnyard, camphor (hint) KM: More aggressive nose, very barnyardy, touch of tobacco and menthol EU: Light menthol, camphor, true sour cherry MW: Hint of heat, barnyard, straw, ripe candied cherry fruit
Palate
LC: Long finish, – front of mouth – sour cherry/strawberry. Quite well balanced, bitter tannin BG: Menthol, barnyard, chocolate ending, closed but toasty oak AKG: Velvety mouthfeel at first, very tannin, woody , dries out the tongue, young, walnut JL: Minty berry, firm tannins, good balance, medium long, very little fruit – simple KM: Leathery, fuller bodied (respectively), chewy EU: Bright cherry compote, long cherry, lots of tannin drying quickly MW: Restrained flavours, cherry , strawberry fruit, shorter finish
Notes:
Closure – Composite Cork
Blue Grouse Pinot Noir – Current Vintage & Availability
#5 Nk’Mip Cellars Pinot Noir QQ 2005 13.5%
Quality Rating: C- to C ~ 85 Price: $30.00
Eye
LC: Garnet, less red BG: Medium/light depth, garnet rim AKG: Garnet, rich JL: Dark garnet KM: Deep ruby with tiny bit of cloudiness, unfiltered? EU: Dark red/brown
MW: Medium dark to edge, hint of brown
Nose
LC: Smoke, caramel, some meatiness, strawberry – dusty BG: Seashore, Cherries, charcoal AKG: Caramel, beach JL: Coffee, herbal, rosemary, sage, no fruit! KM: Christmas spice (allspice,cloves) a touch of “poopy-ness” (as they say) that fades quickly EU: Barnyard, metallic, seashore at low tide MW: Caramel, baked slightly strawberry, fruit behind oak
Palate
LC: Sweet fruit – up front meat BG: Herbal tang, rosemary AKG: Peppery, herbal, mouthwatering JL: Very dry,tannic, slightly bitter, where’s the fruit? KM: Toffee, nutty, spicy EU: Barnyard, cherry dried in the finish, tannins, sage, rosemary, dusty oregano MW: Closed, tannins in finish
Notes:
Closure – cork
Nk’Mip Cellars was North America’s first winery owned by Aboriginal people. It began in 2000 as a joint venture with a company called Vincor that became Constellation Brands and is now known as Arterra.
The grapes for all of Nk’Mip’s wines come from their own vineyards. There are about 20 acres of vineyards that surround the winery in Osoyoos but most of their grapes come from select blocks that are a part of a carefully managed 40 acres inside the large 130- hectare (320 acre) Inkameep vineyard just North of Oliver on the Eastern side of the valley. The Inkameep vineyard was first planted here by the band in 1968, making it one of the first vinifera vineyards in the South Okanagan. The vineyards are on a remarkably large, fairly flat sweep of land at an elevation of about 350 Meters that faces West.
The winemaking at Nk’Mip has been very consistent, not surprising since Randy Picton has been the only winemaker since the winery opened in 2002. Randy was recruited from Cedar Creek where he worked under the tutelage of Tom DiBello. The two vintages created before opening were under the hand of Bruce Nicholson, then the winemaker at nearby Jackson-Triggs.
Nk’Mip Pinot Noirs – Current Vintage & Availability
#6 Foxtrot Vineyards Pinot Noir 2005 13.7%
Quality Rating: C- to C ~ 85 Price: $50.00 – $65.00
Eye LC: Garnet – deep tones BG: Garnet rim, light depth AKG: Garnet JL: Medium garnet KM: Garnet, brighter EU: MW: Medium throughout no brown
Nose
LC: Caramel/Soapy BG: Floral, soap, toffee AKG: Dolce de Leche, salty, popcorn, melted butter JL: Dirty, earthy, menthol, no fruit, soap flakes KM: Vanilla, buttery, not much fruit EU: Strawberry jam, patchouli, geranium MW: Bright cherry fruit, strawberry
Palate
LC: Sweeter fruit. Fruit med/short, tannin finish BG: Cardboardy fruit, baked, hot AKG: Salty, very short, bath water, tannin on end JL: Cherries, bitter, long, soft tannins, strange KM: Soapy EU: Strawberry, cherry, bruised fruit, tannins long and slightly bitter MW: Tight, strawberry with tannins on the finish
Notes:
Closure – cork
Foxtrot Pinot Noirs – Current Vintage & Availability
#7 Sonoma Cutrer Pinot Noir 2005 14.9%
Quality Rating : C+ ~ 88 Price: $40.00
Eye
LC: Deep/dark ruby red BG: Dark heart, garnet rim AKG: very rich, pigment rich, cherry JL: Very dark ruby KM: Very deep ruby, a touch of cloudy, unfiltered? Very saturated colour EU: Dark red, intense colour MW: Very dark to edge
Nose
LC: Red licorice BG: Red berries, smells like syrah AKG: Earthy, black licorice JL: Vanilla/chocolate, hint of eucalyptus KM: Black licorice, anise EU: Caramel, rich, dried plums, dried cranberry MW: Strawberry, eucalyptus, smoky
Palate
LC: Hot. Sweet cherry/heat. Pruny, concentrated BG: Black licorice, black tea, luscious overall AKG: Berries, prune, raspberry, licorice at the end JL: Huge cherry/minty soft tannins, full body, well balanced, pruny and overripe, anise notes, very long KM: Dried fruit, prune, licorice EU: Caramel, rich prune plums, cherry cooked, port MW: Black twizzlers, sweet, intense fruit, legs
Tasting held February 15, 2011