Pinot Noir Lover's Preview – Vancouver International Wine Festival 2023
Pinot Noir Lover's Preview – Vancouver International Wine Festival 2023
28 Wines - What They Are & Where to Find Them At the Show
The 2023 Vancouver International Wine Festival runs this year from April 22 to April 30. If pinot noir holds a special interest for you, this year’s festival offers a unique opportunity to compare and contrast pinot noirs from several New World pinot noir regions.
The countries represented include: Argentina, Chile, Canada, New Zealand and the United States, a great chance to taste pinot noirs from a wide variety of terroirs and styles.
Exploring B.C. Pinot Noir GI and Sub-GI Regions
Of the 28 red pinot noir wines available at the festival this year, B.C. is providing about 1/3 of them drawn from 3 GIs as well as 1 Sub GI. What are GIs and Sub-GIs?
British Columbia’s relatively new appellation system is based on what are called Geographical Indications or GIs. The new geographical indications were created using a combination of criteria specific to each region. The most important elements were a shared watershed area and/or elevation zones that encompassed both existing and potential growing areas. There are now nine GIs in the province as well as four of what are known as sub-geographical indications (sub-GIs) within the larger area of the Okanagan Valley GI. Sub-GIs demonstrate unique climates and soil types.
International Wines 2023
On the international side, there are fewer pinot noirs on pour in this year’s festival. This is chiefly because in the featured region of South America, pinot noir wines are not the first foot being put forward there, though this is changing, particularly in Chile. There are pinots from both Argentina and Chile in the festival.
The United States is showing about another 1/3 of the pinot noirs, coming from Oregon as well as a range from numerous California AVAs from both the Central and South coasts. Pinot noirs from Australia and New Zealand are also at the festival. So if pinot noir is your thing there are many wines to explore.
Using This As Your Guide to Pinot Noir at the Festival
Sometimes the organization of booths in the main tasting room at the festival can seem a little confusing but it is really pretty straight forward. The booths are numbered (from 1 to 152 this year) with the the featured countries (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay) occupying the first 44 booths. They will be in front of you when you come through the entrance of the main tasting room. The remaining booths from 45 onward are arranged alphabetically by country.
All the red pinot noir wines at the festival this year are listed below organized by booth number so if you are looking at this on your mobile phone you can scroll down as you move in order booth by booth.
If you end up hopping about from booth to booth as happens frequently at the festival, there is also an alphabetical list by winery at the bottom of the booth-by-booth listings.
Pinot Noir Wines By Booth Number
Argentina
Argentina’s wine regions are located mostly along the western side in the foothills of the Andes mountains alongside Chile. The vineyards, mostly located in the foothills are naturally irrigated by the rivers resulting from the snowmelt from the Andes.
Booth 10 LUIGI BOSCA | MENDOZA
Pinot Noir 2021 776427
This 100% Pinot Noir comes from 45 year old vines that grow in Luigi Bosca's vineyards in the Luján de Cuyo and Maipú regions. The Luigi Bosca winery is one of the oldest (100 years) in the region of Mendoza The first family vineyard was begun in 1901.
Booth 20 TRAPICHE / EL ESTECO , MENDOZA / SALTA
Trapiche Koskil Pinot Noir 2021 439781
Founded in 1883, Trapiche is one of the oldest wine brands produced in Argentina, producing more than 3.5 million cases of wine per year.
Chile
The long narrow shape of Chile combined with a wide range of altitudes, enables tremendous diversity in terms of climates and terroirs. Though better known for its cabernet sauvignon, carmenere, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc, pinot noir is becoming more widely grown and with great results.
Booth 32 CONO SUR VINEYARDS & WINERY
Ocio Pinot Noir 2019 835470
I first tasted this wine at a previous Vancouver Wine Festival a number of years ago and it was a real standout. Not to be missed.
This is one of Cono Sur’s top pinot noirs, sourced from Casablanca Valley vineyards established in 1980. Eighty-five percent of the grapes come from the Fundo El Triángulo, 75 kilometers north of Santiago and 20 kilometers from the Pacific Ocean on granite, red clay and sand soils. The remaining 15% of grapes come from Fundo Campo Lindo in San Antonio, from a coastal part some 15 kilometers from the sea.
Typically, uncrushed grapes are fermented with neutral yeasts in open vats, with half of the wine matured in new French oak in two different sizes of barrrels for some 14 months.
Booth 42 VERAMONTE | CASABLANCA VALLEY / COLCHAGUA VALLEY
Reserva Pinot Noir 2020 1685
Veramonte Vineyards is in Marchigüe, area of the Colchagua Valley 45 kilometers from the Pacific coast.
Booth 40 VIÑA UNDURRAGA | VARIOUS, CHILE
Sibaris Pinot Noir Gran Reserva 2021 761205
From the Leyda Valley, made with 100% Pinot Noir made from select grapes grown in their estate vineyards. Currently available in B.C. Liquor Stores, this has some lovely nuanced pinot noir flavours of cherry and red berries. Great value.
Australia
Booth 47 PENFOLDS | SOUTH AUSTRALIA / CALIFORNIA, AUSTRALIA / USA
Bin 23 Pinot Noir 2020 387140
Penfold’s outstanding reputation derives chiefly from its syrahs (Grange!), cabernet sauvignons and chardonnays. The wines tend to be big and rich so I will be looking forward to seeing what their approach will be with the more delicate character of pinot noir. Bin 23’s name is derived from the place the wine matures, ‘Cellar 23’ at their Magill Estate. It was fist produced in 2009. The wine is a mix of clones and is drawn from multiple sources includng Tasmania, Henty and the Adelaide Hills. it spends seven months in French oak barriques, 24% new with 20% whole bunch fermentation.
Canada
Booth 50 CEDARCREEK ESTATE WINERY | OKANAGAN VALLEY, CANADA - BC
Estate Pinot Noir 2021 567412
Located on the hills above Lake Okanagan in Kelowna. The Fitzpatrick family who founded Cedar Creek in 1986 with the first vintage in 1987. In 2014 the winery was sold to Anthony von Mandl, best known as the owner of Mission Hills Family Estate winery
Platinum Simes Pinot Noir 2020 415123
The second pinot noir Cedar Creek will be pouring is from the Simes vineyard. This vineyard is associated with another Mission Hill wine project called Martin’s Lane that focuses on pinot noir and riesling. Going forward there will be two Simes Vinyard bottlings, one from Martin’s Lane and one from Cedar Creek. This is the inaugural vintage for Simes vineyard under the Cedar Creek label so it will be interesting to see what a second winemaker will do with grapes from the same vineyard. .
Booth 57 FORT BERENS ESTATE WINERY | LILLOOET, CANADA - BC
Reserve Pinot Noir 2021 130846 The
The Lillooet GI is set well apart from other British Columbia GI areas and is roughly defined as all lands below 1,000 meters in elevation along a stretch of the Fraser River from about 25 km north of Lillooet to just south of Lytton. It also includes a smaller section along the Thompson river before it joins the Fraser River at Lytton. The appellation measures about 100 km from north to south and is in most places just 3-5 km in width.
The wine is made from 100% pinot noir estate grown grapes from select rows in their Dry Creek Vineyard block and utilizes Clones 115 & 667. Production is 290 cases.
After picking the grapes were crushed, destemmed, and cold soaked for 2 days before inoculating with Burgundy yeast strains. The wine is then aged in French oak barrels for 9 months, of which 25% new. The barrels were specifically ordered from select family coopers. One of my favourites.
Booth 54 DA SILVA VINEYARDS | NARAMATA BENCH | Sub-GI
Pinot Noir 2020 466998
Though the winery was created in 2006 the Da Silvas are long time growers, having originally moved to the Okanagan in 1955. Currently drawing from 11 different vineyards for their wines this one is 100% Pinot Noir To underscore the importance of provenance, the names of the growers, the exact latitude and longitude of the source vineyards as well as the vinification are detailed on every bottle.
The vineyards utilized here are the Blenheim Hill Vineyard, Penticton, BC GROWERS: Richard and Twylla da Silva and the Lazy Dog Vineyard, Penticton, BC
GROWERS: Dean and Liz Marchand. it was barrel aged for 24 + months using 60% Medium + toasted French Oak and 40% Medium + toasted Hungarian Oak. Cases Produced 425
Booth 56 EX NIHILO VINEYARDS | LAKE COUNTRY, CANADA - BC
Pinot Noir 2021 72036
The experience of dreaming about and creating their vineyard out of ten acres as well as a Frederick Hart sculpture, prompted Jeff and Decoa Harder to name their winery Ex Nihilo, which means “out of nothing”. Their first pinot noir vintage was in 2010 and pinot production is about five hundred to eight hundred cases annually. They won the 2016 Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence for their 2014 pinot noir.
The wine is aged ten months in French oak with 30 percent new.
Booth 60 LAKE BREEZE | NARAMATA BENCH, CANADA - BC
Aura Pinot Noir 2020 882563
Made from the fruit of 30-year-old vines, the MacIntyre family purchased the property in 2001. The overall vineyards consist of a 14 acre parcel originally named Rock Oven Vineyards. The first vines on the property were planted in 1985, making them some of the oldest on the Naramata Bench. This is their equivalent of a reserve pinot noir.
Booth 63 MORAINE ESTATE WINERY | NARAMATA BENCH, CANADA - BC
Estate Pinot Noir BC VQA 2021 483057
The grapes for this wine are sourced from their Sophia’s vineyard. It utilizes clone 777 and undergoes a whole berry fermentation. It has won double gold at the International Pinot Noir Challenge twice, most recently in 2015. Amber Pratt is the current winemaker.
Booth 64 NK'MIP CELLARS | OKANAGAN VALLEY, CANADA - BC
QWAM QWMT Pinot Noir 2020 324459
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 remarkably consistent, being in the hands of just two principal winemakers since its inception.
Booth 68 UNSWORTH VINEYARDS | COWICHAN VALLEY Sub GI
Pinot Noir 2020 303586
Unsworth is a relative newcomer to the Cowichan Valley, having released its first pinot noir in 2012 but that inaugural vintage was good enough to garner 93 points from noted wine writer Jamie Goode. The winery was founded by Tim and Colleen Turyk.
In June 2020 Unsworth Vineyards was sold to Barbara Banke and Julia Jackson of Jackson Family Wines. Both are part owners of the Jackson family company.
New Zealand
Booth 111 OYSTER BAY WINES | MARLBOROUGH / HAWKE'S BAY, NEW ZEALAND
Oyster Bay Wines is a New Zealand wine producer primarily known for its Sauvignon Blanc wines from Marlborough. It was established by family-owned company Delegat
Pinot Noir 2021 111302
United States
Booth 125 BOGLE VINEYARDS | VARIOUS, USA - CA
Pinot Noir 2020 751800
This Bogle pinot noir is sourced from vineyards in Russian River Valley, the Monterey hills and the Clarksburg Delta.
Booth 129 DUCKHORN PORTFOLIO | VARIOUS, USA - CA
Decoy Limited Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2019 406122
Established in 1985 by Dan and Margaret Duckhorn Crafted using grapes from the Sonoma Coast. 100% Pinot Noir Aged 10 months in 40% new French oak
Booth 130 ERATH | WILLAMETTE VALLEY, USA - OR
Founded by Dick Erath and formerly known as Knudsen Erath this winery produced the first commercial wine from the Dundee Hills in 1972. He was also instrumental in importing French clones to Oregon in 1974.
Oregon Pinot Noir 2021 919779
This estate wine is a blend of 97% Pinot Noir and 3% Syrah.
Estate Selection Pinot Noir 2018 705467
Leland Pinot Noir 2018 172767
Single-vineyard Pinot Noir (Prince Hill, Leland, from a vineyard planted in 1982
Booth 132 IMAGERY ESTATE WINERY | VARIOUS, USA - CA
Pinot Noir 2020 243983
This wine has a small splash of Petit Verdot added to the mix.
Booth 135 LAKE SONOMA WINERY | VARIOUS, USA - CA
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2021 139009
This wine is composed of two Dijon clones - 115 and 667, vinified separately and then blended back. It was aged 7 months in 40% new French oak, 20% neutral oak and 40% stainless steel.
Booth 137 ORIN SWIFT | VARIOUS, USA / ITALY
L'Usine Santa Rita Highlands Pinot Noir 2018 92794
David Phinney, the creator of “The Prisoner” winery line as well as Orin Swift, has released this Andy Warhol-inspired range of wine bottles. Called L’usine - French for ‘The Factory’ - it is a nod to Andy Warhol’s ‘The Factory’, his New York City studio.
This is an “auteur wine” using grapes sourced from selected vineyard plots, including the Annapolis Ridge Vineyard in the Sonoma Coast area as well as the Sta. Rita Hills (John Sebastiano Vineyard, Sea Smoke Vineyard and Radian Vineyard) 1,000 cases were made. It is 100% Pinot Noir.
Booth 139 THE PRISONER WINE COMPANY | NAPA VALLEY, USA - CA
Pinot Noir 2021 441116
The famous “The Prisoner” brand doesn’t have its own vineyards. Instead, it utilizes a variety of small-scale producers in California, mostly a mix of Russian River and Carneros AVAs. This wine spent 14 months in 40% new French oak.
Their brand name and namesake wine, The Prisoner, were inspired by the classic sketch Le Petit Prisonier by 19th century Spanish artist Francisco Goya. The sketch is part of Goya’s series entitled, “The Disasters of War”, created to be a visual protest against the injustice and brutality of the Spanish War of Independence in 1808.
Booth 147 WENTE VINEYARDS | LIVERMORE VALLEY, USA - CA
Riva Ranch Pinot Noir 2020 25874
The Riva Ranch Single Vineyard Pinot Noir is sourced exclusively from the Wente family’s vineyard in Arroyo Seco, Monterey. They farm eight clones of Pinot Noir (Pommard, Martini, 114, 115, 667, 777, 828, and 77).
Booth 148 WILLAMETTE VALLEY VINEYARDS | WILLAMETTE VALLEY, USA - OR
Willamette Valley Vineyards is the third-largest Oregon Winery by brand and production releasing an estimated 160,000 cases of wine each year. It was founded by Jim Bernau in 1983.
The Estate Vineyard consists of 67 acres planted to Dijon, Pommard, and Wädenswil clones of Pinot Noir. In 1997, Willamette Valley Vineyards acquired Tualatin Estate.
Whole Cluster Pinot Noir 2021 487317
The whole grape clusters with stems are placed into stainless steel tanks that have been filled with CO2 gas. Yeast is then added and the lid closed to exclude excess oxygen. The clones in this wine are 114, 115, 667, 777, Pommard and Wädenswil
Willamette Estate Pinot Noir 2021 487325
Booth 149 WX BRANDS | EDNA VALLEY / PASO ROBLES, USA - CA
Baileyana Pinot Noir 2020
In January 2020 WX Brands acquired of the 100,000+ case portfolio of wines that included Baileyana, from the Niven family, one of the pioneers of the Edna Valley AVA, for an undisclosed sum.
Baileyana was founded more than 30 years ago to focus on cool climate varietals.