Everything in Between Reviews

Non Vintage

Fresita – 8%alc/vol [Chile]

A very strawberry nose with candy elements.  A nice wine to sip with a touch of sweetness and great clean berry flavours.  A fun wine to have with spicy meals or also over the holidays with a variety of hors d’oeuvres.  80/100 $15.95 [BC Liquor Stores] (November 7, 2010)

Henkell Trocken Rose – 12.0% alc/vol

Pink sparkling is a new fad for the wine world, with most producers interested in producing their own variation on the recipe to enter the market.  This is a nice dry style with clean fruit tastes, try it with smoked salmon or cranberry and walnut crusted warm brie.  A combination of pinot and gamay noirs.  $14.49 (BC liquor stores)

Jacobs Creek Brut – 11.5% alc/vol [Australia]

Rich oak, apple and grape juice on the nose.  Small sharp bubbles with a very mild taste; some lemon zest and young oak with a short finish.  82/100 (December 31^st, 2010)

Jackson Triggs White Merlot – 11.5% alc/vol

I was surprised by this wine, expecting sorry to say, unbalanced fruit and tannin; however it delivered a very balanced approach with an enjoyable dryness.  Don’t pick this up expecting something sweet like your classic white zinfandel – this is more in the style of a gamay noir rose with no excess sugar or sweetness.  Delicate strawberry and young, tart cranberry flavours that matches nicely with fruit salad or poached white fish alongside a mango salsa.  $7.99 (BC liquor stores)

Martini Rose Sparkling – 9.5% alc/vol [Italy]

A dry smell with some fresh peaches.  A lasting effervescence with small bubbles that bring the flavours of tart raspberries and cranberry juice.  There is a bit of sweetness, a nice compliment for spicy asian cuisine.  84/100 (August 13, 2010)  $12.49 (BC Liquor Stores)

Trius Brut – 12.5 alc/vol              

2008 Vintages  

Beringer White Zinfandel 2008 – 10.5% alc/vol [United States]

Strawberry and peaches are the essence of this wine.  The super sweet style is enough to stand up to the spiciest of dishes.  A really pleasant wine for an afternoon cocktail.  I would recommend it with a spicy pad thai.  $9.99 (BC Liquor Stores)  71/100 (Mar. 21, 2010)

St. Hubertus Frizzante Rose 2008 [B.C.]

Sweet light flavours of wild strawberries and juicy peaches.  A similar nose with strawberries, limes and a little bit of apple.  Very easy to drink with a steady balance of acid and sugar that has an agreeable finish.  84/100  (August 24, 2010)  $31 Crest Hotel

2007 Vintages 

Rigamarole Rose 2007 – 13.5% alc/vol [B.C.]

A pleasant nose of strawberry margarita with a pretty pink colour.  The palate is a dry style with fruity flavours of cherry skins and seedy watermelon.  It is a nice rose that does not have the bitterness or unbalance of some roses.  A good wine but not a must have.  76/100  $19.30 (Cow Bay Spirits) (May 6, 2010)

2004 Vintages

Blossom Blueberry 2004 – 11% alc/vol

This is a great alternative to an expensive icewine when looking for a sweet dessert wine.  Fruit wines with a sweet style like this can often hide their flaws with the extra sugars present.  They stand out so well against simple desserts like a cheese and fruit plate or chocolate cake.  This is a particularly lovely wine with a beautiful balance of sugar and acid – smooth and jammy this has a summer blueberry ripeness.  Best of all, it’s from British Columbia.  $20.85 (BC liquor stores)

Peller Estates Founders Series Vidal Icewine 2004 – 11.5% alc/vol [Niagara, ON]

Honey, peach and pear.  A nice nose that has just a twist of orange peel.  Super sweet, with a bit of bite, smooth peachy pear taste mixed with the flavour of pink lemonade from a wooden glass.  It isn’t common to find icewines that have been oaked and shows these characteristics.  Definitely unique and memorable.  $60.00+ (Peller Estates Winery direct)   94/100 (Mar. 30, 2010)