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B.C. grape harvest in full swing; new wine reviews for TIME, Culmina, McWatters, Township 7 and Hester Creek

Rick VanSickle

It was a bit of later start than normal and hampered by lack of sunshine at times due to smoke from wildfires in Washington State, but B.C. is in full harvest mode with high hopes for another great grape vintage.

The first fruit in the Okanagan Valley was picked at the beginning of September with quite a few wineries, including Township 7 in Naramata, Andrew Peller Ltd. in Osoyoos and Red Rooster and Bella, both in Naramata, getting an early start for sparkling wines.

“We pick Chard for sparkling early because we don’t want the sugars to get too high in the grapes,” Township 7 winemaker Mary McDermott, below, said.

B.C. wines

“It was a slightly later start than previous years, as we had a long, cool spring and late flowering, and it originally seemed as if all the fruit would be ready at once,” McDermott told Wines In Niagara. The lack of sunshine from the smoke stalled harvest but did not affect the quality of the fruit, “which looks really good. There are nice flavours and good acidity without the high sugars.”

The winemaker said that after a recent few days of precipitation, “warmth and sunshine have returned, with the south Okanagan enjoying well above average temperatures to help the reds beautifully finish. Diurnal temperatures are enabling the grapes to maintain acidity while they continue with phenolic ripening.

“I anticipate the wines from this harvest to be high quality with longevity ensured by our classic long, sunny autumn with warm days to ripen the fruit,” McDermott said.

B.C. wine writer Anthony Gismondi is following the full harvest on his website Gismondi On Wine. Rolf de Bruin of Fort Berens Estate Winery is featured in the first video. You can follow along here.

Wines In Niagara tasted through several recently released wines from B.C., including wines from Township 7, TIME, McWatters Collection, Culmina (pictured above) and Hester Creek (very top photo).

Here is what we can recommend.

Township 7 Vineyards and Winery

Township 7 Seven Stars Vega 2018 ($33, 90 points) — This is the inaugural vintage of this traditionally made sparkler from 100% Viognier sourced from the Fool’s Gold Vineyard in Oliver. It shows a vigorous mousse in the glass with lovely notes of pear, bright apple, citrus, lemon cream, grapefruit and toasty/yeasty undertones. It’s generous on the palate with a healthy bubble and revealing a fleshier, rounder profile with peach, apricot, apple, pear and toasty/creamy notes that lead to lively finish.

Township 7 Seven Stars Equinox 2016 ($46, 93 points) — This 100% traditionally made, 100% Pinot Noir sparkling Brut Rosé, sourced from the organic/biodynamic Sperling Vineyard in West Kelowna, spends 29 months en tirage. What a beauty! It shows a light amber colour in the glass with a tiny persistent bead in the glass. The nose reveals lovely fresh strawberries, raspberries, biscuit, crisp apple and brioche/leesy notes. The bubbles are elegant and subtle on the palate while the flavours of red berries, fresh cream, apple, quince and toasty/bready notes are seamless and balanced and all lead to a finessed and long finish. An elegant offering for the best moments in your life.

Township 7 Reserve Pinot Gris 2019 ($27, 91 points) — This wild fermented Naramata Bench estate Pinot Gris was 100% barrel fermented in Neutral French oak barrels. It has an intriguing nose of melon, pear, peach, ginger and integrated spice notes. It’s fleshy and round on the palate with flinty minerality, peaches, poached pear, some tropical fruits, cream and ginger spice. Quite a different and unique take on Gris.

Township 7 Chardonnay 2018 ($22, 88 points) — The Oliver sourced Chard was 50% barrel fermented in French barrique with 50% straight to stainless steel tank. The nose shows bright apple, peach, touch of citrus and light spice notes. It’s rounded on the palate and loaded with orchard fruit, toasted vanilla and tinged with lemon zest on the finish.

Township 7 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2019 ($27, 90 points) — From the Benchmark Series, this Savvy is blended with about 15% Semillon with 100% of the fruit barrel fermented and aged 7 months in mostly neutral French oak barrels. It has a lovely nose of grapefruit, gooseberries, pear, hint of sage and spice. It shows good balance between the fruit and spice with notes of grapefruit, passion fruit, herbs and wild honey with medium+ acidity on the lingering finish.

Township 7 Merlot 2018 ($26, 89 points) — The Merlot is sourced from estate fruit in Oliver and Naramata and aged in a combination of American and French barriques for 18 months. It has a bold nose of ripe black cherries, plums, cassis, toasted vanilla, caramel, cigar box cedar and spice. On the palate, look for savoury red berries, currants, wood smoke, anise, vivid spice and caramel with length and finesse on the finish. Nifty and bold Merlot.

McWatters and TIME Wineries

McWatters Meritage 2017 ($35, 92 points) — The blend for this Meritage is 56% Merlot, 34% Cab Franc, 8% Cab Sauv, 1.5% Petite Verdot and 0.5% Malbec. The wine was matured in small French oak casks for 16 months. It has a ripe nose of blackberries, cassis, black currants, dark cherries, touch of eucalypt and rich baking spices. It’s smooth and flavourful on the palate with a dense, deep and complex profile showing an array of dark berries, barrels spices, minty herbs, dark chocolate, vanilla toast and integrated spice notes. A big wine that can cellar comfortably for 7+ years.

TIME Syrah 2016 ($35, 90 points) — The wine spends 16 months in French Oak and has a nose of ripe blackberries, plums, kirsch, black peppercorns, raspberry jam and spices. It’s more savoury on the palate with smoky dark berries, jammy red fruits, smooth texture, rich spice notes, pepper and lifted through the finish.

2018 TIME Viognier 2018 ($23, 90 points) — 20% of the fruit is barrel fermented in French oak and aged 5 months sur lie with the remainder cool fermented in stainless steel tank. It’s quite fragrant with notes of apricot, pineapple, peach and a touch of grapefruit and spice. It’s textured and fleshy on the palate with lovely ripe tropical fruits, peaches, spice and fairly balanced on the long finish from racy acidity.

TIME Fourth Dimension 2017 ($34, 91 points) — The fruit for this blend of Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon was hand harvested from vineyards in the South Okanagan. The wine was aged for 16 months in new and neutral French oak barrels. It has a defined nose of cassis, black currants, wild raspberries, ripe cherries, anise/licorice and peppery spices. The palate reveals rich, ripe red berries, currants, anise, smoke, cassis to go with grippy tannins and layers of oak spices. Can cellar 7+ years.

TIME White Meritage 2018 ($25, 92 points) — This nearly even blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon is 40% barrel fermented in French oak and the rest cool fermented in stainless steel tank. It’s a classic Old World take on this style with a nose of grapefruit, pear, apricot, gooseberries and elegant spice notes. It’s lovely on the palate with notes of pear, honeydew melon, apricot, nectarine, grapefruit and spice with a bright, finessed finish. A couple of years in the cellar would be OK, but drinking really fine right now.

Culmina Family Estate Winery

Culmina Nº 010 Margaret’s Bench Chardonnay 2018 ($38, 93 points) — This is the companion to the Nº 011 Stan’s Bench Chard reviewed below. It is grown in the cooler W1 block on Margaret’s Bench and aged for 8 months in 100% neutral French oak barriques. It’s a beautiful, soulful Chardonnay with a gorgeous nose of Bosc pear, wet stones, fresh lemon, floral notes, crisp apple, peach and elegant, understated oak spices. The palate shows a nice flinty minerality mingling with the pear, lemon, and apple fruits that melt into the subtle oak spices. It’s long on the finish, pristine in its presentation and finessed to the end. A beauty!

Culmina Nº 011 Stan’s Bench Chardonnay 2018 ($38, 92 points) — This is made essentially the same way as the above Chard but sourced from the warmer T2 block at the estate. A bit more open knit on the nose than the above Chard with aromas of peach, apricot, golden delicious apple, toasted vanilla, mineral and light spice notes. It’s softer, fleshier and more generous on the palate with ripe pear, peach, apricot, pineapple and well-defined oak spices that all lead to a denser wine on the finish. The minerality still shines in this wine and there’s plenty of zip to keep it balanced. An interesting comparison of Chards that could divide wine lovers into two camps.

Culmina Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 ($39, winter release, 92 points) — Oak aging for this wine is in 100% French barrels, 25% new, for 16 months. It shows a dense, deep purple colour in the glass with a nose of cassis, black currants, rich blackberries, dark chocolate, cedar and fine oak spices. It takes a more elegant turn on the palate with an integrated blend of blackberries, black currants, dark cherries, anise and fine oak spices to go with ripe tannins, firm structure and length through a finessed finish. Cellar 7+ years.

Culmina Merlot 2016 ($35, Oct. release, 91 points) — Oak aging was 16 months in 100% French oak, with only 18% of the barrels new. It has a rich and penetrating nose of black cherries, brambly raspberries, minty herbs, anise, plums and spice. It’s seductive and layered on the palate with darker fruits of black currants and anise emerging to go with savoury red berries, toasted oak spices and a long finish. Can cellar 8+ years.

Culmina Malbec 2016 ($39, released in Oct., 91 points) — Oak aging was 16 months in 100% French oak, with only 17% of the barrels new. Not a lot of single-variety Malbec made in Canada to compare this to, but Culmina is showing consistency year to year, depending on the vintage. It displays a nose of dark plums, violets, rich spice notes and tinged with ripe raspberries and cocoa powder. It’s caressing on the palate with a range of dark berries, plums, spices, fine-grained tannins and bright acidity through the finish. Cellar 5+ years.

Culmina Cabernet Franc 2016 ($38, October release, 90 points) — Oak aging was 16 months in 100% French oak, with 20% of the barrels new. It has an enticing nose of brambly raspberries, dark cherries, cassis, wild herbs, a floral note and integrated spices. It’s tangy on the palate from racy acidity that lifts the savoury red berries and spice notes with touches of tobacco and herbs on a structured frame. Cellar 5+ years to harmonize all the moving parts.

Hester Creek Estate Winery

Hester Creek Ti Amo 2019 ($20, 88 points) — This is Hester Creek’s inaugural frizzante-style sparkler made with Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and a touch of Semillon. It shows a soft bubble in the glass with a nose of citrus, pear, apple, lychee and pear. It’s more lively on the palate with layers of flavour and a perky finish. Fun bubbly for every day celebrations.

Hester Creek Chardonnay 2019 ($22, 89 points) — From fruit sourced at the estate’s vineyard on the Golden Mile Bench with half the juice fermented in stainless steel and the other half fermented and aged in oak. It shows pear, mineral, ripe apple, lemon zest and marzipan on the nose. It’s fairly ripe on the palate with a range of pear, apple, quince, toasted vanilla, bold spices, minerals, cream and a lingering finish.

Hester Creek Garland ($56, 93 points) — This is crafted to honour the estate’s 50-year-old vineyard from where the fruit comes from. It’s a blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with small amounts of Petit Verdot, Cab Franc, Malbec and Merlot. It’s aged for 24 months in mostly French oak barrels. This is a big, bold and juicy red that will require time to fully realize all that potential in the bottle. Such a nose of ripe black currants, cassis, dried herbs, blackberries, plums and rich spice notes. It’s highly extracted on the palate with layers of currants, cassis, blackberries, licorice, anise, integrated herbs, ripe and evident tannic structure, rich oak spices and a long, long finish. Can cellar 10-15 years, but don’t even touch for three years. The rewards will be great.