Ursa Major ‘Sabor a Mi' 2017, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦 ⁣

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🍇 Whole Cluster Syrah 53%⁣
🍇 Malbec 27%⁣
🍇 Whole Cluster Merlot 18%⁣
🍇 Petit Verdot 2%⁣
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🧐 Alcohol 14%⁣
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🍁 My Score 90 Points ⁣
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🧩 18 months in neutral oak, bottled unfined and unfiltered ⁣
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♦️ Artwork by @kgardnerk⁣
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🔸  Quite an intriguing nose on this blend with aromas of fresh wild berries, plums, peppery notes and a touch of earthy funk. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied with lively flavours, good energy, fine grainy tannins and refreshing acidity. The finish is medium-long with flavours of berries, spices and underlying earthiness.⁣
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🔹  Definitely one of my favourite low intervention red so far. The star for me, by far was it’s intoxicating aromatics, there is a Brett like aromas that I find quite charming. A very approachable, flavourful red blend with load of character and a juicy finish. ⁣
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🙂 👏  A portion of the proceeds from this wine will be donated to @sowins_page  South Okanagan Women in Need. A non-profit organization in Penticton, British Columbia that provides shelter, safety and support to victim of abuse.⁣
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Cheers my wine friends 🍷⁣
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Winemaker’s CUT Grüner Veltliner 2018, VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Grüner Veltliner

🧐 Alcohol 12%

🍁 My Score 91 Points

🧩 Made with minimal intervention, wild/spontaneous stainless steel ferment. “All wines are raised by classical music in the cellar, Estate wines by classical music in the vineyard as well.” Small production of 80 cases.

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Beautiful, elegant nose with aromas of pears, apples, citrus fruits, almonds and white pepper. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, elegant texture, well balanced with refreshing acidity. The finish is medium length with plenty of ripe lemon fruit, peaches and white pepper.

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Austria’s most popular varietal, Grüner is hard to find, with only three wineries growing this varietal here in British Columbia. I tasted the wines from Winemaker’s CUT three times last year. What an awesome discovery, I love the winemaking style from Slovakian winemaker Michal Mosny, who is bringing a beautiful European sensibility to the Okanagan. Not only this delicious Grüner, I love his Syrah (2 from the 2017 in my cellar) and his Bohemian Cuvée 2018, which I have not been able to find yet. Small production winery where the quality of their wines makes the search well worth it. Cheers my wine friends.

Tommasi Amarone della Valpolicella 2013, Veneto, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Corvina 50%
🍇 Rondinella 30%
🍇 Corvinone 15%
🍇 Oseleta 5%

🧐 Alcohol 15%

🍁 My Score 93 Points

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What a sensuous nose on this Amarone with aromas of cherries, plums, dried figs, raisins, leather, chocolate and toasty notes. On the mouthfeel, full bodied, rich fruit concentration, luscious texture, smooth tannins and fresh acidity. The finish is long, incredibly flavourful with flavours of ripe cherries, chocolate and raisiny flavours lingering.

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I love Amarone, I don’t know why I don’t drink them more often, they are such a treat. Purchased in March 2017 and tasted sometime in 2018 at a trade tasting. I thought it needed additional time in bottle and my patience provided a show stomping, gorgeous fruity Amarone, so bold and yet so soft and elegant. There are many reasons why this is one of the most popular Amarone in Canada. This is such a perfect match when paired with pizza, there is so much going on in both the pizza and wine. Stunning wine my wine friends. Cheers 🍷

Château Le Puy Émilien 2010, Côtes de Francs, Bordeaux, France 🇫🇷

🍇 Merlot 85%
🍇 Cabernet Sauvignon 14%
🍇 Carménère 1%

🧐 Alcohol 13%

🍁 My Score 89 Points

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Intoxicating nose with aromas of black cherries, black currants, mushrooms, leather, undergrowth and smoky notes. On the mouthfeel, full bodied with lots of berry flavours, grainy tannins and fresh acidity. The finish is long with flavours of black fruit and oak flavours all wrapped up with tannins.

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This wine definitely needed a two hour decant, but first it was poured into the decanter using a funnel and a strainer to capture an incredible amount of sediment.  This a a tasty, flavourful, slightly rustic Merlot blend which in the end is quite charming. The back label suggests serving between 16° to 18° C. I strongly recommend the 16°C. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Marqués de Riscal Gran Reserva 2012, Rioja, Spain 🇪🇸

🍇 Tempranillo 78%
🍇 Graciano & Mazuelo  22%

🧐 Alcohol 14.5%

🍁 My Score 91 Points

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Sensuous bouquet with aromas of cherries, plums, dried figs, Asian spices, leather, vanilla and toasty notes. On the mouthfeel medium-full bodied, beautiful texture, flavourful with fine grainy tannins and refreshing acidity. The finish is long, smooth with plenty of exotic flavours.

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Another Spanish beauty! What I truly appreciate, is how well integrated the oak is at this stage and how delicious and elegant the mouthfeel is. I have enjoyed a few Gran Reserva lately and this is definitely the smoothest and most exotic. Strongly recommended my wine friends. Cheers 🍷

Emiliana ‘Coyam’ 2014, Colchagua Valley, Chile 🇨🇱

🍇 Syrah 45%
🍇 Carménère 35%
🍇 Cabernet Sauvignon 8%
🍇 Mourvèdre 5%
🍇 Malbec 4%
🍇 Petit Verdot 3%

🧐 Alcohol 14.5%

🍁 My Score 92 Points

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Beautiful nose with aromas of plums, black fruit, violets, wet earth, forest floor and exotic spices. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, earthy palate, silky smooth tannins and refreshing acidity. The finish is medium length, smooth texture with flavours of dried mushroom, vanilla, chocolate and peppery notes.

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Not my first experience with this delicious and well made wine from Emiliana Organic Vineyards. This time I decided to give it a few more months in bottle (purchased in March of 2018). The added cellar time has made this wine very smooth, where all elements are well integrated and where there is more savoury flavours than fruit flavours at this stage of it’s life. The fruit is all organic and definitely one of the best value red blends. Cheers my wine friends.

Kalala Apire 2014, VQA British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Merlot
🍇 Cabernet Sauvignon
🍇 Syrah

🧐 Alcohol 14.4%

🍁 My Score 89 Points

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Very expressive nose with aromas of ripe black cherries, blackberries, tobacco and peppery notes. On the mouthfeel, full bodied, luscious mid palate, smooth tannins and refreshing acidity. The finish is long, flavourful with a smoky crushed wild berries explosion.

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I enjoy when Syrah is added to Bordeleau varietals, it definitely adds flavour and complexity, at $28 🇨🇦 dollars it represents fantastic value, strongly recommended. Now if can only put my hands on one of their Zweigelt 😉 Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Barone Ricasoli Brolio Chianti Classico Riserva 2015, Tuscany, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Sangiovese 80%
🍇 Merlot 15%
🍇 Cabernet Sauvignon 5%

🧐 Alcohol 14%

🍁 My Score 92 Points

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Lovely nose on this Chianti with aromas of  wild berries, tart cherries, dried currants, violets, leather and light cedar notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, flavourful with an elegant structure, silky tannins and refreshing acidity. The finish is medium length, very smooth with flavours of cherries, vanilla, mocha and settled oak flavours.

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Traditional meets modern style of Chianti Classico, which should appeal to a wide audience. From a superb vintage, this flavourful and easy drinking wine can be enjoyed with or without food. It’s literally love at first sip. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Orofino Beleza 2016, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Merlot
🍇 Cabernet Sauvignon
🍇 Cabernet Franc
🍇 Petit Verdot

🧐 14.5%

🍁 My Score 92%

🧩 Aged for 20 months in premium French and American barrels. Unfined and unfiltered

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A beautiful and inviting nose with aromas of ripe berry fruit, cherries, vanilla, tobacco and oak spices. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, luscious mid palate, silky tannins and refreshing acidity. The finish is long, flavourful with great depth of flavours.

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I just can’t believe that this is my first experience with this local Meritage blend, talk about a hidden gem. I have discovered some beautiful red blends from the Similkameen Valley over the last few years. As I discovered from my visit to the Okanagan Valley last September and during various trade tastings over the last year, was that the 2016 vintage was excellent for red wines. A gorgeous wine and highly recommended. Cheers my wine friends🍷 🙂