Ed Madronich leading the tasting

Tuesday, May 4^th: Invited to Flat Rock Cellars’ 2025 Annual Release, featuring the latest vintage with two previous vintages.

Flat Rock Gravity Pinot Noir 2024
Ruby colour; lightly floral, raspberry nose with oak spice; medium-bodied, dry, elegant, firmly structured, with a lick of tannin on the finish. (90–91)

Flat Rock Gravity Pinot Noir 2022
Ruby colour; savoury bouquet of red fruits, mushroom and vanilla oak; medium-bodied, dry, raspberry and red plum flavours with a firm finish. Lovely mouth-feel. (90)

Flat Rock Gravity Pinot Noir 2016
Tawny ruby in colour; cedary, vanilla, black raspberry nose; medium-bodied, dry, firmly structured with still evident tannins. Burgundian Côte de Nuits style. (89)

Flat Rock Rusty Shed Chardonnay 2024
Straw with a green pint; toasty, apple with vanilla oak notes; medium-bodied, dry, yellow apple flavour with lively acidity and good length. (91)

Flat Rock Rusty Shed Chardonnay 2022
Bright straw in colour; a nose of vanilla, apple and Meyer lemon; medium- to full-bodied, dry, richly extracted apple and peach flavours; beautifully balanced. (92)

Flat Rock Rusty Shed Chardonnay 2016
Straw colour; apple bouquet with forest floor notes; medium to full-bodied, dry, richly extracted apple and pear flavours; beautifully balanced, great length. Mâconnais style. (92)

Flat Rock Nadja’s Riesling 2024
Pale straw in colour; minerally, lightly floral nose of grapefruit and lemon; light-bodied, crisply dry, elegant, grapefruit and lime flavours, Great length. (90)

Flat Rock Nadja’s Riesling 2023
Pale straw in colour; floral, green apple and lime bouquet; light-bodied, crisply dry, grapefruit and green pineapple flavours. Great length. (91)

Flat Rock Nadja’s Riesling 2016
Pale straw-lime in colour; lifted nose of petrol and citrus fruits; light-bodied, off-dry, honeyed grapefruit flavour. Spätlese style. (92)

Lady winemakers at Flat Rock

Wednesday, May 7^th: A tasting of 2024 River Stone Wines from the Okanagan. The terrible weather in 2023 destroyed many vineyards, forcing producers to look south to Washington and Oregon for fruit. River Stone bought grapes from Horse Heaven Hills in Washington, and they labelled these wines their Good Neighbours series.

River Stone wines

River Stone Splash 2024 (a blend of Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc)
Straw colour; grassy, green plum nose; medium-bodied dry, richly extracted, lemony, green apple flavours with notes of passion fruit and green pineapple (the Sauvignon really sings through). A fine spine of fresh acidity. (90)

River Stone Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Pale straw in colour; pronounced grassy, passionfruit bouquet with a thread of minerality; medium-bodied, dry, grapefruit and passionfruit flavours. Very New Zealand in style. Fresh and lively on the palate; beautifully balanced; great length. (91)

River Stone Unoaked Chardonnay 2024
Straw colour; leesy, apple and citrus nose; medium to full-bodied, dry, apple and pear flavours with a firm finish. (89)

River Stone Chenin Blanc 2024
Pale straw in colour; minerally white peach nose with a light floral note; medium-bodied, dry, richly extracted peach and yellow apple flavours. Beautifully balanced with lively acidity; great length. (91)

Also tasted two wines from Township 7 in the Okanagan:

Township 7 Benchmark Series Viognier Raju Vineyard 2023
Straw colour; spicy, honeysuckle and peach on the nose with a thread of minerality; medium to full-bodied, dry, richly extracted honeyed peach flavour with balancing acidity and great length. (91)

Township 7 Benchmark Series Gewurztraminer Wheeler Family Vineyard 2022
Pale straw in colour; lychee and ginger on the nose; medium-bodied, off-dry, lychee and ripe peach flavours. Lovely mouth-feel – Alsace style, rich and full on the palate. (92)

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