Saturday, May 10th: A Cappella Niagara performed our summer concert at the United Church in Font Hill. It was a rousing success, though no money was thrown.
Monday, May 12th: My birthday. Many messages received from friends. I promised them all a Ferrari in their choice of colour. Our friends Sherri and Stephen threw a dinner party for us. Stephen barbecued steak and I brought over a bottle of Tardieu-Laurent Châteauneuf du Pape 2001 (which was fantastic).
Birthday dinner wine
Stephen served a bottle of Grapes for Humanity’s From the Heart Field Blend Sparkling wine which Sherri had purchased from GFH’s fine wine auction. Deborah had a carrot cake made and suitably decorated. Luckily, I didn’t need a leaf-blower to blow out the candles. Their birthday gift to me was a pitch pipe – so I’ll never
again.
Sunday, May 13th: Tasted through five Burrowing Owl wines from the Okanagan:
Burrowing Owl Chardonnay 2022
Straw colour with a lime tint; toasty, spicy, apple nose with lemony and vanilla oak notes; medium to full-bodied, dry, richly extracted apple and lemon flavours; well-integrated oak; beautifully balanced; great length. (92)
Burrowing Owl Merlot 2022
Deep purple-ruby in colour; toasty, plum and blackberry bouquet with oak spice; medium to full-bodied, dry, earthy, plum and black cherry flavours ending on a licorice note; bright acidity and a tannic finish. (90)
Burrowing Owl Malbec 2021
Dense purple colour; cedary, spicy, vanilla and blackberry nose; medium to full-bodied, dry, richly extracted blackberry and plum flavours carried on zesty acidity; firmly structured. (91)
Burrowing Owl Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
Deep ruby in colour; cedary, spicy, blackcurrant nose with vanilla oak notes; medium to full-bodied, crunchy black fruit flavours with evident but ripe tannins; well-integrated oak with a dark chocolate note on the finish. (90)
Burrowing Owl Athene 2021 (55% Syrah, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon)
Deep purple-ruby in colour; peppery, mulberry bouquet; full-bodied, dry, savoury black fruit flavours with bright acidity; firmly structured with muscular tannins. (92)
Friday, May 16th: Tasted six wines from Bench 1775 in the Okanagan.
Bench 1775 whites
Bench 1775 Riesling Brut 2022 (Okanagan Valley)
Bright yellow gold in colour, with an active mousse of tiny bubbles; light floral nose of lilac, pink grapefruit and apple; light bodied, just off-dry, grapefruit, ripe pear and honeyed mango flavours; good length. (90)
Bench 1775 Riesling 2022 (Okanagan Valley)
Golden colour; minerally, floral, grapefruit nose; light-bodied, off-dry, honeyed apple and Meyer lemon flavours with balancing acidity. A well-made wine. (90)
Bench 1775 Gewurztraminer 2021 (Okanagan Valley)
Golden straw in colour with a lime tint; pronounced lychee and ginger bouquet; full-bodied, dry, richly extracted lychee, passionfruit and peach flavours. (89)
Bench 1775 reds
Bench 1775 Pinot Noir 2022 (Okanagan Valley)
Ruby colour; lifted, lightly floral, black raspberry bouquet with oak spice; full-bodied, dry, cherry and plum flavour with a touch of volatility and a spine of brisk acidity, (90)
Bench 1775 Merlot 2019 (Okanagan Valley)
Deep purple-ruby in colour; lightly floral, black cherry bouquet with vanilla oak notes; full-bodied (15.9% alcohol), dry; firmly structured with evident but ripe tannins; forward flavours of plum and red berry fruit. (89–90)
Bench 1775 Syrah 2021 (Similkameen Valley)
Dense purple in colour; spicy, peppery, blackberry nose with a hint of tar; full-bodied, dry, savoury, smoked meat and blackberry flavours carried on lively acidity; firmly structured, well-balanced and good length. (91)
Also tasted: Le Clos Jordanne Chardonnay Le Grand Clos 2021 with salmon.
Found at Shoppers Drug Mart