What Winemakers Like to Drink

To find the best wine in the OK, we went straight to the winemakers and asked them to tell us about a bottle that they admire. And so on. And so on…

The Wine: Blue Mountain Brut NV Gold Label Sparkling“It hits all the important criteria: fruit, minerality, mouth feel and value—spectacular at less than $25.”The Wine: Tantalus Old Vines Riesling“Brilliant acidity and precise fruit! A good expression of the Okanagan Valley.”The Wine: CedarCreek Platinum“Block 5” Chardonnay “Darryl pushes the envelope with chardonnay, creating a mineral driven, racy style with single-block designation that speaks of a sense of place.”The Wine: Laughing Stock Portfolio“A classic Bordeaux blend, using all five varieties, that is very consistent in quality every year. The wine shows elegance, purity and great fruit, and can age exceptionally well.”The Wine: Le Vieux Pin AVA“This viognier/roussanne/marsanne is white-peaches-meets-pink-grapefruit-meets-rose-petal, all with balanced mouth weight and a little toast.”The Wine: Burrowing Owl Cabernet Franc“An intense nose that shows some ripe fruits. The mouth is full-bodied with a very nice spinal cord, and the oak is very well integrated.”The Wine: Quail’s Gate Stewart Family Reserve Pinot Noir“This wine is the pinnacle of excellence for pinots in the Valley. Rich yet elegant and Burgundian in style, it exemplifies the potential for B.C. pinots like no other.” WL