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REVIEWSCOMMENTS & COMMENDATIONS> Wine of the Week - Sequentia "Love the orange, baked apple pear nose with grassy, honey notes and the light apricot, butter, lees, honey, canned pineapple, floral flavours. A solid, fresh, clean late harvest style. Bravo." > The Most Stylish Sauvignon Blanc in the Valley "Black Hills scored big again, with both barrels: Nota Bene '02 -- huge fruit, ripe and upfront, one of the best British Columbia reds again (start clamouring for the '04). If you're lucky enough to have some under the stairs, it will happily keep there for another five, six, seven years. The '03 Alibi is surely the most stylish Sauvignon Blanc in the valley, that soupçon of Semillon just adds a final, crystalline "ping". 'One of the great white wines to be made in Canada...' was my assessment then, and it stands." > Nice People Who Know Their Stuff "You'll have an excellent
experience in the quonset hut-like tasting room -- nice people
who pour in Riedel crystal and know their stuff. Best known for
their blockbuster red Nota Bene." > Will Grow to 90+ "When this extraordinarily
focussed winery opened a few years ago, it had only two wines:
a red called Nota Bene and a dessert wine called Sequentia. The
Nota Bene is made from three Bordeaux red grape varieties, blended
together into a superb red. The 2002 Nota Bene, which disappeared
from wine stores soon after it was released last month, is a blend
of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 18% Cabernet Franc. Of
the four vintages of Nota Bene so far, this arguably is the best:
a big, ripe, plummy wine with aromas of fruit, spice and good oak.
While it is drinking well already, it really should be cellared
for a few years to develop its full potential. I rate it 88 points
now and I believe it will grow to 90+ with a little more age." > One of the Best This Year from Anywhere in
the World "We hear that winemaker Senka Tennant
spent some time hanging out with famed Loire Valley winemaker
Didier Dagueneau, alternately known as the wild man of Pouilly
and the best producer in the appellation. Clearly she is an
excellent student because Alibi 2003 is among the best ever
three white wines we have tasted in British Columbia and one
of the best we have had this year from anywhere in the world.
The 85/15 blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon blend
jumps out of the glass offering super clean, grassy, citrus,
honey, vanilla, green apple fruit aromas with an underlying
mineral and clover quality. It's ripe, round and rich with
good acidity and elegance. Fresh green apple, honey, flinty,
chalky, grapefruit flavours with a touch of fig and vanilla
finish slightly austere. A super effort for this winery and
a great seafood wine. Drink now or should improve over the
next 1-2 years. > Outstanding! "The Southern Okanagan Valley's
Black Sage Bench may well prove itself to be one of the finest
areas around for growing Bordeaux-style grapes. With more sunshine
and heat than Napa or Sonoma, getting ripe fruit is rarely a problem.
This red blend [2001 Nota Bene] is a perfect example. Dominated
by Cabernet Sauvignon, it opens with aromas of freshly ground espresso
beans and flavors of lush black cherries and dark berries. The
tannins are aggressive without being chalky, and the finish is
pure dark chocolate." > A Standout "This is a 52 / 25 / 23 blend of cabernet
sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot. The nose is a mix of leafy,
compost and pepper aromas. On the palate, the wine is well-managed
and quite expansive. The flavours are peppery with blackberry, plums
and mocha / toffee / oak. Be sure to decant for 45 minutes before
serving." > Good Aging Potential "A rich, full Bordeaux blend
that packs in black plum, black cherry, leather, cocoa, and raisin
flavors, ending on notes of rosemary and prune. Young tannins and
firm structure offer good aging potential. Hold for 2-4 years, or
serve now with barbecued rib eye steak." > Recommended “This delicious dessert wine from
a Black Sage winery is loaded with spicy orange zest, honey aromas
and fresh apricot flavours. Good acidity keeps up with the 12 percent
residual sugar.” > Recommended “This new winery on the southern Okanagan
Valley's Black Sage Bench has released this classic Bordeaux-style
blend that comprises 66% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10%
Cabernet Franc. Toasty oak and leather aromas meld into spicy cherry
aromas. This wine, made with the aid of Walla Walla's Rusty Figgins,
is delicious and approachable in its youth." > Wine of the Week “If you drive along Black Sage
Road you'll eventually come across one of the South Okanagan's newest
and more interesting ventures. Black Hills first offering was a
runaway hit at the recent Victoria Festival of Wine and Music. With
a leathery and berry aroma followed by a velvety palate of lush
black cherry flavours, loads of vanilla, some spice and gentle tannins
-- and a easy softness from the majority Merlot." > Note Bene Means Pay Attention! Listen Up! “Take
notice, here's something out of the ordinary. Not a bad name for
a wine, especially if it's a noteworthy one, so that's what the
new Black Hills Estate Winery first release is called. First off,
there is this huge aroma -- pungent, full of bionic cherry aromas,
a little bite of eucalyptus, some classic, almost medicinal notes
some ripe black olives and all sorts of other intriguing flavour
components -- this is a wine that shows immense promise of pleasure
ahead; my advice would be to buy a case." > A Noteworthy and Collectible Wine “For collectors
of British Columbia wines, the latest must-have wine is the 1999
Nota Bene from Black Hills Estate Winery, a producer near Oliver
which has just opened. This has all the marks of becoming a cult
red wine capable of appreciating in value." > Solid Structure “Dark red colour. Aromas of tar,
leather, and lavender. The palatte shows darkly nuanced earthy notes
of truffle, leather, raisins, and cocoa in a dry, lean frame. Solid
structure reveals underlying complexity over time. Cellar 2-5 years;
or open in advance and try with a rib-eye steak in balsamico jus." > Recommended "Roberto Beninni would be proud of
this Nota Bene. A big, smokey Canadian posing as an Italian has
lots of leather and tobacco notes that point toward a big, bold
offering. On the palate, the leather chaps make a splash with a
dash of black pepper. Although the tannins are a bit firm, this
one has the heft to challenge time. Life is indeed beautiful." |
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