BC Wines that'll Blow Your Mind

Welcome back Mishy. Let the good times roll.

I love the whole laughing stock portfolio of wines. Great winery.

Hi Mimik ☺
Laughing Stock is IMHO one of the top ten producers in BC. Arguably the most impressive on the Naramata Bench. Things are looking way up for Naramata, many producers I didn't note like Little Engine winery and Tightrope.
Fun times here, so very exciting!

quote:

Originally posted by Mimik:
I love the whole laughing stock portfolio of wines. Great winery.

Agreed. Surprising to me initially, but I'm a fan.

Does anyone know if the Laughing Stock portfolio of wines makes it to the USA?

IW

Welcome back!!

So many wineries I've never heard of. Time to do a wine tasting tour in BC again.

quote:

Originally posted by steve8:
So many wineries I've never heard of. Time to do a wine tasting tour in BC again.

When I moved here in 2007 there were 140 wineries in BC. Now there are almost 300.
New regions of note are Similkameen, Lillooet, Kamloops and Creston.
It's growing beyond the Okanagan as available land becomes rare and expensive, and new microclimates are discovered.
My interests are peaked by the Similkameen and Lilooet. Lillooet was discovered by Harry McWaters the father of VQA on Canada. Only one winery there now but exciting wines out of the gate by Fort Berens.
Lake Country just north of Kelowna produces the most thrilling whites and Pinot Noirs. ExNihilo, Arrowleaf, 50th Parallel and Intrigue are rocking my world right now.

quote:

Originally posted by Italian Wino:
Does anyone know if the Laughing Stock portfolio of wines makes it to the USA?

IW

Italian Wino,
Link to US shipping;
http://mobile.laughingstock.ca...tores/Find-Our-Wines

As others have said, welcome back Mishy. Have been trying a lot of BC wines since my visit last year. My favourites so far are from Black Hills, Tantalus, Laughing Stock, Painted Rock, Culmina, Le Vieux Pin, Syncromesh and Meyer. Have also had some nice wines from Poplar Grove and Church & State.

I look forward to your tasting notes from wineries that I have yet to try.

Must have been a hot and dry summer! Thanks for the summary.

I thought for sure I was pulling up an old thread when I saw a mishy post! Welcome back!

I can't imagine holding a 5-10 year internet grudge (or is it more?). That takes a special kind of person.

quote:

Originally posted by grossie:
I thought for sure I was pulling up an old thread when I saw a mishy post! Welcome back!

I can't imagine holding a 5-10 year internet grudge (or is it more?). That takes a special kind of person.

Hi Grossie ☺
Oh I pop in once and awhile. But the last time was two years ago.
I always get excited when my posts get the most views ☺
It's been about 13 years since i posted regularly. I see the geezer's still kicking stray cats off his lawn ☺. You know right now he's totally ordering the Laughing Stock portfolio online ;-)
If you know anyone with a private jet coming to Kelowna, let's do another wine swap and chi gang tasting of BC wines!

quote:

Originally posted by Bytown Rick:
As others have said, welcome back Mishy. Have been trying a lot of BC wines since my visit last year. My favourites so far are from Black Hills, Tantalus, Laughing Stock, Painted Rock, Culmina, Le Vieux Pin, Syncromesh and Meyer. Have also had some nice wines from Poplar Grove and Church & State.

I look forward to your tasting notes from wineries that I have yet to try.

Thank you Bytown Rick.
Not a fan of Le Vieux Pin, highly over rated and overpriced. However I'm excited about Church and State always. I quite like Poplar Grove but some are better than others. It's always good to be in the know with them. I liked their Cab Franc, Csm and Legacy this year.
Your the fourth person who talked to me about Syncromesh these past few weeks, and I confess I haven't tried them yet. They're not on my order sheet.
Next stop ☺

Welcome back, Mishy. And thanks for the recs!

I know a few of those wines, but I'm surprised by how many I've never even heard of. From that fairly extensive list that you've posted, would you mind posting a 'Top 10' or so group?

I'll make a point of hunting some of them down. I already bought a couple each of the Laughing Stock reds, and I think that's about it. The only other BC wines I've bought in quite a long time have been Gewürztraminers-- Thornhaven, and the 3 Dirty Laundry bottlings.

Hi Seaq,
Hard to pick a top ten because I'm fond of many wineries for specific individual efforts, but I'll try.
BC Wine Studio for their Syrah, pinot Noirs and Harmonious red blend.
Bartier Brothers for their Syrah and Semmilon.
Laughing Stock for their entire line of consistent wines
Harpers Trail for their Rieslings and Cab Franc, as well as their rose and white blend. Great price points.
Fort Berens Meritage and Cab Franc as well as their Gris and Chardonnay.
Adega for their Syrah and Franc.
Bench 1775 for their Syrah, Franc and Sauvignon Blanc.
Noble Ridge for their Chardonnay, Meritage and Pinot Noir Reserves.
Meyer for their Pinot Noirs and Chardonnay reserves.
Okanagan Crush Pad for their Haywire Canyonview Pinot Noir
50th Parallel for everything
Arrowleaf for their whites and Solstice pinot noir.
Intrigue for their entire white line .
Kitsch for their Chardonnay and Pinot Noirs.
Ciao Bella for their Pinot Noir and rose.
Moon Curser for their Contraband Syrah, Tempranillo and their Dead of Night red Blend.
Bordertown for their Desert Red and Syrah.
Gold Hill for their Cab Franc, Chardonnay, and syrah.
Desert Hills for that amazing Cabernet and Syrah.
That's my top 19 ☺
A bit beyond but hard to pair down to just 10.
Hot up and coming newbies would go to Tightrope, TH wines and Lunessence too.
Hope that helps ☺

quote:

Originally posted by grossie:
I can't imagine holding a 5-10 year internet grudge (or is it more?). That takes a special kind of person.

+1

VM

Any impressions on:

Van Westen -
Terravista Vineyards - Figaro label
Baillie-Grohman Estate Winery -

We liked them a lot when we went to a BC tasting last year in Vancouver

quote:

Originally posted by Jcocktosten:
Any impressions on:

Van Westen -
Terravista Vineyards - Figaro label
Baillie-Grohman Estate Winery -

We liked them a lot when we went to a BC tasting last year in Vancouver

Yup, I like them too ☺
Van Westen V
Van Westen Viognier
Baillie Grohman Pinot Noir ❤ and Cab Franc. Another hot new winery!

KGBO carries about 75 BC wines, a grand total of ONE of which (Laughing Stock Portfolio) is on your short list. The rest? Mission Hill, Burrowing Owl, Culmina, Quail's Gate, Dirty Laundry, Inniskillin, Gray Monk ...<sigh>. Like steve8, need to get back out to BC wine country again soon.

quote:

Originally posted by VinT:
KGBO carries about 75 BC wines, a grand total of ONE of which (Laughing Stock Portfolio) is on your short list. The rest? Mission Hill, Burrowing Owl, Culmina, Quail's Gate, Dirty Laundry, Inniskillin, Gray Monk ...<sigh>. Like steve8, need to get back out to BC wine country again soon.

Quails Gate Foch, Chard, Pinot Noir (reserves preferably, are very fine wines. There basic line in all these varietal is also quite notable.
Culmina's Merlot is exceptional, their Hypothesis is very good, and their Decora Riesling.
Burrowing Owls Meritage has always been my top pick, their Gris is very good too.
Mission Hills reserves are mostly very good, their Reserve Cabernet is the star.
The rest is a total skip, unless you can get Dirty Laundrys Riesling, that quite good. I'm completely off on their Gewürztraminers anymore. They're more like circus clowns to me.
I just had the Desert Hills Gewürztraminer, and it was spectacular. Totally Alsace.
And yesterday I had the Clos du Soleil from the Simillkameem valley and was incredibly impressed with their Signature red blend, it was 40$.
Skip the Grey Monk. Soulless wines.

Lake Breeze Tempest, also their Pinot Noir 20th Anniversary are awesome BC wines. Many worthy choices are already covered here.

That post just made me Misty☺

OK if I only could buy 10 wines, I think I can do it ☺;
Culmina Merlot 2013
Moon Curser Dead of Night 2013
Perseus Invictus 2013
Tinhorn Cab Franc 2013
Bordertown Desert Red 2013
Clos du Soliel Signature
Laughing Stock Portfolio 2013
Bartier Brothers Syrah 2013
Ex Nihilo Pinot Noir 2013
Desert Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

quote:

Originally posted by Seaquam:

quote:

Originally posted by Board-O:
Actually, what blows my mind is that she thinks there are 30-40 BC wines that blow her mind. Probably just hype. Or, alternatively, maybe the mind is really blown.

I do know what a grudge is. Apparently, YOU don't. Misty hasn't posted anything here to offend you, but still you have to take your shots at her.

This is the fourth time you've posted to this thread with nothing good to say. Twice you decided to bring up old business that Mishy didn't mention at all in this thread. In another recent thread, you were quoted as having said something offensive about your President; according to you, you had written that in a different thread so it was apparently wrong to quote it in a new thread. Why isn't your rule in effect here?

You need to look up "grudge" in a dictionary. You've been carrying this on for years. And while you're at it, look up "hypocrite" and "disingenuous" as well, two other words you like to throw around. See whether they apply to you at all.

I've had it with your bullying.

We need a clapping hands emoticon. Without it this is the best I can do.

ClapClapClapClapClapClapClapClapClapClap
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quote:

Originally posted by Mishy:
That post just made me Misty☺

OK if I only could buy 10 wines, I think I can do it ☺;
...
Perseus Invictus 2013
...

How much was this wine at the winery?

It's available now in Ontario through the vintages on-line store at $49.

Is it me or is this thread a couple of posts lighter today?

quote:

Originally posted by VinT:
Is it me or is this thread a couple of posts lighter today?

Looks that way VinT .
Maybe I can flog a few more BC wines !
Perseus Invictus appears to be sold out here but it was going for 40$ when I had it in the spring, the website says it's 49$ now.
If you can get it it's flipping awesome.

quote:

Originally posted by Rob_Sutherland:

quote:

Originally posted by Seaquam:

quote:

Originally posted by Board-O:
Actually, what blows my mind is that she thinks there are 30-40 BC wines that blow her mind. Probably just hype. Or, alternatively, maybe the mind is really blown.

I do know what a grudge is. Apparently, YOU don't. Misty hasn't posted anything here to offend you, but still you have to take your shots at her.

This is the fourth time you've posted to this thread with nothing good to say. Twice you decided to bring up old business that Mishy didn't mention at all in this thread. In another recent thread, you were quoted as having said something offensive about your President; according to you, you had written that in a different thread so it was apparently wrong to quote it in a new thread. Why isn't your rule in effect here?

You need to look up "grudge" in a dictionary. You've been carrying this on for years. And while you're at it, look up "hypocrite" and "disingenuous" as well, two other words you like to throw around. See whether they apply to you at all.

I've had it with your bullying.

We need a clapping hands emoticon. Without it this is the best I can do.

ClapClapClapClapClapClapClapClapClapClap
ClapClapClapClapClapClapClapClapClapClap
ClapClapClapClapClapClapClapClapClapClap
ClapClapClapClapClapClapClapClapClapClap

This is the best I can find.

Mishy - I have never had any wines from British Columbia. Your list shows a very diverse varietals. What do you think is the area's strength? What has led to the increase in quality? Is it more environmental than better wine making techniques?

quote:

Originally posted by DoubleD:
Mishy - I have never had any wines from British Columbia. Your list shows a very diverse varietals. What do you think is the area's strength? What has led to the increase in quality? Is it more environmental than better wine making techniques?

Double D,
Strengths are a combination of environmental and the understanding of what should be grown where.
The regions Okanagan and Similkameen are on steep slopes that are made up of mountainous soils. In the Okanagan three lakes comprise the center which act as a temperate equalizer, and reflect sun. In the winter the lake warms, in the summer it cools the surrounding areas.
In the Similkameen it's volcanic mountainous soils impart unique flavours. Bordeaux varietals and cool climate whites are showing very well there.
We seem to have a region for everything. In the north Okanagan it's the aromatic varietals and Pinot Noirs. Central it's still a nice place to grow Alcasean varietals, Syrah and Merlot are also being planted, and are well suited.
In the South Okanagan it's big reds, Cab Francs are the real superstars right now.
Over all the Okanagan should be best known for Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Pinot Gris and Cab Francs, which are unlike any Cab Francs I've ever had from anywhere. Big, dark and intense these are almost like Argentinean Malbec in structure and style.
The region has only been growing noble grapes since '82.
We are now identifying microclimates and in the process of designations for certain pockets of special spaces that grow exceptional grape varieties. Vineyard designation is a big step towards being taken seriously in the world of wine and being serious about what is produced.

Thanks for the info Mishy! It sounds like a very promising region. Definitely will be on the lookout for them in the NYC area but probably worth visiting. I've only been to Vancouver.

quote:

Originally posted by DoubleD:
Thanks for the info Mishy! It sounds like a very promising region. Definitely will be on the lookout for them in the NYC area but probably worth visiting. I've only been to Vancouver.

It's also should be noted it's so incredibly beautiful here it takes my breath away to drive down hwy 97. Certain spots like Okanagan Falls near MacIntyre Bluff and Vaseux Lake will make you belive your in Heaven on earth. Then there's the desert beyond. That's where the Sonora desert ends it's northern journey from Mexico. It's dry and hot there. When it's 30c here in Kelowna it's 35c there. The length of the Okanagan wine region extends 150 kms from Lake Country (Winfield ) to Osoyoos and the USA border. Similkameen is about 20 minutes from Penticton (the half way point of the Okanagan wine region) slightly north west. That's a very progressive wine region going on there and a whole different style of wines produced. Wines with finesse and elegance.
If you are in the Vancouver area it's a short four hour drive to Kelowna or a cheap 30 minute flight.