Sip Some of British Columbia’s Best Red Wines to End or Start the Year
Whether you’re thinking about a nice prime rib dinner, grilled lamb chop dinner, or just cozying up by the fire, a glass of one of British Columbia’s Best Red Wines might be just what you need. Why not lean in and support your BC Wine Growers and Vintners and put a bottle of BC Wine on the table? We have a few heavy hitters and some that pack less of a punch for you to close out or begin the new year.
Cedar Creek Meritage 2021 $30
This blend of 55% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Franc, 9% Malbec, and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon is grown in the South Okanagan in the Haynes Creek Vineyard on the Eastern side of Osoyoos Lake from vines planted in 2007. The blend spent 15 months in French oak and is full of black currant, black plum, cocoa, spice, and some herbaceous notes, and finishes with velvety tannins. I am thinking of a thick grilled steak here, and I just noticed that the menu at Home Block Restaurant at Cedar Creek has a Bavette with a beef cheek croquette and a red wine jus that sounds just perfect.
Chronos Carpo 2022 $59.99
There’s lots of news out of the Time Family of Wine, which includes Chronos, Evolve, McWatters and Time wines, and I’ve covered some of it here. I am looking forward to my next visit to their winery and onsite Orolo Restaurant to sample some other wines, but we have the Chronos Carpo right now. 2022 is the inaugural vintage of this wine, this year it’s a blend of 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 20% Syrah, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Malbec, hand-selected by winemaker Lynzee Schatz from the best barrels at the winery. The wine jumps from the glass with plum, black cherry, pomegranate, vanilla and leather. I am considering a rib roast here with a Chimichurri sauce or lamb chops.
Hester Creek The Judge 2020 $49.99
If you want value for your wine dollar, Hester Creek wines deliver solidly, and The Judge is an absolute steal at $49.99, given it’s ranking among British Columbia’s Best Red Wines. Here, we have 35% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec grapes from the 2020 exceptional vintage, grown on the Gold Mile Bench estate property. The fruit was sorted, cold-soaked for 2 days, and then fermented separately in Italian Ganimede tanks before blending, and then aged in new and neutral French oak for 24 months. The result is a delightful, approachable wine with blackberry, cherry, anise, caramel, and chocolate. I want meat with all these reds, but a roast portobello mushroom gratin, eggplant parmesan, or an intensely flavoured mushroom Bolognese would also work well for carnivore-free choices.
Road 13 Malbec 2020 $79.99
I found a couple of interesting facts surrounding this wine. Firstly, BC has anywhere from 120-150 acres of Malbec grapes or 1-2% of the total grapes planted in our province. Second, its namesake is BC Premier John Oliver (1918-1927). Premier Oliver was responsible for building the canal that allowed agriculture to flourish in the South Okanagan, bringing many settlers to farm. There is nothing wrong with getting a history lesson in a glass, is there? But now, onto the wine.
This Malbec hails from vineyards in East Osoyoos and is hand-harvested and sorted, fermented on its skins for 30 days, and then aged for 18 months in 40 percent new French oak. It’s full of blackberry, red plum, and spice with softer tannins, a lengthy finish and definite aging potential. This Malbec makes me want mushroom empanadas, a hunk of Manchego cheese, or squab with a red wine sauce.
Ruby Blues Cabernet Merlot 2022 $47.90
Ruby Blues is a charming winery on the Naramata Bench, producing wines primarily from Naramata grapes. While the theme of the winery is more whimsical, the wine-making is serious and led by winemaker Graham Pierce, known for his work at top-tier wineries around Okanagan. The blend of 37.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37.5% Cabernet Franc, and 25% Merlot grapes from four unique Naramata vineyards gives the wine complexity, and the fruit from 2022 was super ripe and given a long hang time. There are aromas of black cherry and plum, with some spice and a bit of pepper, with jammy blackberry, red and black cherry and some spice again on the palate. Very smooth with balanced acidity and drinking well right now and in the next few years.
