The Mavety family has been growing grapes high above Vaseaux Lake in the South Okanagan since 1971. Since 1991 they have been making their own wines under the Blue Mountain label.
Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Gamay Noir is their focus.
Consistent and elegant with an Old World character the 2011offers spicy and savoury notes of leather and pepper, beet greens and dried herbs atop rhubarb and tart red berries, smoke and cedar. The palate is smooth it is a restrained style with plenty of acidity. Good concentration and flavours of juicy red fruits, spicebox and cigar. The finish is lengthy and trails bittersweet cocoa.
©copyright 2013 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - May 16th, 2013

You could say that the Clark & Telephone is the most masculine of the three single vineyard Pinot Noirs that Joe Wagner makes under the Belle Glos label. The vineyards are: Las Alturas (planted high in the Santa Lucia highlands), Taylor Lane (close to the ocean and resulting fog on the coast) and this Clark & Telephone in Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara. Stay tuned in coming vintages - there may be another coming soon.
Luscious fruit dominates - juicy cherry and raspberry dance with slightly darker fruit. Next, crushed roses and violet notes are grounded with beets, leather and forest floor. It is silky and plush with a sink-your-teeth-into-it texture. Voluptuous fruit, licorice and spiced chocolate flavours grab on for the long haul.
©copyright 2013 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - April 11th, 2013

Buttered toast, dried fruit and nut brioche and ginger biscuits layered with apple tarte, vanilla, honeysuckle and yeast. It has a lovely richness in the mouth with flavours of macadamia nuts, vanilla cream, toasted pastries, Bosc pear and citrus. The mousse is creamy and fine and it has wonderful balance and persistence.
©copyright 2013 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - April 4th, 2013

A stamp of South Africa, this savoury and intense Cabernet offers smoked black plum and black currents, roasted herbs, peppery spices, roasting coffee beans and bittersweet chocolate aromas. It has the same smoked, savoury character in the mouth - grilling meat, bittersweet cocoa, spice rub and black fruit flavours. It is smooth, has good freshness and concentration and is supple on the palate with an extensive finish.
©copyright 2013 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - March 19th, 2013

Made from Naramata Bench vineyards, Lake Breeze's premium Merlot offers dusty plums, blackberry and smoke with sweet spices, vanilla and bittersweet chocolate wrapped around a core of grilling meat. It has a very expressive palate with gobs of supple fruit, baking spice and chocolate flavours. It has good length with clingy, cocoa tannins.
Nicely done.
©copyright 2013 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - March 19th, 2013

A signature variety for Black Hills, the 2010 vintage Carmenere shows spicy black fruit, briny green olive, roasted peppers, smoked spices and creamy dark chocolate. Wonderfully fresh in the mouth; mixed red and black fruit flavours are layered with peppery spice roasted coffee and bittersweet cocoa. Very good intensity and balance - a wine with character.
Pair with roasted meats, pepper steak or risotto with mushroom jus and plenty of fresh savoury herbs.
©copyright 2013 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - March 19th, 2013

A charming, classically-styled wine blending Sangiovese with Cabernet Sauvignon and Caniaiolo.
It offers fragrant crushed roses, sweet cherry, tobacco and vanilla with leather and sweet spice aromas with a gesture of licorice. It's a chic wine with flavours of cherries, bittersweet cocoa, vanilla and leather. Dry, chalky tannins coat the palate the finish is juicy and trails fresh red berry flavours.
A good partner to hard cheeses and tomato pastas or roasted meat dishes.

©copyright 2013 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - March 18th, 2013

This gorgeous and chic Chardonnay was fermented (40%) and aged in stainless stele and the remainder in new to three-year-old oak barrels then aged seven months.
Aromas of pear, melon and golden apples are layered with fine spice orange peel, and creamy leesy notes. The palate is an echo of the nose; expect wonderful freshness here with leesy flavours, citrus peel, white fruit and hint of nuts. Lovely weight and a crisp, bright finish.
©copyright 2013 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - March 7th, 2013

Sandra Oldfield's Syrah is quickly becoming my favourite of the Tinhorn Creek lineup. Expect aromas of black raspberries, vanilla, cola spices, white pepper and violets - its fragrant and feminine. The palate is fresh and smooth - it's an elegant wine with juicy berry flavours, exotic spices, coffee and floral hints, which trail across the finish. A chic wine with good length.
Recommended pairings: BBQ ribs, smoked pork chops, grilled prime beef and aged goat's cheese
©copyright 2013 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - March 6th, 2013

The Compendium is one of the limited, ultra-premium Legacy Series of wines from Mission Hill. It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (40%), Merlot (35%), Cabernet Franc (20%) and Petit Verdot (5%) aged in French oak barrels for 14 months.
Like its sibling Quatrain, it is a wine with formidable concentration. Aromas or smoked black cherries, leather, savoury brown spice and bittersweet chocolate surround vanilla, licorice and briary berries. The palate entry is supple. It grows more brooding across the mid-palate and carries dark toasted spice, roasted espresso and dark chocolate. Still tightly wound, very full-bodied and a long tobacco and spice flavoured finish.
Decant now or hold until 2020.
©copyright 2013 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - February 20th, 2013