Made of 95% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Semillon this very impressive white blend smells of honeycomb and figs, snap peas and honeydew melon, exotic blossoms and sweet almond oil. Lively and fresh on the palate - primary flavours of citrus peel and honey with a mineral seam. It has a nice roundness to the texture with impressive concentration and complexity.
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - October 25th, 2010

There is a lot of intensity in this wine - expressive pear and guava fruit, orange blossoms and honey with exotic citrus and leesy notes. The palate echoes those aromas offering pure flavours of peach, guava and lively citrus - it is off-dry but well balanced acidity supports the sweetness.
Pair this wine with fish topped with fresh fruit salsa, crab cakes or soft-medium firm cheeses.

©copyright 2011 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - May 31st, 2011

Really great value!
This wine will not dissappoint - a mix of black and red fruit, leather, green olives and chocolate with bold roasted coffee notes and hints of graphite. It is medium-full on the palate - sweet, ripe plum and cherry fruit is layered with chocolate, coffee and spice. It is smooth and toasty with nice complexity and balance and there are fine tannins lingering on the finish.
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - November 21st, 2010

BC native and experienced international winemaker Ann Sperling creates a welcome addition to our growing wine industry - Sperling Vineyards, located in Kelowna.
The Market White is a fragrant blend of mostly Pinot Gris with Gewurztraminer and a dash of Riesling. Expect aromas of rose petals and honeysuckle, tropical lychee and vibrant grapefruit, a hint of sweet herbs and a whiff of star anise. The palate is off-dry, sweet and juicy stone fruits - think mango and peach - honey and light spice flavours, nice acidity cleans up the finish.
This will make a great patio sipper this summer or pair with spicy noodles or chili dipped spring rolls.
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - April 29th, 2010

This delicious blend of Riesling and Chardonnay is made in traditional method of second fermentation in the bottle - which creates not only the bubbles but the complexity.
Wow - this bubbly really pops - pretty aromas of crisp orchard fruits (notably peaches) with honey, citrus blossoms and just the right dose of toast. It has a lovely mousse on the palate layered with crisp citrus, tart green apple and a kiss of sweetness. Fresh, bright and fragrant and very, very enjoyable!

©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - November 30th, 2010

Made from their 50-acre estate on the slope of Mt. Prevost in Duncan B.C, Averill Creek wines may be new to those familiar with Okanagan Valley wines, but certainly not to Vancouver Islanders. Their west coast depicted labels offer clues to their current location, but winery owners Andy and Wendy Johnston are former Edmontonians.
This Pinot Grigio is very refreshing - aromas of grapefruit peel, green melon, chalk and a hint of herbs. The palate is citrusy and lively with a slight roundness to take the edge off. Expect flavours of grapefruit, lime and white fruit that linger across a clean finish.
©copyright 2011 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - January 13th, 2011

Made from their 50-acre estate on the slope of Mt. Prevost in Duncan B.C, Averill Creek wines may be new to those familiar with Okanagan Valley wines, but certainly not to Vancouver Islanders. Their west coast depicted labels offer clues to their current location, but winery owners Andy and Wendy Johnston are former Edmontonians.
The Pinot Gris is very different from their pristine Pinot Grigio (besides being fermented and aged in neutral French oak barriques), it is more golden in colour with aromas of toast and wild honey, lees, spice and rainforest floor. Similar toast, citrus, lees and spice flavours echo the aromas, assertive acidity dominates the palate while fruit falls short.
©copyright 2011 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - January 13th, 2011

This British Columbia Chardonnay presents very appealing aromas of apple crumble, melon and ripe pear with praline, warm toasty spice and a hint of white pepper. There is plenty of citrus on the palate alongside melon and exotic spice flavours. It is smooth and creamy with lively citrus on the entry but the mid-palate softens before ramping back up into a long vanilla, caramel and spiced finish.
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - July 5th, 2010

The Mamma Mia Pinot Gris presents obvious aromas of stone fruits, musk melon, wild honey and notes of forest floor/mushroom sometimes found in this Pinot Noir relative. The palate is a fruit-cup in syrup spiked with plenty of clove flavours - it is an undeniably sweet wine with a hint of acidity and a clingy, clove flavoured linger.
I would generally recommend pairing this wine with a spicy curry, but be careful of the 14.4% alcohol - it can make spicy dishes even hotter.
©copyright 2011 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - January 4th, 2011

This Chardonnay is a nice juxtaposition of ripe and tropical balanced by crisp and citrusy. The aromas lean toward tropical fruit, spice and sweet butterscotch, vanilla and just a hint of oak. The palate refelcts more cool-climate fruit - apple pear, sweet spice and exotic citrus. Nicely balanced oak here, accentuates but does not overwhelm. Creamy corn chowder, pastas in cream sauce and smoked cheeses will all pair nicely.
Aged in French and American oak barrels for 8 months.

©copyright 2011 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - February 1st, 2011

Harvested from the Greata Ranch vineyard - on the opposite (western) bank of Lake Okanagan than the winery itself, this Chardonnay is a delight of crisp apple, pear, honey blossoms, vanilla and spiced browned butter. There is a lovely roundness to the palate but it is not too creamy - fresh apple and pear, spiced nuts and sweet buttery flavours linger across the palate. Very lively.
©copyright 2011 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - January 18th, 2011

This is a delicious wine with all the elements you desire in a balanced Riesling; appealing aromas of peaches and tangerine peel, lemon drops and honeysuckle flowers. There is kiss of sweetness in the mouth but with plenty of lively citrus flavours to balance it. It's fresh, has very nice concentration and a snappy finish. A wine that will pair nicely spicy vegetable samosas.
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - August 24th, 2010

The CedarCreek Platinum Chardonnay comes from fruit harvested from four different vineyard parcels. It was then whole berry cluster-pressed then barrrel fermented before being aged for 10 months in French oak.
It offers aromas of crisp pear and apple peel, orange-blossoms, toasted oak and spice. The palate echoes those aromas - spiced pear, exotic citrus and tart apple are woven together to form a fresh and elegant wine.
Some pretty obvious oak in this wine, but the fruit still manages to shine through.

©copyright 2011 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - February 3rd, 2011

The Dunham Froese Pinot Blanc is always a solid choice for a fragrant white with a dry, crisp palate.
The 2008 vintage features aromas of wild clover honey and white peaches, sunwarmed pears and pretty citrus blossom notes. the palate is snappy and clean with a creamy vanilla finish.
A refreshing wine perfect for fresh salads and soft cheeses.
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - January 20th, 2010

From Artisan Wine Co, the Fork in the Road wines represent a white and a red - both blends. This one is named "Oliver Block 212 White" and it is a blend of Chardonnay, Semillon, Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Blanc.
It is an aromatic wine with layers of peach, apricot and tangerine, vanilla cream and a dusting of sweet spice. Mouth-watering acidity lifts the palate, flavours of stone fruit and citrus peel, vanillin oak and exotic spice. It is lengthy and zesty with spice flavours remaining long across the finish.
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - March 10th, 2010

Vineyards in Lillooet you ask? I did as well.
Fort Berens owners Rolf de Bruin and Heleen Pannekoek borrowed the name of the Hudson's Bay Company's Fort Berens, a trading post used by gold prospectors flocking to the area 150 years ago. The couple, who moved from the Netherlands in 2005, built an estate winery on their property in the Fraser Canyon where the trading post of Fort Berens used to sit. The current release of wines are made from grapes sourced from the Okanagan Valley.
There is obvious oak in this Chardonnay - expect aromas of toasted spice, apple and pear, vanilla, coconut and creamy vanilla notes. Similarly on the palate you'll find toasted spice, coconut, vanilla with a hint of marzipan. The finish is mouth-watering and has an almost, liqueur-like intensity.

©copyright 2011 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - February 1st, 2011

Rolf de Bruin and Heleen Pannekoek moved from the Netherlands in 2005 and planted vines on their property in the Fraser Canyon where the Hudson's Bay Company trading post of Fort Berens used to sit.
Their 2010 Girs is a pleasing improvement - here gobs of pears and pineapple, honey, citrus blossoms and sweet spice aromas lounge in this peachy/golden liquid. There is a nice fatness to the palate, liberal ripe fruit is balanced with lively acidity. Nice concentration and a long spiced caramel finish.
Recommended pairings: chicken, grilled fish, creamy mushroom pastas

©copyright 2011 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - June 16th, 2011

There is very nice value in this fun and fruity Chardonnay that has just a touch of oak to round it out.
Fresh melon and pear with vanilla and honey aromas. The palate is rounded and slighty creamy and offers melon, pear and guava flavours layered with vanilla and caramel. There is plenty of bright acidity here and a long, lively finish.
Good value for a crowd.

©copyright 2011 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - May 31st, 2011

Another great value from the Ganton & Larsen project, this aromatic Pinot Blanc is oozing sweet pear and peach compote aromas, marmalade and citrus blossoms with just a pinch of ginger. Snappy and crisp, a sweet fruit forward palate and a zesty citrus finish.
Buy it by the case!
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - January 13th, 2010

This is a fantastic find among BC Rieslings - a pristine version with aromas of crisp apples and apricot, fragrant citrus blossoms and lime peel. The palate is snappy with flavours that echo the aromas - orchard apples and apricots in honey and a mix of lime and pomelo citrus. A juicy wine, buzzing with vibrant acidity and just a kiss of sweetness to take the edge off...
Great value!
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - January 13th, 2010