A twitter tasting with this wine in September 2009 and winemaker Dwight Sick's social networking skills are really helping bring some needed attention to this 12 year old winery.
This is a well made Merlot with an intense colour and aromas of black cherry, sweet plums and chocolate with savoury herbs and earthy undertones. The palate shows bright fruit, cocoa and earth, roasted coffee beans nestled within powdery tannins. Good balance of fruit, acidity, oak and tannin.
©copyright 2009 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - October 21st, 2009

Dense aromas of black cherries and currents, bittersweet chocolate and roasted coffee beans with undertones of green bell pepper - savoury and earthy. Balanced on the palate with smooth tannins - ripe cherry plummy fruits, mocha and char flavours with spiced cocoa lingering on the finish.
©copyright 2009 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - May 25th, 2009

The 2006 Sumac Ridge Meritage is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with 25% each of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon with 2% Petit Verdot. It is a savoury and elegant wine with BC terroir written all over it - smoky black berry and plummy aromas, roasted herbs and bell peppers with spice rub and meaty undertones. It is medium-full bodied, concentrated and almost muscular with layers of integrated dark fruit, mocha, tobacco and oak spice. Expect plenty of bright acidity and a smooth finish.
©copyright 2009 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - December 7th, 2009

The vineyard from which this 2006 Pinot Noir grapes were harvested was in transition to organic, which takes a few years before it can become certified organic.
The colour is dark ruby turning brick and the aromas will appeal to those of you who like your Pinot with funk...saddle leather, compost/forest floor, stewed cherries and spice with a hint of tomato leaf. The palate is quite lean, the entry is fresh and turns to flavours of cherry juice and light spice with tobacco leaf. The tannins are grippy and hold on...
©copyright 2009 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - March 25th, 2009

This youthful Merlot is a vibrant purplish colour with punchy, potent berry aromas, vanilla, char and prevalent toasted oak. It is supple on the entry with bittersweet chocolate, espresso and an abundance of oak and oak spice flavours. The tannins are firm and grippy and it will benefit from some time in the cellar.
©copyright 2009 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - October 19th, 2009

An impressive showing from this young Pinot Noir from Naramata Bench's Therapy Vineyards. It's ruby purple in colour with gobs of pretty violet aromas, cherry and raspberry and sweet vanilla with a core of forest floor, herbs and cedar chips. It is quite full-bodied for a Pinot with bright acidity, red fruit, spice and leather flavours. It's smooth, then fine tannins and peppery hints round out the palate.
©copyright 2009 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - October 21st, 2009

Thornhaven has continuously impressed BC wine drinkers with this Barrel Reserve Pinot Noir. It is an old-world style with primary aromas of forest floor and compost, sour cherries and loads of cedar with hints of white pepper. It's light bodied with tart red fruit and spice flavours and shows fine tannins, nice elegance with pepper on the finish.©copyright 2009 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - May 14th, 2009

This bestselling Tinhorn Creek red has loads of red plums and currents and herbal aromas, spice and green olives, vanilla and cedar chips. It is smooth on the entry with juicy berry fruits, fine cedarbox spices, and cocoa flavours. The palate is bright, the finish smooth and Tinhorn Creek suggests pairing this wine with hamburgers or grilled sausage or lasagne.
©copyright 2009 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - October 19th, 2009

Tinhorn Creek is celebrating 15 years in 2009 and part of that celebration includes new labels like the one you see here.
This 2007 Merlot has aromas of smoked plums, cherries and saddle leather with undertones of spiced cocoa. It is medium-bodied with a soft palate and powdery tannins. Expect flavours of cherries, roasted coffee beans and mocha with spice flavours lingering on the finish.
©copyright 2009 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - October 19th, 2009

This premium level Tinhorn Creek Merlot is 93% Merlot with 6% Cabernet Franc and 1% Syrah from the Diamondback and Tinhorn Creek South Okanagan vineyards. It presents a combination of smoked/savoury aromas with black cherries and plums, herbs, leather and cracked pepper. It has bright cherry/berry fruit flavours on the entry followed by espresso, chocolate and spice. Well balanced with lively acidity and youthful, ripe tannins on the finish.
Tinhorn Creek suggests pairing this wine with grilled steak or hearty stews.
©copyright 2009 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - October 9th, 2009

Following the rest of Tinhorn Creek's wines, the Pinot Noir will switch over to its new label next vintage. For now you can enjoy the 2007s tart red fruit - cranberry and red currents, forest floor and wild herbal aromas, cocoa, smoked spice and a hint of chocolate hazelnuts. It's typically light in body with cedar, red fruit and cocoa flavours, it has good acidity and a slightly grainy finish.
Pair with any mushroom dish or holiday turkey.
©copyright 2009 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - October 20th, 2009

This old-world styled Syrah from the Osoyoos winery Twisted Tree has a mix of black and red berry aromas, and wild herbs, spice, leather and bacon fat. The palate is medium-bodied, it has firm tannins and plenty of juicy red fruit with layers of cocoa and espresso flavours and a hint of toasted oak on the finish.
Pair with game meats or rich bean stews.
©copyright 2009 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - December 7th, 2009

The harsh tannic component of the Tannat grape generally makes it difficult to drink as wine without ageing it. Classic to the south of France and Uruguay it is a rare varietal indeed to see grown here in BC.
I was plesantly surprised at the unique qualities of the Twisted Tree Tannat, its potent red fruit, and hearty savoury notes - think sausage and spice rub, wild herbs and earth. It is a tightly wound wine with loads of acidity - juicy red fruit, coffee mixed spice and licorice flavours appear on the palate, the tannins are fine but firm and the finish is long.
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - June 28th, 2010

Stephen Wyse left his family winery Burrowing Owl to pursue the dream of his own artisan winery with his partner Michelle Young. This is the first release for Young & Wyse and they have launched with a simple white label and a black sheep (as Stephen refers to himself as).
The Shiraz is very young and bright with aromas of red fruit and cranberry, wild herbs and hops with a hint of cedar. The palate is juicy with loads of acidity and layers of red fruit, dry earth and spice.
©copyright 2009 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - December 7th, 2009