Where is Tappen, BC? I have not heard of Tappen either until I visited Recline Ridge Vineyards and Winery. Tappen is a small town a few minutes drive west of Salmon Arm, BC. It is not in the hotter, drier climate of the Okanagan. The area is lush with forest, rolling hills, farmland, and the large water body, Shuswap Lake.
The cooler climate of this area makes aromatic whites a specialty of Recline Ridge. They have their own vineyards; 7 acres at the winery and another 15 acres a few miles away, and grow Ortega, Kerner, Bacchus, Siegerrebe, and Optima. They also have some vines of Marechal Foch, Blaufrankish, Pinot Noir, and Zweigelt red grapes.
Arriving at the winery, you notice a quaint log cabin which houses the tasting room. As you enter and explore the tasting room, you notice Japanese, Kanji, lettering scattered about. Are the winery owners Japanese? No, the owners are Graydon and Maureen Ratzlaff, who both were born here in BC. Give up?
Their log cabin tasting room, is an actual log house, that was built in the Shuswap area, among many more log houses, and shipped to Japan for people to live in as their home. Unfortunately, one of the log houses, had some damage so was rejected by the Japanese people as I was told it may have bad luck associated with it. This tiny house of BC timber, made a second voyage across the Pacific Ocean, and back to the Shuswap Lake area where it waited to be purchased and brought to Recline Ridge winery. A real mobile home!
My Wine Tasting Notes
But now, let’s get into a few of my favourite white and red wines that I tasted at Recline Ridge. I must admit that I did enjoy all the wines, but here are my top selections.
Recline Ridge Kerner 2013 – Very light apple aroma. Dry with medium plus acidity. Crisp green apple flavour. Rating: 
Recline Ridge Bacchus 2013 – Ripe peaches and honey on the nose. Dryish, with viscous mouthfeel. PIne needles, citrus, honey, and a streak of minerality. Rating:
Recline Ridge Make Me Blush 2014 – This is a rose made from a blend of Pinot Noir and Marechal Foch grapes. Name “Make Me Blush” is a play on the grape name Marechal Foch. It has a very light sweet cherry nose. Dry, medium minus body, with flavours of sour cherries and cranberries. Rating:
Recline Ridge Just Being Frank 2012 – 100% Blaufrankish goes into this bottle Medium intensity ripe cherries and vanilla on the nose. Lighter bodied, with flavours of cherries and candied cherries, followed by vanilla and cranberries. Light, fine tannins. Rating:
Recline Ridge Hummingbird’s Kiss 2014 – This late harvest wine is a blend of primarily Optima grapes and a little bit of Bacchus. It is bursting full of ripe peaches on the nose and in your mouth. Off dry with medium acidity, with a round, light syrupy feel. The acidity dries up the wine on the finish. Very tasty. Rating: 
Domo Arigato.
You buy their wines through their website, or you can find which wine shop in your city carries their wines here.
