It’s Fall and the rains will soon be starting according to the weather forecast. How to keep yourself happy and fortified during our rainy season? Big red BC wines. I received 3 bottles recently:
- TIME Estate Winery Syrah 2013
- TIME Estate Winery Meritage 2013
- McWatters Collection Meritage 2013
Two Bordeaux blends and one single varietal bottle of big BC red wines. These wines come from the hotter South Okanagan. I tried the 2012 vintage of both Meritage wines and wrote an article about them on MyWinePal. Both impressive wines to enjoy. What about the 2013 vintage?
McWatters Collection Meritage 2013
The McWatters Collection Meritage 2013 is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc. It’s a little less Cab Sauv and a little more Merlot in this vintage compared to 2012. Interestingly, they kept the Cab Franc percentage the same. This wine is deep garnet in colour; about 90% opaque. It has a medium intensity, youthful nose, with aromas of baby powder, vanilla, black fruit, ripe raspberries and plum, along with some perfume, and a light touch of smoke, blueberries, and dark chocolate. Decanting toned down the baby powder and vanilla component. It’s dry and round, with medium plus body, and a slightly sweet entry, which could be from the fruitiness of the grapes, as with decanting the sweetness was not detected. It also has a salty minerality to it that I enjoyed. More black fruit and less red fruit, ripe raspberries and plums on the palate, with hints of perfume and smoke. The perfume and smoke also disappeared with decanting. The wine has a medium plus length, with mouth watering acidity and firmer tannins. The tannins build from the entry to the finish. It ends with flavours of dark fruit, blueberries, and light charcoal upon first opening. With decanting the charcoal goes away and you get a peppery finish. Enjoy over the next 4-5 years.
Rating: 
– 
An elegant Bordeaux blend that I could see being enjoyed with a hearty stew this winter. I think the wine has more interesting aromas and flavours when first opened, so no need to decant.
TIME Estate Winery Meritage 2013
The TIME Estate Winery Meritage 2013 is a blend of 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Cabernet Franc. Compared to the 2012 vintage, this wine has approximately 10% less Merlot and 10% more Cab Franc. It is interesting that the Cab Franc component is larger, yet I did not pick up any “cedar” component which is classic for this grape variety. This wine was a very deep garnet in colour; 95% opaque, compared to the McWatters Meritage. This wine has a medium intensity nose, which is starting to show some developing aromas of meatiness and sausage, along with black and red fruits, smoke, and hints of vanilla, and nutmeg. Decanting this wine did not add much to the nose other than some light leafiness, and a reduction of the sausage component, which I quite enjoy. It’s dry with medium acidity, and medium plus tannins, body, and flavour intensity. Dry, soft and round in the mouth. The tannins do get stronger as you finish your sip, as it did with the McWatters Collection Meritage. More black fruit, with less red fruit, ripe plums, black cherry, and light notes of vanilla, and oak. Medium length, firmer tannic finish. Tart red and black fruit, nutmeg and some pepperiness on the finish. Another red that you can enjoy over the next 4-5 years.
Rating: – A bolder Bordeaux blend, showing off a mix of fruit and developing meaty aromas on the nose. More black and red fruits on the palate with good tannic structure. Another wine that I would pour straight from the bottle to your glass, without decanting.
TIME Estate Syrah 2013
This Syrah comes from the one of the most awarded vineyards in Canada, Sundial Vineyard, located on the Black Sage Road. I see that it recently won a Platinum award from the 2016 British Columbia Wine Awards. This wine is opaque ruby from the rim to the core. It has a pronounced, complex dark fruit nose. In particular a mix of black fruit, ripe raspberries, black currants, along with a whiff of perfume, a hint of nutmeg and dark chocolate, and vanilla peeking from the background. This wine is dry, medium plus bodied and silky on the palate. Ripe raspberries, black currants, black cherries and plum fruit, together with hints of chocolate and oak flavours. Medium plus length with soft acidity and fine tannins. Dark fruit on the finish. With decanting, nutmeg becomes prominent on the palate, and raspberries & raspberry leaf on the finish. With the softer tannins, I would recommend drinking this wine over the next 1-2 years.
Rating: A very seductive dark fruit wine with complex nose.
For more information on these wineries and to buy these wines, please check their websites:
www.timewinery.com
www.harrymcwatters.com
