It is almost the end of summer, but the sun is still shining and we should get out onto the patio and enjoy fresh wine. I received a box of wines to try from Evolve Cellars in Summerland, and inside there were two bottles of bubble, three white aromatics, a rose, and a silky red. Okanagan white wines show off their fresh fruit flavours and back them up with vibrant acidity. I’m sure there will be at least one or two wines that I describe below that you will like. So read on, and celebrate the last of summer with some wines from Evolve Cellars.
My Tasting Notes
Evolve Cellars Elan Effervescence NV ($19.99) – Pale lemon with tiny bubbles in the glass. Very light stone fruit (apricot and peach) and apple nose, and delicate fruit aromas in general. Between off-dry and medium-dry. The wine does taste sweeter when the bubbles diminish. The bubbles are tiny and biting, but slowly evolve and become more creamy in your mouth. Primarily stone fruit flavours with citrus in support. Longer length with mouth watering acidity on the finish. If you are a fan of sweeter Prosecco wines, you will probably enjoy this wine.
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Evolve Cellars Pink Effervescence NV ($19.99) – Pale pink rose petals in colour. Medium intensity sweet, red fruits and apples on the nose. Dry with medium mouth feel and acidity,and creamy, medium bubble. The flavour intensity is quite pronounced with mostly strawberries and other red fruits. Longer length with some bitterness on the finish. The tannins are light but provide enough structure for this sparkling wine. Tasty.
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Evolve Cellars Sauvignon Blanc 2016 ($15.99) – Light lemon green in colour. It has a medium intensity nose with aromas of lees, green apples, lime and grapefruit, and a hint of floral petals too. The wine is dryish, round with higher acidity. With some time decanting the acidity does seem to smooth out. Medium body with flavours of stone fruit, primarily pear, along with green fruit, yellow grapefruit and a hint of apricot. Medium length, finishing with mouthwatering acidity, pepper, bitter grapefruit rind, citrus and some stone fruit.
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Evolve Cellars Pinot Blanc 2016 ($15.99) – Pale straw colour. Medium intensity nose, but very fruity aromas. Lots of stone fruit, green apples and either toasty oak or flint. The wine is dry, soft and round with a bigger mouth feel. Apple flavour primarily, with lesser amounts of pear and peach. There is also some stony minerality to this wine. With decanting, the acidity, although not too strong, softens a bit more. The wine also becomes quite floral, and reminds me a bit like Gewurztraminer. The wine has a longer length, with mouth watering acidity, finishing with citrus, citrus rind, and stone fruits.
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Evolve Cellars Pinot Gris 2016 ($15.99) – Light, bright straw coloured. A very different aroma when first opened with cut hay and green beans, but these fade away quite quickly leaving you with stone fruits on the nose. With decanting the cut hay and green bean aromas are completely gone. The wine is medium bodied, semi-round, with above average acidity, leaving a light acidic prickle on your tongue. Pears and stone fruit followed up with apples on the palate. With decanting, the wine also showed honey and salty minerality. Some bitterness on the finish. This wine has overall softer texture and flavour compared to the Pinot Blanc.
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Evolve Cellars Rosé 2016 ($16.99) – Medium salmon in colour. Medium intensity aromas of ripe raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, and raspberry leaf. The wine is slightly off dry, medium body and fairly round in the mouth. It almost has a waxy feel to it. Bright acidity. Flavours of raspberries, strawberries, red cherries, and other red fruits. With decanting the strawberry flavour increases and raspberry decreases, but still very tasty. Medium length, finishing with tart red fruit, some pepperiness and bitterness. A nice rosé.
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Evolve Cellars Elevate Carmenere 2014 ($30) – Carmenere is not a very well-known grape in BC, unless you are a fan of Carmenere wines from Chile. There are some wineries growing this grape, which has been in the past as Merlot in Chile. In Chile Carmenere is now their signature red grape. It does need more time to ripen than Merlot, and when Chile had Merlot and Carmenere mixed together, the lesser ripe Carmenere would impart a capsicum aroma and flavour to the wine. Now knowing the difference, Carmenere gets to properly ripen and show it’s true colour. But I digress. I was pleased to receive this bottle of Carmenere from Evolve Cellars. It really is a fantastic wine. In the glass, the wine is an almost opaque garnet colour. It is very aromatic; vanilla, red fruit, cedar, nutmeg, ripe cherries and black fruit aromas. On the palate it is dry, lighter body, round, and has soft, silky tannins. Tasty red cherries and black fruit, along with raspberries, nutmeg, cedar and a touch of vanilla. The flavours in the wine grab you and make you pay attention. I also picked up a mineral component to this wine but it became less evident with decanting. With decanting, the black fruit component became stronger than the red fruits. The wine has a medium plus length, finishing with really ripe fruit flavours, some pepper, and firmer tannins. There is enough tannins to give this wine structure for now, and structure for aging. I recommend 3-4 years of cellaring at the most. Buy this wine without hesitation.
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Where Can I Buy These Wines?
You can purchase these wines through their website at this link. Everything Wine carries their Sauvignon Blanc.