With Kinder Morgan considering their decision to continue with their oil pipeline to the Vancouver Lower Mainland to be made by May 31, 2018, the rhetoric between the Alberta and BC governments has ramped up. In February, the Alberta government restricted the import of BC wines into Alberta. Farm Friends, organized by several BC wineries in response to the boycott of BC wines was born. Farm Friends asked people to show their support for BC wine and Alberta food products.
Farmers have many obstacles with natural events, like hail storms, and should not have to have government disagreements also affect them.
In February, as part of Farm Friends, I reviewed 5 BC wines, and in this article, I am following it up by reviewing 3 BC Pinot Noirs from these wineries. I encourage you to try these wines as well.
3 BC Pinot Noirs
Haywire Free Form Pinot Noir 2015 – Free Form wines are made naturally, with no cellar intervention. Indigenous yeasts fermented these grapes in an 800-litre clay amphorae where the wine aged on its skins for eight months. The was then pressed and left to rest for an additional two months before being bottled without filtration. This wine has a lighter garnet colour. Lighter intensity aromas, some youthful and other developing, of red fruit, smoked meat and hints of raspberries and vanilla. With decanting this wine became much more floral on the nose, as well as adding a cranberry note along with the red fruit, raspberries and vanilla; and the smoked meat aroma disappeared. The wine is slightly off-dry, with lighter tannins, and has an interesting slight acidic prickle on the tongue, which I think makes this wine distinct. The wine is quite floral overall, and also has bright raspberry and red cherry flavours. The wine has an astringent mouthfeel. It has a medium plus length with the tannins becoming stronger and a bit of puckering tartness. The floral, red cherry and raspberry flavours continue to the end. I think with the acidity in this wine, it has the ability to age and become more complex on the nose and palate.
Rating: 
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A distinctly different Pinot Noir; red fruit and floral with an acidic prickle.
Liquidity Estate Pinot Noir 2016 – Medium ruby in the glass. This wine has a lighter intensity nose when first opened. A quite sensual mix of vanilla and red cherries. With decanting the nose changes a bit with the addition of some smoky bramble aromas. The wine has a very silky mouthfeel, with low acidity and tannins. Medium bodied. Understated floral, red fruit and red cherry flavours. Floral first greets your palate, followed by the red fruit then red cherry flavours. It finishes with some vanilla. There are hints of cinnamon and cloves on the palate as well but those dissipate with decanting. With decanting the floral component is reduced, but you now get some bramble leaf. Medium plus length with tart red fruit and medium tannins on the finish. With decanting you also get some pepperiness on the finish.
Rating: Silky, understated red fruit flavours from this Pinot Noir, together with floral upon first opening and bramble with decanting.
50th Parallel Estate Pinot Noir 2015 – Deep garnet in colour. Medium intensity aromas of red cherries, lees (which burns off quickly), raspberries, and red fruits, together with hints of oak and vanilla. With a short exposure to air, you also get the smell of milk chocolate and some bramble. The wine has medium plus body and flavour intensity but is very silky and round on the palate. Ripe ripe red fruit, raspberries, and red cherries, together with prominent floral perfume on the palate. here is also a hint of sweet spices and bramble leaf toward the finish. With air, I also picked up flavours of red plums. The fuller mouthfeel is really prominent in this wine. The wine has a medium plus length, finishing with flavours of tart red cherries and bramble, and firmer tannins.
Rating: – 
With decanting. A quality, bigger, round Pinot Noir with ripe raspberries, red fruit and floral flavours.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
These wines are available through the wineries’ websites:
- Haywire Free Form Pinot Noir 2015
- Liquidity Estate Pinot Noir 2016
- 50th Parallel Estate Pinot Noir 2015
Their wines are also available at a variety of wine shops:
- Where to find Haywire Winery wines
- Where to find Liquidity Estate wines
- Where to find 50th Parallel Estate wines
Whether you are in BC or in Alberta give these wines a try and make a friend with a farmer.
