On my way back to Vancouver from my trip around the interior of BC, I stopped by Monte Creek Ranch Winery, just east of Kamloops to get an updated tasting of some of their wines. Wines do change in the bottle over time. They have a nice tasting room that looks northward. Across the highway, you can see some of their vineyards perched upon a terrace. When I arrived I was told that they finished their grape harvest and that day, Sunday, they put their blueberries in the fermenter to make blueberry wine. In case you didn’t know, the owners of Monte Creek Ranch Winery also own a blueberry farm, which is why you see blueberry wine on their list. Let me tell you about the wines I tasted on my way home.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Monte Creek Ranch Winery Riesling 2019 – Pale lemon colour. Lemon scented with a tinge of petrol. Dry, light body, lean, with higher acidity. Primarily lemon flavour with a touch of petrol, then some honey and stonefruit on the finish. 
Monte Creek Ranch Winery Chardonnay Reserve 2018 – Medium intensity bright lemon colour. This wine has a light butterscotch and bruised apple nose. Dry, medium-plus body and buttery. Butterscotch plus light oak and ripe apple flavours. Medium length with a buttery butterscotch finish. – 
Monte Creek Ranch Winery Hands Up White 2019 – a blend of Frontenac Gris, Riesling, and La Crescent grapes. A deeper lemon colour. Ripe, rich pineapple and mango aromas. Medium-bodied, round with higher acidity. More pineapple and mango on the palate along with a touch of toast. Medium-plus length with some tannins. Nice and fruity. –
Monte Creek Ranch Winery Sparkling Rosé 2019 – This wine is made from the Marquette grape. This wine has a bigger bubble forming the mousse. A medium-minus intensity very crystal clear rhubarb colour. A light, flinty, red fruit nose. Dry, lighter body with very high acidity. Rhubarb along with red fruits later, and a touch of flint. A smaller, biting bubble. Tart fruit flavours. Medium length. 
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Monte Creek Ranch Winery Rosé 2019 – a blend of Marquette, Frontenac Noir and Frontenac Blanc grapes. This wine has a lighter clear garnet colour. A medium-minus intensity cranberry and red cherry nose. A touch of sweetness on the nose. A medium-plus body, dry, viscous and smooth. Medium-plus acidity. Red fruits along with some tart red fruits on the palate. I also picked up some grape tannins.
Monte Creek Ranch Winery Pinot Noir Reserve 2019 – Medium-plus clear garnet in the glass. A medium intensity nose with deep aromas; dark fruits and earthiness. Medium body, dry with some roundness. Earthy, funky flavours along with black cherries. A touch of dill flavour from the mid-palate to the finish. Medium acidity with lighter tannins. I checked their website to see if this wine should have earthy and funky flavours, but did not see a mention, so it could be that this bottle has some taint, or maybe has been open for several days. As such, I did not think I should give this wine a rating.
Monte Creek Ranch Winery Cabernet Merlot 2017 – a blend of 69% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc. A deeper, dull garnet colour. Deep, ripe berry aromas. A medium-plus body with a thicker, round mouthfeel. This wine is dry, has medium acidity and lighter tannins. Cassis, plums, and touches of sweet spices and black pepper on the palate. Tannins get strong on the finish.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
Monte Creek Ranch does offer sales of their wines through their Buy Wine web page. If you live in the lower mainland or the Fraser Valley, Monte Creek Ranch does have an interactive web map finder. On this web page is also information about where you can buy their wines outside of BC.
