MyWinePal’s Near-Perfect 4.5-5 Star Wines for 2021

As I mentioned for my five-star wine ratings this year, COVID limited the number of events and thus wines that I could taste that came from around the world to BC.  That being said, I am grateful for the BC wineries that sent me wines to taste, plus wines from wine agencies.  There are many wines that fit into my 4.5-5 star rating category.  These are all excellent wines that you can enjoy now or with time in your cellar.  There are wines from around the world.  I’ve categorized them to make it easier for you to know where the wines come from.

BC Wines

Summerhill Pyramid Winery Estate Grown Biodynamic Chardonnay 2020, BC 4.5 stars5 stars  A wine with deep aromas of apricots, pears, apples, and honey.  Full-bodied, round with a thicker mouthfeel.  Acidity provides a backbone to the wine.  Mostly ripe pears with lesser apples, apricots, and blossom on the palate. Elegant.

Black Hills Estate Winery 2020 Alibi, BC 4.5 stars5 stars – is the second wine that the winery made after their flagship Nota Bebe red Bordeaux blend wine. Ross uses a long, 10 hr pressing of the grapes while most wineries press the grapes over a couple of hours which he notes gives a better flavour profile.  The wines are made with wild and cultured yeasts fermented in neutral French oak and stainless steel. This wine has a very bright lemon colour.  Lemon and toast aromas plus butter and bramble leaf.  Fuller body, dry with medium-plus acidity.  Butter toast, lemon, apple, buttery popcorn and bramble leaf.  Some acidic prickle and pepperiness on the finish.  Classy.

Spearhead Winery Pinot Noir Rosé 2020, BC 4.5 stars5 stars – This is a delicious Rosé wine. Buy multiple bottles.  The red fruits and rhubarb aromas and flavours are enticing as well as the very smooth mouthfeel.  Try with a salad topped with goat cheese and grilled shrimps.

Summerhill Pyramid Winery Estate Grown Biodynamic Chardonnay 2020 and Spearhead Winery Pinot Noir Rosé 2020
Summerhill Pyramid Winery Estate Grown Biodynamic Chardonnay 2020 and Spearhead Winery Pinot Noir Rosé 2020

One Faith Vineyards Certitude 2018, BC ($34.99) 4.5 stars5 stars  – A blend of 63% Cabernet Franc and 37% Merlot. Medium-minus translucent garnet.  A medium intensity nose; vegetal along with light red fruits and touches of toast and sweet spices.  Dry, medium-plus body with lighter tannins and acidity.  Red fruits and light oak flavours to start, then add vanilla and red cherries mid-palate followed by some pepperiness.  Overall smooth with a light mouthfeel.  Medium-minus length.

Moon Curser Vineyards Dead of the Night 2019, BC  4.5 stars5 stars  – A wine that starts off with light aromas of red fruit, jammy fruit, vanilla and sweet spices, then fills your mouth with a rich, thick, round and silky softness.  Lots of ripe jammy dark fruit, plums, sweet spices, and a touch of floral.  Firm tannins and light pepperiness on the finish.

Blasted Church Sacrosanct Nebbiolo 2019, BC 4.5 stars5 stars – I am posting this wine as one to buy and age for at least 4 years before you try it.  It is medium intensity translucent garnet from rim to core.  A lovely nose with a mix of dill and red fruits.  Dry, lean with medium acidity and bitter stronger drying tannins.  Dill and ripe red cherries on the palate.  In 4+ years this wine should evolve into.

One Faith Vineyards Certitude 2018 and Moon Curser Vineyards Dead of the Night 2019
One Faith Vineyards Certitude 2018 and Moon Curser Vineyards Dead of the Night 2019

Spearhead Winery Golden Retreat Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019, BC  4.5 stars5 stars – A delicate wine.  Pleasing aromas of red fruits, red cherries, candied cherries, floral and sweet spices. Medium body, soft and silky mouthfeel.  Floral, red cherries, plums, and candied cherries on the palate.  Soft finish with fine-grained tannins, red fruits, red cherries, floral and sweet spices.

Spearhead Winery Gentleman Farmer Vineyard Saddle Block Pinot Noir 2019, BC 4.5 stars5 stars – A deeper garnet colour.  Light aromas of nutmeg, floral, dark chocolate and black cherries.  With decanting you get primarily dark fruit aromas. Dry, medium-plus body.  Round with a medium intensity tannic backbone.  Dark fruit flavours, with touches of oak and vanilla.  Firmer tannic finish, with dark fruit, floral, vanilla and light pepperiness.

Spearhead Winery Golden Retreat Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019 and Gentleman Farmer Vineyard Saddle Block Pinot Noir 2019
Spearhead Winery Golden Retreat Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019 and Gentleman Farmer Vineyard Saddle Block Pinot Noir 2019

Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery Reserve Syrah 2018, BC 4.5 stars5 stars – Light intensity ripe purple fruit and touches of black pepper and oak aromas.  The mouthfeel mesmerizes you before you notice the fruit, you then enjoy the fruit flavours.  Raspberries and red fruits that transition to black fruit.  You also get a touch of sweet spices.  Delicious.

Gold Hill Cabernet Franc 2016, BC 4.5 stars5 stars – Enticing aromas of red and black fruits, cedar and sweet spice aromas upon opening. Dry, medium body with a silky mouthfeel.  Dark fruits, sweet spices and touches of cedar and smokiness.  Tannins firmer on the finish.

Nostalgia Wines Merlot 2018, BC 4.5 stars5 stars – Gina, the winemaker, has not been making Merlot wine yearly.  The last time was in 2014 and now in 2018.  This is a wine that is full-bodied, full of fruit, fit with firm tannins, and built to age for 8-12 years.  A blend of 95% Merlot (Home Vineyard, Oliver), 3% Cabernet Sauvignon (Harfman Vineyard, Osoyoos), and 2% Malbec (Gablemann Vineyard, Oliver).  It is a dull opaque garnet colour (an unfiltered wine I believe).  Lots of black fruits, black cherries, sweet spices, cedar, and dark chocolate aromas.  Full-bodied, dry and round, with fine tannins.  Juicy black fruit, cherries, cocoa on the mid-palate and sweet spices on the finish.  The wine lightens up a bit on the mid-palate.  A very concentrated wine.

Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery Reserve Syrah 2018, Gold Hill Cabernet Franc 2016, and Nostalgia Wines Merlot 2018
Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery Reserve Syrah 2018, Gold Hill Cabernet Franc 2016, and Nostalgia Wines Merlot 2018

The Rest of the World

Domaine Camille Braun Riesling, AOC Alsace Grand Cru Pfingstberg, Vintage 2018, Alsace, France (biodynamic) 4.5 stars5 stars – This Grand Cru is composed of a substratum of chalky sandstone and micaceous sandstone. The soil is well-drained and stores the solar heat to provide it to the vine later in the day. The grapes come from two parcels of which an assemblage is made.  This wine has a light floral and a touch of petrol on the nose. Dry, medium body with quite a round and soft mouthfeel.  Light acidity.  Flavours of freshly cut apples and bruised apples.  The acidity picks up toward the finish.  A long finish.

Domaine Camille Braun Pinot Noir, AOC Alsace, Vintage 2018, Alsace, France (biodynamic) 4.5 stars5 stars – The grapes for this wine come from the 115 clone and the winery also uses a Massal Selection (making the vineyard terroir more unique).  Chantal noted that with global warming over the last 20 years that Pinot Noir now ripens fully in Alsace. The grapes once picked spend two weeks maceration before fermenting, and then spend one year in oak barrels (1-5 years age). This wine is a clear medium garnet in colour.  Nice aromas of red fruits, red cherries, and sweet spices.  Dry, soft and round mouthfeel along with very light tannins.  Red fruits, floral and cinnamon on the palate.  This wine is newly bottled and needs 3-4 years of ageing for you to experience its full potential.

Domaine Camille Braun Gewurztraminer, AOC Alsace, Vintage 2019, Alsace, France (biodynamic. A Natural wine.) 4.5 stars5 stars – A very exciting wine for me.  The grapes once picked spent two weeks maceration before pressing and fermentation in old 10-year oak barrels then aged for 6-7 months.  You get a bright peach skin colour in the glass.  Sweet spice aromas, plus lychee and dried floral notes.  This wine is bone dry and light-bodied.  Oranges, roses, and lychee flavours on the palate. Bright acidity with a hint of tannins and some pepperiness on the finish.  This wine should work well pairing with food.  Recommended.

Domaine Camille Braun wines
Domaine Camille Braun wines

Domaine Charles Baur RIESLING, AOC Alsace, Grand Cru Brand 2017, Alsace, France 4.5 stars5 stars – Medium lemon and pear skin colour. A light intensity nose with a mix of stone fruits, honey, apples, and a touch of petrol. Fuller bodied, round and soft, with medium acidity.  Ripe fruit flavours; stone fruits and apples.  Some minerality and a touch of petrol as well.  Honeyed fruits, tartness and some pepperiness on the finish.  A quality wine.

Domaine Charles Baur PINOT GRIS, AOC Alsace, Grand Cru Eichberg, 2016, Alsace, France 4.5 stars5 stars – A wine with now 5 years of age on it.  Medium pear skin colour. A very light intensity nose with aromas of apples and white flowers.  Very smooth and round with a unique marzipan and pear flavour.  Medium acidity gives you a dry finish. Quality.

Domaine Charles Baur wines
Domaine Charles Baur wines

Rectoral do Umia Abellio Albariño 2019, Spain 4.5 stars5 stars – If you prefer stone fruit aromas and flavours drink this wine as soon as you open it, but if you enjoy tropical fruit, give this wine a decant.  This is a delicious full-bodied wine with again either stone fruits or tropical fruit aromas and flavours.  This wine has a thick, round mouthfeel, and is very smooth.

Cristom Vineyards Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay 2019, Oregon 4.5 stars5 stars – Light pale lemon colour.  Light aromas with toast, apple (more) and lemon (less), plus butterscotch.  Light-bodied, soft and dry with apple, toast, sweet spices and butterscotch flavours.  Medium length with lingering flavours.

Gérard Bertrand Grand Terroir Les Aspres 2017, France 4.5 stars5 stars – A big, delicious wine with ripe black fruits and plum aromas.  It is full-bodied, mouth-filling, round and plush.  Floral, blackberries and black fruit along with raspberries and red cherries flavours.

Rectoral do Umia Abellio Albariño 2019 and Gérard Bertrand Grand Terroir Les Aspres 2017
Rectoral do Umia Abellio Albariño 2019 and Gérard Bertrand Grand Terroir Les Aspres 2017
Author: mywinepal
Drink Good Wine. That is my motto and I really want to help you drink good wine. What is good wine? That can be a different thing for each people. Food also loves wine so I also cover food and wine pairings, restaurant reviews, and world travel. Enjoy life with me. MyWinePal was started by Karl Kliparchuk, WSET. I spent many years with the South World Wine Society as the President and then cellar master. I love to travel around the world, visiting wine regions and sharing my passion for food & wine with you. Come live vicariously through me, and enjoy all my recommended wines.