How would you like a fresh white sipping wine that reminds you of ripe fruits from the Okanagan and elsewhere? I have that for you with Valley Commons 2020 Harvest Table Wine. A blend of 56% Muscat, 22% Viognier, and 22% Chardonnay grapes. I can see this wine being enjoyed with some soft cheeses and bread with friends. I also tried this wine with some Asian-inspired stir-fried noodles I prepared today.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Valley Commons 2020 Harvest Table Wine (BC $24.90)
Appearance: A bright, clear, medium intensity lemon colour.
Nose: Medium intensity aromas with a mix of orange, bramble leaf, honey, peach, tropical fruit and lychee. Is that enough to entice you to take a sip? I think the aromas became a little more pronounced with decanting, especially the tropical fruits.
Palate: Off-dry, round with a thicker mouthfeel. There is a light acidic prickle to start but fades around the mid-palate. Peach, tropical fruit, orange, peach, bramble leaf, and some toastiness (some grape stems in the fermentation?) on the palate. The wine had a lighter, less thick mouthfeel after decanting. Tropical fruit flavours were quite strong, with lesser amounts of the other flavours, and no toastiness, which I think transformed into some bitterness on the finish.
Finish: A medium length finishing with a bit of pepperiness, and orange, lemon, peach, tropical fruit and bramble leaf flavours. Tart fruits on the finish. A lighter, thinner mouthfeel on the finish with decanting, same fruit flavours, but also some bitterness.
No need to decant this wine; just open and enjoy.
Rating: 
A fun wine to enjoy with a meal with your friends. A mix of orange, honey, peach, tropical fruit and bramble leaf aromas. It is off-dry, round with a thicker mouthfeel, but does lighten up if you do give it decant time. A light acidic prickle to complement the wide range of fruit flavours; tropical fruits, peach, and bramble leaves.
I made stir-fried noodles with sliced pork, mixed vegetables, cashews, minced ginger and garlic, and light soy sauce. A variety of textures and flavours, none overpowering. The bright fruit flavours and the light acidic prickle were like additional spices sprinkled on the dish to make it a fun dish to enjoy. Give it a try.
BONUS: Another very nice pairing for this wine is with jalapeno streaked havarti cheese. You get the creaminess of the cheese, plus the herbaceous quality and light spice from the jalapeno pepper playing off the fruitiness and acidity of this wine. Delectable.
Where Can I Buy This Wine?
You can purchase this wine through Valley Common’s website.
