At the Vancouver International Wine Festival, I spent time at the International Festival Tasting room on Thursday and Friday to taste as many wines as possible. I published my Old World wine selections a few days ago and now it is time to give you my New World wine selections. New World wines are typically categorized as being from the southern hemisphere, plus North America. Some regions though, such as Australia have been making wine since 1788, while other places, like British Columbia, did not plant quality vitis vinifera grapes until the 1970s. Below are my wine selections. Many are BC wines, but that is due to the fact that these wineries are so close to Vancouver making it easy to participate in the Festival. As there were so many BC wineries, my apologies if I was unable to taste wines at your winery’s table.
My Wine Tasting Notes
White Wines
Bodega Garzon Reserva Albariño 2020, Uruguay – Medium-plus lemon colour. A light intensity nose showing stone fruit and flinty aromas. Dry, semi-round with a medium-minus body. Stone fruit flavours with some bitterness on the finish. 
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Quails’ Gate Chenin Blanc 2021, BC – Melon, stone fruit and honey aromas. Off-dry, soft with medium acidity. Stone fruit flavours plus a hint of pine needles.
Harper’s Trail Silver Mane Block Riesling 2020, BC – Nice stone fruit and petrol aromas. Lighter body with a round, soft mouthfeel, but still has medium-plus acidity. Sweet and tart stone fruit flavours.
Stags’ Leap Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2019, California – Medium lemon colour. Light vanilla and light green fruit aromas. Off-dry soft and round with medium acidity. Vanilla, apples, and butterscotch flavours. Lighter bodied. Elegant. –
Uppercase Winery Pinot Gris 2021, BC – Light stone fruit and a touch of floral on the nose. Medium body with a smooth silky mouthfeel. Medium-minus acidity. Melon and tropical fruit flavours. –
McWatters White Meritage 2020, BC – Light lemon colour. Light aromas; lime. Lighter body soft and dry. Citrus and a touch of herbal flavours plus light pepperiness on the finish. –
Bordertown Pinot Gris 2019, BC – Medium lemon colour. Light peach aroma plus a touch of honey. Medium body, soft and smooth mouthfeel. Oranges and stone fruit flavours. Medium acidity. Any easy sipper.
Burrowing Owl Chardonnay 2020, BC – A deeper lemon colour. Pronounced aromas of ripe apples and butterscotch. Medium-plus body, round with a thicker mouthfeel and lower acidity. Nutmeg and other sweet spices flavours with apple behind. Medium length. Lightens up on the mid-palate to the finish.
Aquilini Wines Dixie & Bass Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Washington – Lighter lemon colour. A light lemon curd aroma. Light body, dry with a lean mouthfeel. Crab apple, peach and floral flavours. A refreshing wine.
CedarCreek Estate Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2021, BC – Light lemon colour. A light herbaceous and peach nose. Lighter body with medium-plus acidity and lean mouthfeel. Melon, green bean, peach and mineral flavours. Medium length.
Peak Cellars Pinot Gris 2020, BC – Medium lemon colour. Medium intensity aromas of toast and stone fruit. Dry, medium-minus body, with a semi-round mouthfeel. Stone fruits and a touch of oak. The wine gets smoother toward the finish and has some drying tannins.
Peak Cellars Gruner Veltliner 2020, BC – Medium-plus lemon colour. Toast, tea leaves, apricot and honey aromas. Medium body, dry, with a lean-ish mouthfeel. Tea leaves, stone fruits and honey on the palate. Medium-plus acidity supports the wine, not overdone. Light pepperiness and honey on the finish.
Culmina Family Estate Winery Unicus Gruner Veltliner 2020, BC – A light lemon colour. Light peach, orange and honey nose. Dry, light-body, lean, not mouth-filling. Honey, stone fruits, plus toastiness and stoniness. –
Culmina Family Estate Winery Dilemma Chardonnay 2018, BC – Medium-plus lemon in colour. Very nice aromas of pears and apples primarily along with lesser amounts of vanilla and butterscotch. Medium body, round with good acidic structure. Apples and butterscotch plus a touch of sweet spices and toast on the palate. A buttery mouthfeel. Elegant.
French Door Estate Winery Chardonnay 2020, BC – A light lemon colour. Lighter aromas of butterscotch, coconut, and apples. Dry, medium-minus body with a semi-round mouthfeel. Butterscotch and roasted apples on the palate with a touch of sweet spices and drying oak on the finish. –
Rosé and Red Wines
CedarCreek Platinum Home Block Rosé 2021, BC – Made using Pinot Noir grapes. A light pale pink colour. Fresh wild strawberries, red cherries and a touch of tropical fruit on the nose. Medium body and acidity, smooth and round. Bright strawberry flavours, plus some red cherries and then tart red fruit on the finish.
Bodega Garzon Tannat Reserva 2020, Uruguay – Deep garnet colour. Medium intensity aromas of cassis and a touch of coffee. Medium body, semi-round with medium-plus acidity and medium-plus fine-grained tannins. Juicy berry flavours.
Harper’s Trail Thadd Springs Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019, BC – Pale clear garnet. Medium intensity aromas of candied cherries and sweet spices. Light body with a lean mouthfeel. Red cherries plus touches of sweet spices and oak. Red berries toward the finish. Light tannins. –
Robert Mondavi Winery Napa Valley Pinot Noir 2019, California – Medium garnet colour. Red fruits and floral aromas. Soft and dry with medium acidity. Red fruits and cherries plus candied cherries. Light tannins to start that firm up on the finish.
Robert Mondavi Winery Oakville District Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, California – A deeper garnet colour. Rich and ripe aromas of black cherries, candied cherries and cedar. Medium body and acidity. Candied cherries and plum flavours. Fine tannins, but providing a dry tannic finish. A balanced wine. – 
Quails’ Gate Reserve Pinot Noir 2019, BC – A medium-minus translucent garnet colour. Quite aromatic with toast, mace/nutmeg and red fruit aromas. Light body, dry with firmer tannins. A lean mouthfeel. Red fruits, red cherries, mace spice with medium intensity oak. A wine built to age.
Thank you to all the winery principals in attendance for pouring their wines during the Festival.
