I enjoy attending the Top Drop Canada wine tasting each year. It is probably my second favourite event after the Vancouver International Wine Festival. If you have not heard of Top Drop before, the organizers describe it as “Top Drop’s focus and mandate is providing a platform for terroir-influenced, handcrafted wines, and the people behind them. We believe in the importance in farming one’s own fruit and/or being constantly engaged with grape-growers to ensure sustainability and a high standard of viticultural practices. We believe in wines that reflect their vintage, and wines that aren’t suffocated by vinicultural trickery. We believe in winemaking decisions that are made by a winemaker, and not by a board of directors or marketing team. We believe in those who take chances. We believe these kinds of wines, honest wines of integrity, need a time and place to have their story told.” So you can expect great wines from around the world, including BC wines. We are also world-class. Here are some of the wines that I enjoyed the most at the latest Top Drop event.
White Wines
Else Wines Vio 2022, BC – a pet-nat wine made from 100% Viognier grapes, while fermented, whole bunch pressed. A cloudy pale straw colour with light effervescence. Medium-intensity aromas of floral and oranges. Medium sweetness and body Medium plus acidity with light bubble. Tart stone fruit and citrus on the palate. Medium plus length finishing with a mix of tart and sweet stone fruits. 
Dr. Loosen Erdener Treppchen Riesling GG 2018, Germany – Light aromas of petrol, lemon and melon. Dry, medium-minus body. Semi-round with medium-plus acidity. Honey and a mix of ripe and dried stone fruits. Medium plus length.
Heidi Schröck & Söhne Petillant Naturel 2021, Austria – Made with the Weissburgunder grape, more commonly known as Pinot Blanc. It has a light cloudy lemon colour and a light crisp apple nose. Dry, medium, body, roundish with crisp crab apple on the palate. Medium-minus length. Delicious.
Heidi Schröck & Söhne Grauburgunder 2019, Austria – Very light mint plus apple aromas that continue on the palate. Light body, dry, smooth and soft with medium-minus acidity.
Le Soeur Vezelay 2020, France – Apple and bruised apple aromas. Medium-plus body, dry ad smooth with a thicker mouthfeel. Bruised and ripe apple flavours. Medium acidity.
Piro Points West Chardonnay 2021, California – Light butterscotch and pineapple aromas with more on the palate. This wine is smooth and proud with a light mouthfeel. A touch of sweet spice and some pepperiness on the finish. Tasty.
Martin Ray Vineyards Concrete – Dutton Ranch Chardonnay 2021, California – The grapes come from the Russian River Valley. This wine has light stone fruit aromas plus a touch of flint. Medium-minus body, soft and smooth with medium acidity. Light flavours of apple, toast, and stone fruits. Some tartness on the finish. An elegant wine.
Rosé and Red Wines
Stoller Family Estate Pinot Noir Rosé 2022, Oregon – Pale pink colour. Nice aromas of strawberries and bramble leaf. Medium body, dry, roundish mouthfeel. Bright acidity. Fresh strawberries on the palate.
Stoller Family Estate Pinot Noir 2021, Willamette Valley, Oregon – A medium-intensity mix of garnet and ruby colours. Light red berry aromas and flavours. Very light body, dry and lean. A touch of red cherries on the palate. Light, drying tannins and medium acidity.
Stoller Family Estate Pinot Noir 2021, Dundee Hills, Oregon – A medium-intensity garnet/ruby colour. Light red cherries and sweet spices on the nose. Dry, light body with a lean mouthfeel. Dill, red cherries and a touch of sweet spices. Medium acidity. Tart red cherries on the finish.
Terralsole Rosso di Montalcino 2016, Italy – Medium brick garnet. It has Old World aromas; oak, dried cherries and red fruits. It is dry, medium body with a lean mouthfeel and medium acidic backbone. Red apples and red fruits on the palate. Light tannins. Medium length.
Terralsole Brunello di Montalcino 2016, Italy – A medium brick red colour. Ripe red cherries, some berries and tarriness on the nose. Medium-minus body, dry with a lean mouth feel. Cherries, candied cherries and light oak on the palate. Light tannins and medium acidity. – 
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino 2017, Italy – A medium garnet colour with some bricking. Medium-intensity red fruit aroma with touches of oak and tar. Dry, medium body, with a thick but lean mouthfeel. It has an acidic backbone but you get drying tannins on the finish. Red fruit plus touches of floral and mineral flavours.
Canalicchio Do Sopra Brunello di Montalcino 2017, Italy – A medium brick red colour. Light funkiness on the nose along with red cherries and oak. Medium-plus body, smooth and soft mouthfeel. Sweet red cherries and sweet spices on the palate. Medium acidity and acidity. Medium length with tart red fruit finish. Very nice.
Canalicchio La Casaccia Brunello di Montalcino 2017, Italy – A medium brick red cloud. LIght tarry and red cherry aromas. Dry, medium body, smooth with a fuller mouthfeel. Candied cherries, red apples and some tarriness on the palate. Medium acidity and fine tannins. A bit puckering finish.
Ciabot Berton Barolo La Morra 2018, Italy – Medium brick red colour. Light smoky, toasty, red fruit nose. Dry, medium body, smooth and round mouthfeel. Red fruit and oak flavours. Medium acidity and light tannins. Tannins firm up on the finish.
BC Cider
There were a few cideries at Top Drop. I did have time to visit Cambium Cider, which I had not tried before and was impressed with their ciders. Here are two ciders I enjoyed the most. The cidery is located in Vernon, BC, in case you are going on a summer road trip. I was told that their ciders are available at JAKs stores.
Cambium Cider The Prospector, BC – Made from McIntosh and crab apples. This cider has nice crisp apple and apple pie aromas that continue to the palate. Dry, medium plus acidity. Apples and sweet spice flavours.
Cambium Cider The Renegade, BC – an apple cider made with the addition of lavender and raspberries. It has light scents of raspberries and lavender. Stronger flavours of both lavender and raspberries. Off-dry, medium body. You also get light apples and a touch of sweet spices on the palate.
Thank you to Top Drop Canada for inviting me to attend this event and taste all the wonderful wines and ciders from around the world.
