Sunday, May 12, and Sunday, June 16, 2024, are Mother’s and Father’s Day respectively. Did you know that Mother’s Day has its origins in the United States, where it was created by Anna Jarvis in 1908 and became an official U.S. holiday in 1914, while the first Father’s Day was started by a woman named Sonora Smart Dodd and was first celebrated in Spokane, Washington on June 19, 1910?
Sharing a bottle of wine with your parents, spouse, or significant other is a nice gesture on these days, and goes well with a meal, and if the weather cooperates, sitting outside on your patio. I received two bottles of Tom Gore Vineyards wines to suggest what you could pour. Grape growing and making wine are part of farming, which is hard work, and typically brings all members of the family together. So it is fitting that wine made by a grape-farming family would be a way to show your appreciation for your family. Tom Gore is a second-generation California grape farmer from Sonoma who stomped grapes alongside his father shortly after learning to walk.
The two wines I received are their Tom Gore Vineyards Chardonnay 2021 and Tom Gore Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2021. These two wines are available in BC, Alberta, and Ontario. I am writing about both wines for these holidays as moms and dads can both appreciate and enjoy white and red wines. Why restrict white wine to one gender and red wine to another gender?
My Wine Tasting Notes
Tom Gore Vineyards Chardonnay 2021 (BC $21.99)
Appearance: A bright clear, deep golden lemon colour in the glass.
Nose: Medium-minus intensity aromas of pineapple, pears, butterscotch and touches of toast and vanilla. With decanting you get the same aromas but they are now a little stronger.
Palate: Dry, medium-plus body, smooth and round with a thicker mouthfeel. Tropical fruit flavours, along with butterscotch, light oakiness, vanilla and butteriness. No change to the flavours or mouthfeel after decanting.
Finish: A medium-length finishing with pineapple, citrus, and butterscotch flavours, plus nutmeg and light toasty toak. Some pepperiness at the very end. No changes to the finish after decanting.
A straight-forward oaked Chardonnay that does not need decanting. You may want to pair this wine with one of these dishes: roast chicken with herbs, grilled salmon, butternut squash risotto (vegetarian option), or brie cheese (appetizer).
Rating: 
This wine has a bright clear, deep golden lemon colour. Medium-minus intensity aromas of pineapple, pears, butterscotch and touches of toast and vanilla. Dry, smooth and round, with a thicker mouthfeel. Tropical fruit flavours, along with butterscotch, light oakiness, vanilla and butteriness. Medium length.
Tom Gore Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 (BC $21.99)
This wine is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petite Syrah, 5% Merlot, and 5% other reds.
Appearance: A deep, dull garnet colour from rim to core.
Nose: Light aromas of berries, in particular blackberries, plums, plus touches of oak and sweet spices. No change to the aromas after decanting.
Palate: This wine is dryish, medium-bodied, smooth, soft and round, but not quite mouth-filling. Juicy berries and sweet black fruit flavours, plus light pepperiness and floral. Butter on the mid-palate to finish. The acidity and tannins are not very strong enough to supply this wine a firm structure. The wine becomes more mouth-filling and you get a stronger tannic structure after decanting. The wine also tastes drier.
Finish: A medium length with juicy berries and black fruit flavours. Off-dry with light dusty tannins and light pepperiness. A drier finish after decanting.
Decanting helps this wine taste drier and have more structure and body. You may want to pair this wine with one of these dishes: grilled steak, lamb chops, grilled portobello mushrooms (vegetarian option), cheddar cheese (appetizer before dinner), or dark chocolate (dessert).
Rating: with decanting. A deep, dull garnet colour from rim to core. Light aromas of berries and plums plus touches of oak and sweet spices. This wine is dryish, medium-bodied, smooth and soft. Decanting makes the wine taste drier and has more tannic structure. Berry fruits and black fruit flavours, plus pepperiness and floral on the palate. Medium length.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
Tom Gore Chardonnay 2022 – ON $19.95 | BC $21.99 | AB SRP $20.00
Tom Gore Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 – ON $19.95 | BC $21.99 | AB SRP $20.00
