Nestled on the picturesque Naramata Bench in the Okanagan Valley, Ruby Blues Winery offers a charming blend of exceptional wines and stunning vineyard views. In 2007 Prudence and Beat Mahrer started Ruby Blues Winery, after selling Red Rooster Winery. Their goal is to keep the winery small and sell locally.
I recently received two bottles of wine from Ruby Blues Winery to review. I have their Ruby Blues Winery Commune Rosé 2023 and their Cabernet Merlot 2022. Their Commune Series of wines are made from grapes sourced from their vineyards and from the vineyards of friends and neighbours along the Naramata Bench. Let me tell you about these wines.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Ruby Blues Winery Commune Rosé 2023 (BC $28.90)
From the winery, “The rosé is crafted from Merlot (70%), Gewurztraminer (15%), and Pinot Gris (15%) grapes. This wine combines two techniques for the Merlot grapes to create a balanced complexity:
- Light Crushing and Pressing: Half of the Merlot was lightly crushed and immediately pressed, resulting in a delicate, bright juice with minimal skin contact. This process preserves fresh fruit notes and a light, clean profile.
- Extended Skin Contact: The other half of the Merlot was crushed and allowed 24 hours of skin contact before being “bled off.” This technique, called maceration, imparts richer flavours, a deeper colour, and a hint of tannic structure.”
Appearance: This wine has a bright clear, medium-intensity salmon colour.
Nose: Medium intensity, bright aromas of red berries, red cherries and rhubarb, plus toastiness and some grape stem. The aromas appeared sweeter after decanting.
Palate: It is off-dry, with a smooth, round, thicker mouthfeel. Medium acidity and some acidic prickle on your tongue. Bright flavours of red berries, red cherries, and touches of strawberries and rhubarb. Peppery toward the finish. No change to the flavours after decanting.
Finish: A medium-plus length finishing off-dry, with red berry flavours and touches of rhubarb and pepperiness. The wine was more peppery and strawberries on the finish were more evident after decanting.
This wine paired very nicely with brie cheese. It brought out the strawberry flavour in the wine. I expect it will also be a good pairing with regular, salted potato chips. It’s the holidays! No need to decant.
Rating: 
The Ruby Blues Winery Commune Rosé 2023 shines with a bright salmon hue and aromas of red berries, cherries, rhubarb, and a hint of toastiness that sweeten with decanting. Its off-dry palate offers a smooth, round texture with vibrant red berry and rhubarb flavours, accented by a peppery finish. A medium-plus length finish reveals more pepperiness and strawberry notes after decanting.
Ruby Blues Winery Cabernet Merlot 2022 (BC $47.90)
The Cabernet Merlot is a blend of 37.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37.5% Cabernet Franc, and 25% Merlot.
Appearance: It is an opaque garnet from the core to the rim. Teardrops are visible on the sides of the glass after swirling.
Nose: Medium-minus intensity aromas of black fruit, black plums and cedar. Very inviting. You get a lighter cedar aroma after decanting and you can add touches of candied cherries and capsicum on the nose.
Palate: This wine is dry with lighter body, very smooth, with lower acidity. Red cherries, candied cherries, ripe plums, blackberries, and floral flavours. I also picked up touches of oak and sweet spices. This wine has a lighter mouthfeel, lighter flavours, and lighter tannins after decanting.
Finish: A medium-plus length finishing with firmer tannins. Blackberries, sweet candied cherries and a touch of oakiness and floral on the finish. Lighter tannins and a shorter finish after decanting.
I recommend not to decant this wine. The undecanted wine has a fuller body and more flavours.
Rating: without decanting. The Ruby Blues Winery Cabernet Merlot 2022 offers an opaque garnet hue and inviting aromas of black fruit, plums, and cedar, with hints of candied cherries and capsicum emerging after decanting. On the palate, it is smooth and light-bodied, featuring red and candied cherries, ripe plums, and blackberries with touches of oak and sweet spices. A medium-plus finish highlights blackberries, candied cherries, and floral notes, with lighter tannins and a shorter finish after decanting.
Wine Glasses
For a few months, I’ve been using wine glasses from Josephinenhutte in Germany, which Kurt Josef Zalto, an amazing 6th-generation glass designer, designed. They are the best wine glasses I have ever used. You may want to consider ordering yourself a set for your personal holiday gift.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
You can purchase these online via the Ruby Blues Winery website:
