While I was Grinch-like in awarding 5 stars to only three wines I tasted in 2024, I was more Oprah-like with the 4.5-5 -star wines. Plus, there are many quality wines, so it should not be a surprise. This year there were 13 BC wines, 18 Italian wines, 4 French wines, 2 Californian wines, and 4 wines from New Zealand on my list. 41 wines out of 493 wines this year which works out to 8.5% of the wines I tasted were of exceptional quality. Congratulations to all these wineries and their wines.
BC makes quality wines that can compete on the world stage. Some names you probably know, but maybe there are a few names unfamiliar to you. From the list, you may also guess that I enjoy Italian wines, but also the Italian wine trade delegations have been coming regularly to Vancouver so I get a wider exposure to their wines. I do hope more wine-producing regions bring their wines to Vancouver so we can taste and purchase them in 2025.
Please seek these wines out in your government liquor store or private wine shop.
BC Wines
Little Farm Winery Mulberry Tree Vineyard Pied de Cuve Chardonnay 2020 (BC $31++) A Chardonnay with a deep golden colour. Lighter aromas of toast, pineapple, butterscotch, and dried apricots. This wine is dry, fuller-bodied, round with a thicker mouthfeel. Rich, ripe stone fruits and pineapple flavours. Some apple blossoms and toast on the mid-palate. A medium-plus length. 
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without decanting.
Spearhead (Spierhead) Winery Gentleman Farmer Vineyard Chardonnay 2012 – Estate fruit with 32% aged in new French oak barrels. This wine has a medium-plus, bright lemon colour. Lighter aromas of flintiness and apples. A smooth, round, thicker mouthfeel. Ripe apple flavour along with light butterscotch and sweet spices on the palate. –
Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars Reserve Cuvée Chardonnay 2022 (BC $39.90) This oaked Chardonnay has a deep intensity, clear and bright, lemon colour. Rich, ripe aromas of pineapple, cedar and oak, butterscotch and a touch of sweet spices. Dry with a thick, silky smooth, and round mouthfeel. Pronounced flavours of ripe pineapple, butterscotch and oakiness, plus a touch of sweet spices. Medium-plus length. –
Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars Estate Cuvée Chardonnay 2022 – The Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars Estate Cuvée Chardonnay 2022 shines with a bright lemon hue and aromas of ripe pineapple, toast, roasted apple, and oak. On the palate, it offers a smooth, buttery texture with pronounced flavours of pineapple, roasted apples, and toast, complemented by nutmeg and butterscotch. A long finish features citrus, butterscotch, and pepperiness, with a slightly more buttery mouthfeel after decanting. –
Coolshanagh Blanc de Blancs 2019 – A very tasty sparkling Blanc de Blancs. Bright colour with lots of creamy bubbles to enjoy. Dry with medium-plus body. Citrus and apples on the palate. Medium-plus length. –
Solvero Wines Chardonnay 2022 (BC $30) – This wine has a light tropical fruit and butterscotch nose. Medium-body, with a soft round mouthfeel. Rich ripe pineapple flavour, plus cinnamon and some pepperiness. Buttery mouthfeel. Medium length finishing with pineapple, citrus and pepperiness. A classy wine. –
Chronos McWatters Collection Chardonnay 2021 – This oaked Chardonnay has a deep golden colour. Lighter aromas of ripe pineapple and butterscotch plus sweet spices. Dry, but velvety smooth, soft and round mouthfeel. Ripe pineapple, roasted apples and pear flavours. Lower acidity. Buttery mouthfeel. A long length with lingering fruit flavours. –
Church & State Wines Gris de Noir Brut 2020 – Delicious. Fresh tart red fruit and crisp red apple flavours. A dry wine that has higher acidity, medium-sized creamy and biting bubbles. Medium length. A bottle that you would drink without leaving a drop. –
Da Silva Vineyards & Winery Merlot 2020, BC (BC $37.99) – This wine spent 20 months ageing in American and French oak barrels. It has a deeper, dull garnet colour. Medium-intensity deep aromas of ripe cherries, plus touches of sweet spices, toast, vanilla, and cedar. It is dry, full-body, round, mouth-filling. Ripe berries, raspberries, ripe cherries, plus lovely sweet spices. A touch of cedar as well. Medium acidity. It has a long lingering finish. Some tart fruit on the finish, but mostly sweet spices. –
Hester Creek Estate Winery The Judge 2020 – A deep garnet colour. This wine has medium-intensity aromas of red and black fruits, toast and sweet spices. It is dry with a soft mouthfeel and gets rounder with air. Juicy black fruits, berries, plums and a touch of oak. Understated fruit flavours. The tannins get stronger toward the finish. A medium-plus to long length. –
Hester Creek Estate Winery Garland 2020 – A wine, almost opaque garnet in colour. Light aromas of black fruit, plums, sweet spices, oak and cedar. Dry, medium-plus body with a smooth, soft mouthfeel. Black fruits and plums on the palate along with cedar and touches of oak and capsicum. Good tannic structure. Medium-plus to long length. –
Garnet Valley Ranch Pinot Noir 2022 – No need to decant this wonderful Pinot Noir. I enjoy the variety of aromas and flavours. The wine is nicely smooth but has structure. I think this wine can easily age for 4-5 years. This Pinot Noir has a deep, clear garnet colour. Pretty aromas of floral and plum, with touches of red apple skin, cinnamon and oak. A dry wine with red fruit and candied red fruit, along with floral and hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and anise spices. Medium-plus body, smooth and round. Medium tannins give structure and ageability to the wine. A long length. –
Osoyoos Larose Le Grand Vin 2019 – A quality Bordeaux blend that is an opaque dull garnet colour. Medium-minus intensity aromas covering meatiness, tomatoes, dark fruit, plums, pepper and oak. Dry with a thick, round, smooth mouthfeel. The aromas carry to the palate, plus some red cherries, floral and cocoa. Medium tannins. A long, dry finish. –
European Wines
Italy
Le Vigne di Zamo Vigne 50 Anni Friuli Colli Orientali 2021 – A deeper, clear, bright, lemon colour. Light ripe stone fruits and dried apricot aromas. A dry, soft medium plus body. Medium acidity. Ripe stone fruit flavours along with pine needles and some spiciness. Medium-plus length. The stone fruit and pine needle flavours last to the end. Excellent. –
Barone Pizzini Dosaggio Zero Bagnadore Riserva 2016 – Franciacorta. A medium-intensity clear lemon colour in the glass. Light toasty apple aromas. Dry with high acidity. Minerality, crisp and bruised apple flavours. Creamy, medium-sized bubbles. Medium-plus length. –
Tiberio Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2023 – A light honey and stone fruit nose. Medium lemon colour. Dry, lean with a light mouthfeel. Fresh fruit flavours; tart citrus and stone fruit, plus minerality. Medium-pls acidity. Long length with some lees and the very end. –
Vietti Roero Arneis DOCG 2022 – A pale straw colour. Medium intensity sweet, ripe stone fruit nose. Dry with medium acidity and soft texture. Complex flavours of stone fruits and a touch of floral. Light mouthfeel. Medium length. –
Cavicchioli Lambrusco di Sorbara Brut Rose del Cristo M. Cl. – A rosé Lambrusco! This wine has a pale peach skin colour. Nice, medium-intensity aromas of stone fruits. Medium-plus body with creamy small bubbles and higher acidity. Crisp red apple and tart red fruit flavours. A touch of tannins on the finish. –
Zenato Amarone Classico DOCG 2017 – A medium-minus garnet colour in the glass. Nice aromas of candied red fruits. This wine is off-dry with a light mouthfeel. Candied red fruits along with touches of pepper, capsicum and sweet spices. Nutmeg and pepper toward the finish. –
Tua Rita Tocana Giusto di Notri 2019 IGT – This wine is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, and although in Tuscany, it has no Sangiovese in it. The winery, Tua Rita, undertakes both biodynamic and sustainable methods in the vineyards and the winery. This tiny winery has become a cult wine in its short history. The winery was started in 1984 after the owners, Rita and Virgilio, retired from their past careers. Virgilio went to Bordeaux to study and learn about winemaking. When he returned, Virgilio planted Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in his vineyard. He wanted to make a Bordeaux blend with Italian elegance. Only 100 cases of this wine reach BC. This wine has a deep dull garnet colour. Light ripe dark fruit aromas plus a touch of capsicum. Medium-plus body with a smooth mouthfeel. Dark fruit flavour with touches of capsicum, dark chocolate and pepperiness. Medium acidity. Medium tannins get a bit firmer on the finish. Medium-plus length with a drying tannic finish. –
Empson & Co. Pietradolce Etna Rosso 2021 – There are no trees on the higher elevations of Mt. Etna, but there is a bracing wind that brings bracing acidity to Nerello Mascalese, the main grape of this region. The climate is a collision of the Mediterranean climate and the sub-alpine climate giving you wind, rain, and big differences in diurnal temperatures. This leads wineries to be able to harvest late in the year, in October through November. Sometimes the grapes struggle with ripeness. Nerello Mascalese tends to be pale in colour but has tannins and astringency to give texture to the wine. The winery, Pietradolce, started in 2005 is located on the lower slopes, facing north. The north side of Mt. Etna protects the vineyard from some of the rain. This wine has a lighter translucent garnet colour. Light floral, red fruit and sweet spice (mace & nutmeg) aromas. Medium-plus body, with a soft, smooth, round mouthfeel. Medium-plus acidity and light tannins. Red fruits, mace and nutmeg flavours. Dry, medium-intensity tannins on the finish. Medium-plus length. A very nice wine. –
Tiberio Colle Vota Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2018 – This wine has a deep garnet colour. Medium-minus intensity aromas of dark fruit and milk chocolate. It is dry, with a smooth, thicker mouthfeel. Dark fruit and sweet dark fruit flavours plus some pepperiness. Medium acidity and fine tannins. With air, you get some mushrooms on the palate. A long length. Good structure. A quality wine. –
Vietti Langhe DOC Nebbiolo ‘Perbacco’ 2020 – In 2020 Vietti harvested each parcel in their vineyards separately. They separately vinified and aged 42 Barolo and 9 Barbaresco parcels. Over 18 months they tasted these wines continuously and assessed them for quality; which in their evolution are more refined, more fruit-driven, have tannic grip, etc. They then blend those wines that fit our criteria to make this wine, Perbacco. It has a medium-plus intensity translucent garnet colour. Light aromas of red fruit and a touch of oak. Lighter-bodied, dry, with a soft mouthfeel. Light cherry and red fruit flavours. Medium-plus acidity and lighter tannins. Medium-plus length with light cherry flavours on the finish and medium tannins. A delicate wine. –
Medici Ermete Concerto Lambrusco Reggiano Organic 2022 – This winery started in the 1890s. They produce organic wines and use the Charmat method to make their Lambrusco wine sparkle. The wine spends 5-6 days in the pressurized tank. The wine is fermented in stainless steel, so no oak treatment for this wine. It has an opaque ruby colour. Juicy berry flavours. Off-dry with a medium-minus body. Medium acidity. Fizzy with tiny biting bubbles. Berries flavour followed by red apples and red cherries. Light tannins. An excellent wine at an excellent price BC $21.99. –
Tenute Rade Historical – Nizza DOCG 2017 – A medium translucent garnet colour with some bricking. A light candied cherry and smoky nose. Dry, medium body, lean, with candied red cherries, red apples and a touch of sweet spices on the palate. Medium acidity and tannins. Tasty. –
Tommasi Viticoltori Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore DOC 2019 – A lighter translucent garnet colour in the glass. Light aromas of red cherries and Old World oak. Dry, medium body with a lean mouthfeel. Medium-plus acidity. Tasty red fruit, sweet spices and sausage on the palate. Medium-plus length with sausage and some pepperiness on the finish. –
Tommasi Viticoltori Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2018 – A medium-minus translucent colour. Light aromas of nutmeg, red fruit, candied cherries and toast. This wine is dry and medium-bodied with a lean mouthfeel. Medium acidity and light tannins. Red fruits and sausage on the palate. –
Tiberio Archivio Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2017 – This is the first vintage of this wine. It has 30% oak fermentation and aging with the rest in stainless steel. Why? Winemaker, Christiana, determined that there was a difference in the grape biotypes growing in the 56-year-old vineyard where these grapes are grown. The grapes needed more oxygen in the fermentation process, and through experimentation, this combination of steel and oak brought out the brilliance of these grapes. This wine has an opaque ruby garnet colour. Light aromas of floral, ripe red and black fruit plus candied cherries. Smooth with sweet cherries, Old World oak, mineral and a touch of capsicum flavours on the palate. Medium acidity. Firmer tannic finish but not harsh. –
Il Molino di Grace Il Margone Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Panzano 2020 – Boasts a deep garnet hue and expressive aromas of cedar, red and black fruits, toast, vanilla, and sweet spices, which intensify with decanting, adding candied cherries and smokiness. On the palate, it is medium-bodied with juicy blackberries, red cherries, and hints of coffee, floral notes, and cedar, becoming rounder and sweeter with swirling. A medium-length finish showcases ripe black fruit, sweet spices, and firmer tannins, with no change after decanting. –
Beni di Batasiolo Barolo Riserva 2014 – Ripe, dark fruit and oak aromas. Medium-plus body. Candied cherries and butter on the palate. Medium-plus tannins and medium acidity. –
Azienda Agricola Dissegna Francesco IGP Veneto Pinot Nero 2023 – an organic wine. It has a deep, clear garnet colour. Amarone-like aromas and flavours. It is dry, medium-plus body, smooth, and mouth-filling. Medium tannins and acidity. It has an off-dry sweet ripe fruit finish. –
France
Domaine Bott Geyl AOC Alsace Grand Cru Sonnenglanz Pinot Gris, “l’Eclat du Soleil”, 2023, France – This wine is from a biodynamic winery. It has a deep, clear golden colour. Rich, ripe, sweet dried stone fruit nose. Medium sweetness with a thicker smooth mouthfeel. Full flavours of dried apricots, some apricot skin and light pepperiness. Medium acidity. Medium length with a dry finish. Delicious. –
Domaine Bott Geyl AOC Alsace Gewurztraminer “Elements”, 2018, France – A deeper lemon colour. Light, dried apricot aromas. It is off-dry with a light round mouthfeel but has a viscous feel. Medium acidity. Dried apricots and honeyed stone fruit on the palate. Some spiciness and bitterness on the finish along with apricots and honey flavours. –
Allimant-Laugner AOC Alsace Grand Cru Praelatenberg Gewurztraminer, 2022, France – A medium lemon colour. Medium-minus intensity sweet aromatics; mint, honey, and stone fruits. Medium-plus body with a sweet, smooth, thicker mouthfeel. Mint and dried apricots on the palate. Lower acidity. –
Chateau Chauvin Grand Cru Classe St. Emilion Bordeaux 2005 – This wine has a deep garnet colour. Deep rich red fruit nose and integrated oak. Fuller body, thick with a round, smooth, soft mouthfeel. Medium tannins. Rich, dark fruit flavour, peppery, and a touch of capsicum. Medium-plus length. A wonderful wine. –
California Wines
California Cult Classics Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 2 2018 – A big Cabernet Sauvignon with rich and ripe dark fruit and sweet spice aromas and flavours. Decanting is OK, but you still get a strong cedar aroma and flavour. This wine still is quite young. I recommend letting it age another 5-8 years before opening the bottle. This Cabernet Sauvignon has a dull garnet colour, almost completely opaque. Medium-plus intensity aromas of juicy berries to start with darker fruit with air along with blackberries, prominent cedar and cinnamon, and touches of dark chocolate, graphite, black pepper, and red cherries. A long length. –
Cakebread Cellars Napa Chardonnay 2022, California – This wine has a nice vanilla, apple, and butterscotch nose. Dry, medium-plus body with a smooth, thicker mouthfeel. Apple and butterscotch on the palate along with touches of toast and pepperiness. Buttery texture. –
New Zealand Wines
Greywacke Wild Sauvignon 2016 – This was a bonus wine, which showed how well this wine can age. It has a medium-intensity bright lemon colour. It is quite toasty on the nose, along with vanilla, citrus, and pineapple aromas. Dry, medium-plus body with a smooth, thicker mouthfeel. Medium-plus acidity. You get tart citrus, pineapple, and sweet spices on the palate. There is also a touch of flint. Medium-plus length. –
Greywacke Chardonnay 2022 – Their Chardonnay grapes come from a single vineyard. It is fermented with wild yeast and then aged in French oak barriques for 11 months. Their Chardonnay wines go through 100% malolactic fermentation. This wine has a deep lemon colour. Medium-plus toast and pineapple on the nose. It is full body, dry, with a smooth, buttery mouthfeel. Lighter acidity. Pineapple and butterscotch on the palate. Quality. –
Greywacke Chardonnay 2016 – It has a medium-plus bright lemon colour. Light aromas of pineapple, butterscotch, and flint with more on the palate. This wine is dry with a smooth, thick, buttery mouthfeel. Medium-minus acidity. Sweet spices on the mid-palate to the finish. An elegant wine. –
Greywacke Pinot Gris 2023 – 75% of the juice is barrel-fermented with wild yeast and 25% is fermented in stainless steel tanks with cultured yeast. Just before fermentation is complete, the wines are combined to finish fermentation. This wine has a light lemon colour. Light-intensity aromas of sweet stone fruits but also a savoury component. It has a light body, with a soft, round mouthfeel Medium sweetness. Honey, sweet ripe stone fruits, along with a touch of sweet spices and some savoriness Medium-plus length. A touch spicy on the finish. –
