Earlier this summer, I had a chance to visit Fort Berens Estate Winery in Lillooet, BC. I have admired their wines since they started, and I’ve been letting wine lovers know that they are producing excellent wines in Lillooet. There are two wines that I did not have a chance to try on my visit. Luckily, co-owner, Heleen Pannekoek, gave me these two bottles, a Pinot Noir and a Meritage, both 2022 vintage, to review at home. I like that both bottles are under screwcap so it is easy to open and enjoy.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Fort Berens Estate Winery Pinot Noir 2022 (BC $34.99)
Appearance: Clear, lighter, very translucent garnet colour in the glass.
Nose: Medium intensity, enjoyable aromas of red cherries, plums, red fruits, smoky raspberries, along with a touch of leather, and tea leaves with air. The only difference after decanting is that I did not detect any tea leaves aroma.
Palate: Dry, medium-plus body with a smooth, soft, lighter mouthfeel. Red fruits, red cherries, raspberries and plums, with touches of toast, leather, smokiness, candied cherries and floral. Lots of subtle flavours to enjoy. Medium acidity and tannins. No change to the flavours or body after decanting, other than the raspberry flavour was a bit stronger.
Finish: Medium-plus to a long length finishing with leather and red fruit flavours and a touch of pepperiness at the very end. Bright acidity to make the fruit flavours shine. No change to the finish after decanting.
A light bodied Pinot Noir with a wide range of aromas and flavours to enjoy. Elegant. No need to decant.
Rating: 
Fort Berens Estate Winery’s Pinot Noir 2022 presents a clear, translucent garnet hue in the glass. The aromas shows red cherries, plums, and smoky raspberries with hints of leather, and a tea leaf note that fades after decanting. On the palate, this wine is smooth with red fruits, raspberries, and light touches of toast, leather and floral notes, supported by medium acidity and tannins. The finish is medium-plus to long, showing red fruit and leather with a light pepper tone and bright acidity that keeps the flavours lively.
Fort Berens Estate Winery Meritage 2022 (BC $29.99)
A blend of 70% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, and 11% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Appearance: A clear, deep garnet colour. About 85% opaque, with consistent colour from the rim to the core.
Nose: Medium-minus intensity aromas of black fruit, plums, char, a touch of capsicum, and a hint of nutmeg with air. Lighter aromas after decanting.
Palate: This wine is dry, medium-plus body with a smooth, soft, round mouthfeel. Medium acidity and soft tannins. Black fruit, plums, and some sweet red fruits on the palate along with touches of nutmeg, oak, and char. The wine has a lighter body and mouthfeel after decanting. I now pick up raspberries on the palate, a touch of capsicum and bitterness.
Finish: A medium-plus length, finishing with lightly drying tannins. Integrated flavours of black fruit and red cherries, with a hint of sweet red fruit and pepperiness after swirling. There is more black fruit and red fruit or cherries after decanting. A bit of bitterness on the finish. No pepperiness.
I think that this wine is better without decanting. It is fuller bodied and has stronger aromas and no bitterness on the palate.
Rating: 
– Fort Berens Estate Winery’s Meritage 2022 blends Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon into a smooth, medium-plus bodied wine with a deep garnet colour. The nose shows black fruit, plums, char and a touch of capsicum, with overall aromas becoming lighter after decanting. On the palate, it offers black fruits, sweet red fruits, nutmeg, oak and char, with medium acidity and soft tannins, while decanting brings a lighter mouthfeel, raspberry notes and a hint of bitterness. The finish is medium-plus in length, showing black and red fruit with lightly drying tannins and a touch of bitterness.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
Both red wines are available to purchase online from the Fort Berens Estate Winery website. The Meritage is available at Everything Wine stores and at select Save on Foods stores.
