Well, the really bad, rainy weather is not yet here, so I decided to taste a white and a rosé wine. Red wines will come soon enough. Today I have the Gold Hill Winery Cabernet Franc Rosé 2022 and the Township 7 Vineyards & Winery Interlude Sauvignon Blanc 2024, with the latter being made in BC, but using WA state grapes due to our terrible winter in 2024 which killed many grape vines in BC. Let me tell you about these two wines.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Gold Hill Winery Cabernet Franc Rosé 2022 (BC $29.99)
Winemaker’s notes, “Made from two separate Cabernet Franc juice lots. The first wine lot was made with direct pressed fruit, immediately after harvest. The second wine lot was made from juice with 18 hours skin contact, this Rosé was steel fermented and aged…”
Appearance: A clear, bright, medium intensity orange-red colour.
Nose: Medium intensity aromas of matchstick with red fruit behind. After decanting the matchstick to red fruit aromas are now about equal. I am going to taste this wine again after a longer decant to see if the matchstick aroma continues to decrease in intensity.
Palate: Dry, medium-plus body, round with a thicker mouthfeel. Medium-plus acidity leaving a medium acidic prickle in your mouth. Matchstick, toasty raspberries and red fruit on the palate. Medium tannins. Same flavours, but lighter intensity after decanting.
Finish: Medium-plus length finishing with a lighter mouthfeel. Matchstick and toasty and tart red fruit flavours, plus some grape stem. The wine finishes smoother, with less tart flavours after decanting.
Decanting this wine makes the matchstick aroma and flavour a little lighter, plus the wine has a smoother mouthfeel.
Update: After giving this wine an extra day of decanting, the aromas did not change, but there was less matchstick flavour and a bit more red fruit flavours for this wine. So having a long decant is advisable, if you prefer to avoid matchstick aroma and flavour in wine.
Rating: 
– 
Gold Hill Winery Cabernet Franc Rosé 2022 shows a bright orange-red hue with aromas of matchstick and red fruits that balance nicely after decanting. The palate is dry and round with a fuller mouthfeel, offering toasty raspberry and red fruit flavours supported by lively acidity. It finishes medium-plus in length with toasty, tart red fruit and grape stem notes, becoming smoother and less tart after decanting.
Township 7 Vineyards & Winery Interlude Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (BC $32.97. SOLD OUT at winery)
Winemaker’s notes, “Sourced from the historic Bacchus Vineyard in Washington, originally planted in 1972 on varied sandy loam soils. This hand-harvested Sauvignon Blanc was primarily fermented cool in stainless steel to preserve its bright, fresh fruit character, with a touch aged in two second-fill French barriques to add texture and depth…”
Appearance: A medium intensity, bright, clear mix of lemon and straw colours.
Nose: Medium-plus intensity aromas of ripe tropical fruits, some green fruits, stoniness and a hint of lime and nettles with swirling. Same aromas and intensity, but you can now add pine needles and honey, after decanting.
Palate: This wine is dry, but is very fruity on the palate. Medium body, with a round, soft, thicker mouthfeel. Light acidic prickle with medium acidity. More stone fruit flavours on the palate, with lesser amount of tropical fruit and touches of greenness (nettles) and stoniness. Peppery from the mid-palate to the finish. This wine has a lighter body, is less thick, and more lean after decanting. Same fruit flavours and pepperiness.
Finish: A medium-plus to long length, finishing dry, with tart stone fruit flavours and some pepperiness. No change to the finish after decanting.
A bigger, richer, riper Sauvignon Blanc wine with fresh fruit flavours and bright acidity. No need to decant.
Rating: – Township 7 Interlude Sauvignon Blanc 2024 offers bright aromas of ripe tropical and green fruits with hints of lime and stoniness. The palate is dry and fruit-forward with a round, smooth texture and medium acidity, showing stone fruit, tropical notes, and a touch of pepperiness toward the finish. It finishes medium-plus to long with tart stone fruit and gentle spice, maintaining freshness and balance after decanting.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
You can purchase the Gold Hill Winery Cabernet Franc Rosé 2022 from the Gold Hill Winery website. The Township 7 Vineyards & Winery Interlude Sauvignon Blanc 2024 is sold out at the winery. Neither wine is listed at BC Liquor stores, Safe on Foods, or Everything Wine stores. These wines may be available at other private wine shops, but you will need to check for yourself.
