Aging aromatic white wine varietals has been contentious, with many saying that these types of wines need to be enjoyed young. BC grows many aromatic white vitis vinifera varieties. Pinot Blanc is one of the grapes grown, although it is not as perfuse in aromatics compared to Pinot Gris, which is widely grown in BC. I recently opened a bottle of Kelowna’s St. Hubertus Vineyard Pinot Blanc 2019, which has now 7 years of aging. Did the aromas and flavours fade? Can this wine still be enjoyed? Let me tell you about this wine adventure.
My Wine Tasting Notes
St. Hubertus Vineyard Pinot Blanc 2019
Appearance: A clear, bright, medium-plus intensity lemon colour.
Nose: Medium-intensity aromas of ripe apples, pears, and blossom. A touch of petrol and grape stem. After decanting, the aroma becomes toasty. The apples, pears, and blossoms persist, while the petrol disappears.
Palate: This wine is dry, medium-plus body with a thicker, lean mouthfeel. Crisp apple, apple blossom, and petrol on the palate. Medium-plus acidity leaves some acidic prickle on your tongue. No change to the flavours or body after decanting.
Finish: Medium-plus length finishing with apple, citrus rind, a touch of floral, and some bitterness on the palate. No change to the finish after decanting.
An aged Pinot Blanc that stands up well to aging. It still has fresh acidity and fruit flavours. It is vegan-friendly, btw.
Rating: 
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The St. Hubertus Vineyard Pinot Blanc 2019 shows a bright medium-plus lemon colour with medium aromas of ripe apple, pear, blossom, petrol, and grape stem, becoming toastier after decanting while retaining its fruit and floral character. The palate is dry and medium-plus in body with a thicker, lean mouthfeel and fresh acidity, offering crisp apple, apple blossom, and petrol flavours. It finishes medium-plus in length with apple, citrus rind, floral notes, and some bitterness.
Where Can I Buy This Wine?
As this wine is not the current release, it is not available. I checked up on their website, and it is listed as temporarily closed. Quite unfortunate. I hope that the winery does come back online. If anyone has any news, please post it in the comments below.
I hope, from my notes, you may feel a little more assured that not all aromatic white varieties fade quickly. This BC Pinot Blanc shows that it can age well. So don’t be afraid if you find a bottle of aged Pinot Blanc/Gris, Riesling, or Gewurztraminer in the back of your wine cellar or cabinet. Give it a chill in your fridge for the afternoon, then bring it out for 30 minutes before pouring yourself a glass. Cheers!
