Delicious, expressive, zesty.
A deliciously consistent crowd favourite, the fresh and fragrant Wente delivers orange sorbet and vanilla, lemon meringue, melon and honeysuckle with hints of hazelnuts and spice. The palate has an invigorating character with nutty, buttery undertones layered with yellow fruits and spice. Slick and expressive and balanced with a nice long finish.
Pair: jalapeno cornbread, chicken salad, grilled smoked gouda panini or creamy pastas.
©copyright 2024 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - November 20th, 2024

Delicious, purity, fresh.
Three decades ago Adolf Kruger started Wild Goose in Okanagan Falls in; it was sold to Borrowing Owl Vineyards in 2021.
This is a delightful and showy Gew with saturated aromas of Turkish delight, lychee, star anise, rose oil, wildflower honey and exotic spices. It's equally expressive on the palate; off-dry with concentrated peach, grapefruit and spice flavours. Lovely purity and length.
©copyright 2024 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - November 20th, 2024

This special edition Unshackled Cabernet Sauvignon from California's The Prisoner Wine Company comes in a gift tin, perfect for holiday gift giving.
It's a shameless Cabernet, plush and seductive; a nose laden with cassis and chocolate, licorice and black raspberry, with leather and spice undertones. The palate is supple and generous with a liqueur-like intensity and flavours of sweet berry, vanilla, chocolate, tobacco and graphite flavours.
A great gift idea for the bold red wine lover on your list.
©copyright 2024 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - November 20th, 2024

Classic, fresh, lovely.
Choosing a red Burgundy isn't an easy task without a good deal of knowledge of the appellations and producers, prices aren't conducive for a try and see. So a moderately priced and approachable Bourgogne like the Couvent des Jacobins would be my easy recommendation under $40. The 2022 has quite a plush and fragrant nose of cherry, raspberry, vanilla, violets, pipe tobacco and cedar. It has good guts; lovely red berry, fine spice and tea flavours lead the palate. It starts out silky then gathers grip across the palate. Quite a substantial Pinot but with good classic Pinot bones. The finish trails tealeaf, cocoa, leather and spice flavours.
©copyright 2024 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - November 20th, 2024

Honey, floral, pristine.
Three decades ago Adolf Kruger started Wild Goose; it was sold to Borrowing Owl Vineyards in 2021.
This outstanding Riesling comes from vines planted 40+ years ago and it offers fragrant notes of wildflowers and peaches, tangerine, green apples and lime. It's pristine and zesty with lovely focus and taut acidity, honey, apple and citrus flavours dwell on the palate. Long and mouthwatering, it's a delicious wine on its own or partnered with coconut prawns, Thai vegetarian curries or honey garlic wings.
©copyright 2024 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - November 14th, 2024

Savoury, classic, juicy.
The Kruger family established Wile Goose Vineyards in Okanagan Falls in 1984, and since 2021 has been owned by Burrowing Owl Vineyards in Oliver.
This light ruby-hued Pinot offers sweet red cherry, forest floor, cedar, fine spices, vanilla, rosebud and dried orange peel aromas. The palate is fresh, juicy and earthy with bright red fruits, tealeaf, fine spice, cedar and leather flavours. Classic.
©copyright 2024 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - November 14th, 2024

Fragrant, earthy, fresh.
Burrowing Owl's Viognier was aged entirely in French oak: 14% new, 36% one-year-old and 50% neutral barrels and saw nine months of ageing.
Peach compote and exotic brown spices, musk melon and wild honey, dried flowers and earthy undertones define the nose. The cooler vintage shows on the restrain on the palate of this 2023 version; expect citrus-driven flavours underscored by peach gelato and melon; the finish is long and spiced.
Pair: Spicy crab cakes, Moroccan dishes, saucy ribs.

©copyright 2024 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - November 14th, 2024

Second review: November 2024
Hazelnut biscuit, lemon meringue, honey, toasted spices, yellow apple, vanilla and acacia aromas appear on the nose. In the mouth it is fresh and nutty with apple turnover and toasted spice flavours; there is a slight salinity on the finish with a hint of oak. Overall a bright, not flashy Chardonnay.
©copyright 2023 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - November 12th, 2024

Slick, fresh, creamy.
This handpicked estate Chardy was fermented in tank (25%) and oak (75%); it went through partial mololactic fermentation and was aged in assorted oak barrels for 10 months.
Aromas of honeycomb and toasted nuts, yellow apples and grilled lemon and acacia blossoms. It has a creamy palate with toasted undertones. Concentrated and slick you can expect stone fruits, nuts and spice flavours.
©copyright 2023 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - November 1st, 2023

Silky, classic, honest

The Mavety family has been growing grapes high above Vaseaux Lake in the South Okanagan since 1971. Since 1991 they have been making their own wines under the Blue Mountain label.
It's been a few years since I've sampled this estate blend (cuvee), which is made from 15-to-16-year-old vines, clones 114, 115, 667 and 777, and aged on lees in French oak barrels.
It's a classic Pinot offering earthy, savoury aromas of small red berries, sour cherry, forest floor, spice and cedar. It's silky and honest, not flashy, with finesse and balance and flavours of tangy red fruit, saddle leather, spice and tealeaf.
©copyright 2024 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - November 12th, 2024

Classic, juicy, tasty.
A classic on Canadian wine shelves, this delightful under $20 northeastern Italian Pinot Grigio delivers almond and Asian pear aromas layered with dried flowers and wet stone and citrus. It's juicy, has an attractive weight with crunchy apple and pear, citrus and mineral flavours. A straightforward everyday white with good bones, a little texture and notable consistency.
©copyright 2024 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - November 7th, 2024