We are so happy to have you here! The Okanagan wine country is a big part of our lives, so something like this wine journal is long overdue. We love being asked for recommendations by friends and family, so we hope you enjoy this list. It will be fun to continue adding to this list over the years to come. We are members at a few wineries, and we wanted to highlight them because they are pretty special to us. We always recommend their wines, as well as a winery visit. We’ve been members at Tinhorn Creek Vineyards since 2014, Black Hills Estate Winery since 2015, and CedarCreek Estate Winery since 2017. We like getting regular shipments from these vineyards, and the rest of our wines we pick up upon regular visits and tastings.
Here’s a list of our latest winery visits and wine journal entries. Keep scrolling for our wine recommendations:
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We’ve loved Tinhorn Creek Vineyards since 2010, and have been Crush Club members since 2015. They have a fabulous restaurant, Miradoro, that we always make time to visit. Black Hills has phenomenal wine, as well as a wine tasting experience, where you can enjoy your tastings poolside in a cabana as wine club members. We are newer members to CedarCreek, but we loved their wines so much upon first taste that we immediately joined their Platinum Club at our first visit. We also love their restaurant, HomeBlock, with their amazing food and stunning dining views.
There’s a lot of wine we like… and we love to support local. The majority of our wine cellar and favorites hail from the Okanagan region. We really love the Oliver/Osoyoos area for our reds, and then the rest of what we drink comes from all over the Valley. We buy most of our wines with the intention of drinking within the year or two, and then some that we’ll lay down for longer. We used to keep a digital catalog of our wines, but we weren’t pleased with any of the apps out there, so now just keep a mental log.
White Wines & Bubbles
Patio sippers, lunch wines, any time wine. That’s what white wine is to us, it can be enjoyed on any occasion.
Black Hills 2018 Viognier $24.90
Very floral with stonefruits, and off-dry. It’s creamy and crisp.
Tinhorn Creek Oldfield Reserve 2Bench White 2018 $21.99
An everyday drinker. This one is great for all occasions, with a little bit of body.
CedarCreek 2018 Riesling $18.99
This Riesling is so fun because it’s got a lemony finish. It’s fresh and tasty.
Fitzpatrick Fitz Brut 2016 $38.50
Amazing sparkling white made in the traditional Champagne method.
Champagne Pierre Paillard $60
Traditional Champagne. We first had this in our WSET 1 classes, and fell head over heels.
Rosé
Sometimes you just need a good rosé.
2019 Estate Pinot Noir Rosé $18.99
We are obsessed with this Rosé. It’s a new release for CedarCreek. Fruit forward, yet dry and crisp.
2019 Rosé Cabernet Franc $17.99
Slightly sweet, with notes of cranberry and crap apple. We forgot a bottle in our car trunk for a month in the middle of summer in the Okanagan, and it survived all that time!
2019 Oldfield Reserve Rosé 2019 $21.99
100% Cabernet Franc. Fairly dry.
Red wine
Red, red, wine. We love reds. Between the two of us, we love Pinot Noirs, Syrahs, Cabernet Francs, and Cabernet Sauvignon dominant Bordeaux wines. Wines from or inspired by Alsace, Bordeaux, and Rhone Valley seem to capture our interest the most.
Tinhorn Creek Cabernet Franc 2017 $23.99
An every day drinker. Notes of berries and red currant. Great mouthfeel.
Black Hills 2018 Cellar Hand Red $24.90
This is a steal of a deal. As it was explained to us, it’s all the grapes that were Nota Bene contenders.
Hester Creek 2018 Cabernet Merlot $17.99
This one is another steal of a deal. This will win a blind wine tasting with your friends.
Maverick Rubeus $22.98
Ripe cherry and strawberry jam. Drink immediately or can be cellared for 5-7 years!
Black Hills 2014 Nota Bene
Amazing. Medium intensity. Red and black fruit.
Black Hills 2017 Syrah $39.90
Beautiful wine. Intense. Raspberry, black berry, hints of black pepper.
