LaStella and Le Vieux Pin: 4 New Releases

At a recent media open house I had the pleasure of tasting the new releases from both LaStella and Le Vieux Pin, two wineries owned and operated by the Enotecca group who often present the wines together to represent two equal halves of their larger Ode to European Winemaking story.

The LaStella wines take their inspiration from Italy while Le Vieux Pin professes Enotecca's love for France's Rhone Valley. Both, however, strive to produce quality, uniquely Okanagan Valley wines, not doppelgangers of each winery's venerable Old World muse. Below are my notes on a few of the recent and upcoming releases from both wineries:

Le Vieux Pin 2011 Ava - $35
14%. 78% Viognier, 11% Marsanne, 11% Rousanne
Though slightly muted, there's lost to like on the aromatic nose with peach and apricot fruit aromas adding to the pleasant bouquet. Clean and crisp with good minerality on the rounded, medium-plus bodied palate. Good length and depth.

Le Vieux Pin 2009 Retouche - $60
14.9%. 62 cases. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah
An homage to a near-forgotten time when Bordeaux producers would augment their Cabernet Sauvignon with Syrah from the Rhone Valley for much needed tannin structure and colour. LVP's take is a Cab-Syrah blend (roughly 70/30 split) that aims to emphasize the qualities of Cabernet Sauvignon rather than showcase a blended wine - a successful feat. Sadly, however, the story behind the wine is more engaging than the finished product. A solid Cabernet with a good expression of fruit on the palate and a subtle nose of dark berry fruit and oak influenced aromas.
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LaStella 2009 La Sophia - $75
15.1%. 48 cases. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
A stunning Cabernet Sauvignon that grips your attention from the first sniff of sweet, concentrated dark berry fruit and deep licorice aromas. The truly gorgeous palate follows with a near perfect balance between the ripe, silky tannins, elegant texture and smooth acidity. Complex and captivating. Despite the fact this wine has yet to be released most of it has already been snatched up by wine club members. Contact the winery quickly to reserve one of the last few cases.
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LaStella 2009 Maestoso - $100
15.2%. 148 cases. 100% Merlot
The Maestoso is a massive wine that seeks to knock your socks off with its unapologetic, Old World, heavy tannins. This wine needs a further 5-7 years to mature in order to properly appreciate the nuances of fruit, terroir and oak that are only barely perceptible today beneath the massive tannins. Bottled promise.
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- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2012 IconWines.ca