The 2009 Wine of the Year

December 9th, 2009

Icon Wines is proud to announce.

The 2009 "Wine of the Year" representing the best wine released in this calendar year is:

Blackwood Lane Winery 2006 Alliance $60 - 94pts
Full Review


This exquisite wine was first tasted in August by Icon Wines partners Liam Carrier and Hugh Carter during a visit to the winery for a barrel tasting of the upcoming 2007 vintage (tentative Feb 2010 release date). At the time we scored the current 2006 release a very strong 94/100 points and were equally impressed by the upcoming 2007 release. This wine stayed fresh in our memory through the 2006 Bordeaux and Fall releases and remained our favourite of all the wines we had tasted this year. Subsequent visits to the wineries for follow-up tastings helped to solidify it as a must for this year's "Wine of the Year" award.

The winery also produces another amazing Meritage blend called Reférence as a micro-cuvée with ultra-fine tannins and a higher price tag. However, the accessibility, production and price-point of Alliance won us over and put it over the top.

For more information on Blackwood Lane Winery visit their website: http://www.blackwoodlanewinery.com/

Blackwood Lane wines are available direct from the winery or via select private fine wine shops. (Everything Wine, Firefly Ales & Wines)

Honorable mentions for the 2009 "Wine of the Year":

Lake Breeze 2008 Gewurztraminer
Full Review

La Frenz 2007 Montage
Full Review

Barrel Tasting at Blackwood Lane Winery

August 24th, 2009

Any modest chef will tell you that the best ingredients make the best dishes. Of course, as any layman knows, the best ingredients are only one part of the equation; you also need someone in charge who is a master at their craft. Such is the formula for Blackwood Lane Winery. (www.blackwoodlanewinery.com/)

Winemaker Charles Herrold sources the best grapes in the Okanagan from vineyards he and his partners either own or have secured on long-term lease. He employs the consulting services of renowned Viticulturist Sam Baptiste and uses the newest technology at their modest winery in the Fraser Valley. Herrold, over his 19 years of experience (and of experimentation), has refined his process to produce exceptional wines.

Herrold’s winemaking philosophy could be summed up as “pure”. He uses no additives for extra tannins or flavour but rather experiments with different oak barrels to add complexity to the final blend. He uses a “free-flow” method to extract juice for his icon wine, The Reference, which is to say that the best juice is allowed to flow from the crush prior to the final violent press. This helps impart a smoothness to the wine that allows the drinker to examine and appreciate the multitude of flavours and tannins. Simply amazing.

Blackwood Lane Winery is the brainchild of Herrold and business partner Carlos Lee. They have recently opened a tasting room (open 11-6, Wed-Sun) at their Langley facility where the wines are produced and aged. For a $10 tasting fee (which includes a take-home Riedel glass) you can try:

2008 Chenin Blanc ($24) - Sommelier Series
- Beautifully balanced acidity and mineral finish.
2008 Vicuna Blanco ($19) – Gold Label Series
- A mostly Alsatian blend of Pinot Gris, Riesling, Chenin Blanc and Gewurztraminer.
2005 Chardonnay ($19) – Gold Label Series
- An oak-lovers treat. Butter bomb with perfect acidity to balance the flavours.
2005 Vicuna Roja ($24) – Gold Label Series
- Unique and very successful mélange of 42% Pinot Noir with the balance a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
2006 Alliance ($59) – Sommelier Series
- Powerhouse Bordeaux blend. 58.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 12.5% Cabernet Franc.

Look for full reviews of these wines over the next few weeks on our sister site: http://www.iconscores.blogspot.com/.

We also tasted the 2006 Reference ($89) which is Blackwood Lane’s signature and a true Canadian Icon Wine. To say this wine is a powerhouse of flavour is an understatement - it’s an entire power station of flavour. Yet, it is also full of refinement and complexity. This is a wine to watch and will surely be a cornerstone of the Icon Wines portfolio.

We were fortunate to be invited into the cellar for a barrel tasting:

The 2007 Alliance was tasted in its final blend and barrel: four-year smoked American Oak. This wine had all of the complexity of the current release.

The 2007 Reference is currently aging in four large barrels made of French Oak sourced from different forests. We tasted each barrel separately, and found that each barrel imparts a unique tannin and flavour. The 2007 may be the winery’s best vintage yet.

We also tried a new port-style wine which is nearly ready. This is a Merlot-based, brandy-fortified treat that should command a $90+ price. Keep your eyes out for its release sometime in 2010. - LC