Try This, Cellar That - Tinhorn Cabernet Franc

Long a signature variety for the Golden Bench winery, Tinhorn produces three Cabernet Franc wines, one a rosé, but for the purpose of this comparison, we'll focus on the two reds. We're going against convention with the reserve-tier wine suggested as the "drink now" bottle, but since Tinhorn have done the work for you by keeping the Oldfield Series Franc back an extra year and treating the wine to added time in oak where the tannins matured, the choice is made easier.

Try This...

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2013 Oldfield Series Cabernet Franc - $30
An uber smooth and elegant Cabernet Franc with the classic, dried flowers and brambly fruit you've come to expect from a BC Cabernet Franc but presented with the refinement and texture of a high-end Cabernet Sauvignon. Notes of pipe tobacco, light cola, wild berry, plum and a medley of corned beef characters: cloves, juniper berries, allspice and black pepper, grace the comforting nose and the mellow, smoky-tannin palate. As with all of the Oldfield Series wines, this Cabernet Franc has been released when it is ready to be enjoyed but will also feel at home in your cellar for another 2-3 years.
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Cellar That...

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2014 Cabernet Franc - $24
A brooding Cabernet Franc from the excellent 2014 vintage, full of dark berry fruit, intense earthy-herbs and meaty-metallic aromas and flavours but not without a few feminine touches like candied fruit, mocha and floral notes on the otherwise masculine nose and palate. Well structured with dusty tannins and fleshy, berry acidity. Length is moderate, but well balanced. Enjoy now or over the next 3-4 years with some further development likely.
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 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2017 IconWines.ca

Monthly Picks: July '14 - Tinhorn Creek

Earlier this Spring, Tinhorn announced the hiring of a new head winemaker from Ontario, Andrew Windsor, who has taken over leading the long established winemaking team from co-owner and CEO of the Tinhorn enterprise, Sandra Oldfield. This frees-up the amiable Oldfield to spend less time on grunt work in the cellar and more time on the business at large - a key component to the long-term viability of Tinhorn, one of the Okanagan's most visited and popular wineries.

The white wines of this year's Spring release will be the last to be made under the day-to-day direction of Oldfield and should make an interesting comparison to next year's wines that will have seen Windsor at the helm for a full year. How will the style change or evolve? We shall see.

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2013 Gewurztraminer - $17
An incredibly consistent Gewurztraminer, year-in, year-out, which, for 2013, sees the wine's profile edge slightly 'plumper' than the 2012 edition, yet remains, true to its stonefruit roots.
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Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2013 Pinot Gris - $19
True to the house style, the latest edition of Tinhorn's popular Pinot Gris is lush and juicy, though, in a slightly more subtle way for 2013 than in previous years, especially on the orchard and tropical fruit-infused nose. The palate offers a nice balance between ripe fruit flavours and cool mineral'n'citrus characters with apple, pear, kumquat and river stone notes leading the way.
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Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2013 Chardonnay - $19
A fairly austere Chardonnay on the finish with some juicy, orchard and tropical fruit notes starting the proceedings off but they quickly yield their time to the stonefruit and citrus layers on the subtle nose and the mouth-watering palate.
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Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2011 Pinot Noir - $22
Savoury notes like wild sage, cedar and spices comes to the forefront with stewed plum and spearmint aromas rounding out the developing bouquet. The light bodied, though, potent dry palate follows with moderate, fine tannins and layers of raspberry, cherry, river stone, graphite and oak flavours.
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Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2013 Oldfield Series 2Bench White - $23
The 2013 edition sees 31% Sauvignon Blanc, 29% Chardonnay, 28% Semillon, 9% Viognier and 3% Muscat blended to create a charming bouquet of exotic, tropical fruit and fresh-off-the-tree orchard fruit aromas supported by some rich, lees and perfume notes.
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Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2013 Oldfield Series 2Bench Rosé - $23
he colour, texture and delicacy suggest a Provence inspiration, but this blush is pure BC with a focus on expressive, tangy red fruit aromas and flavours supported by light mineral and savoury notes. Dry and mouth-watering with lime rind and rhubarb acidity, this is a Food-Friendly wine with double Capital 'Fs'!
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Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2010 Oldfield Series Pinot Noir - $30
Both earthy and fruity on the full-ish palate with layers of raspberry, blackberry, spicy plum and warm rocks. Fine tannins and nicely balanced acidity structure the wine with finesse. Ready to drink now with already 4 years of age and should last another 3-4 years with proper cellaring.
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 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca

Tinhorn Creek's Fabulous 2012 Releases

For 2012, Tinhorn Creek Vineyards divided their wine releases into trimesters with Spring, Summer and Fall dates making for a steady flow of new wines for the consumer to select from. The Spring release was dominated by crisp 2011 white wines, the Summer saw the bulk of their 2010 single varietal reds released as well as a new reserve-tier Pinot Noir already 4 years old and the Fall trimester hosted the winery's small-lot, Oldfield Series reds from the hot 2009 vintage.

Working backwards from the most recent releases, here are the highlight notes from every wine released by tinhorn Creek in 2012 - a banner year for the Golden Mile Bench winery. To read our winery profile, click here.

Fall

2009 Oldfield Series Merlot - $29
A very consistent wine, year-to-year, perfect for red meat and chocolate plate pairings thanks to its combination of dense, dark berry and savoury, licorice'n'cola aromas and flavours.
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2009 Oldfield Series Syrah - $35
At already 3 years of age the ripe tannins have had a chance to mellow and frame the palate well while the mouth-watering acid keeps the heavy licorice and red fruit puree flavours feeling fresh and lively.
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2009 Oldfield Series 2Bench Red - $30
A blend of 45% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the wine boasts an enchanting bouquet of dark fruit and spicy vanilla wrapped in a prominent, smoky blanket of sweet tobacco and toasted oak aromas.
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2010 Merlot - $19
House-style is achieved with good tannin structure, solid fruit and palate-cleansing, fresh acidity. Good length and balance throughout. Would benefit from another 6+ months of bottle age and a long decant prior to serving.
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2011 Oldfield Series Kerner Icewine - $30 (200ml)

A remarkably consistent product from Tinhorn that boasts apricot, apple cider, lime and canned peach aromas on the gentle nose and similar flavours on the sweet and tangy palate.
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Summer

2008 Oldfield Series Pinot Noir - $30
With this Oldfield Series release, which sees an extra year in bottle, you get a little more of, well, everything. A little more elegance, a little more intensity, a little more fruit and a little more harmony in the overall presentation when compared to the varietal-tier release.
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2009 Pinot Noir - $20
The 2009 edition varies a little from the 2008 release with more bitter notes on the dry palate, making it more of a food companion than a stand-alone sipper, but otherwise follows a similar script: pleasant, baked raspberry and savoury, spicy earth characters with restrained oak influence.
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2010 Cabernet Franc - $20
Cool-climate "funk" is back in a big way for the 2010 edition with pungent aromas of blue cheese caressing the concentrated blue fruit, cola and sweet black licorice notes on the expressive nose.
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2011 Chardonnay - $18
A somewhat muted nose of stonefruit, golden delicious apples, vanilla and sweet orchard fruit aromas precedes a more vibrant palate of similar flavours with more mineral and oak influence.
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Spring

2011 Oldfield Series 2Bench White - $23
Both opulent, with rich orchard fruit by the bushel, and light with delicate, aromatic notes'a'plenty. Melon, grapefruit and minerals round out the flavour profile with a touch of lingering spice on the long finish. Just delicious!
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2011 Gewurztraminer - $18
Blessed with natural fullness and a creamy mouth feel, this release succeeds by reigning in the body with vibrant, mouth watering, citrus acidity that structures the Asian pear, apple and lychee fruit characters beautifully.
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2011 Pinot Gris - $18
Succulent orchard fruits and masculine mineral flavours mingle effortlessly culminating in a well balanced, long finish with lingering lemon and subtle, green apple notes.
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2011 Oldfield Series 2Bench Rosé - $23
The balance is spot on with refreshing cranberry characters mingling with sweet strawberry fruit beneath a weave of stainless steel and river stone flavours. Soft tannins linger on the tangy, long finish.
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 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2012 IconWines.ca

What's In Your Cellar, Sandra?

Sandra Oldfield
Tinhorn Creek
Winemaker, CEO
tinhorn.com

Winemaker and bon vivant Sandra Oldfield wears many hats and holds various titles at Tinhorn Creek, where the US Davis graduate has been making wine since her first crush in 1995. In addition to President and CEO of Tinhorn's business holdings, the role most dear to her heart could appropriately be called Chief Evangelist for Sustainability, or CES, if such a thing existed. Ask Sandra about the winery's environmental activities, the most aggressive and sustainable in the valley, and she'll answer with the same pride as asking any winemaker about his or her favourite wine in their portfolio.

For Sandra, cellaring wine is about seeing how the wines evolve over time while also serving a practical purpose to have great bottles of wine at the ready should any socializing or entertaining opportunities arise.

Q - What is the purpose of your wine collection?
My cellar is for personal use. The winery keeps a library for evaluation and comparison purposes so this is just for personal parties and nightly drinking. I throw a lot of parties by the way.

Q - Is there a jewel of note or a favourite wine in your collection?
1845 Madeira that my husband and I taste from every year on our anniversary. Imagine, years before Lincoln was ever President of the US!! I just about cry every time we taste it.

Q - Any particular duds or disappointments of note?
Sometimes homewinemakers ask me to evaluate their wines and if I don't open them pretty quickly they tend not to do well when they finally get opened.

Q - How do you store your collection?
Most the collection is upright in cases because most is from BC and I love buying Screw top closed wines.

Q - What inspired you to hold onto that first bottle or case beyond when it was ready to drink?
I have all the wine I made at UC Davis for my thesis on Cabernet Sauvignon from the Mondavi To-Kalon vineyard. I have never wanted to open them although I am sure they are not good anymore.

Q - What causes you to actually pull the trigger on a special bottle from your cellar?
If I have people over who I know appreciate wine and if I open it as the 1st or 2nd bottle of the night, then I have no problem opening up that last, really-expensive, bottle of wine.

Q - Would perusing your wine cellar offer any insight into you as a person?
I think you would learn that I have to have more parties - I can hardly move inside the room it is being stored in right now.

Q - What advice would you share to anyone wanting to start a collection of wine?
Don't worry if your wine is at optimal temperature. Try to ensure that it stays relatively the same temperature throughout the year. Also, buy at least 3 bottles of something you like or you will find you never open up any wine as you'll be afraid of "the last bottle" syndrome.

 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2012 IconWines.ca

Winery Spotlight: Tinhorn Creek

Few wineries in the Okanagan Valley can top the consistent value-for-money-to-quality ratio executed by Tinhorn Creek with their impressive line-up of varietal wines priced at $20 and below. The list offers a wide range of wines that should appeal to your touring party where everyone should find something they like, including, for the discerning bunch, a series of excellent, cellar worthy reserve wines.

Located in the Southern Okanagan's soon-to-designated appellation of the Golden Mile Bench, Tinhorn boasts a handsomely situated winery and wine shop with an adjoining restaurant which serves wine-friendly entrées and tapas-styled sharing plates. Miradoro sells Tinhorn wines at wine shop prices and offers a decent list of local favourites from neighboring wineries with the normal restaurant mark-up. A cool, wine community-building gesture, however, with the menu at Miradoro geared towards matching the Tinhorn line-up, the "house wines" remain your best bet.
http://www.tinhorn.com/

Family-Friendly Credentials

Tinhorn's Compost Pile

So... you're touring with your family trying to balance your time with fun activities for the kids and wine related fun for the adults. It's hard to commit to winery tours that adhere to a posted schedule and will likely cause your kids to yawn and complain. Tinhorn Creek removes these barriers with their self-guided winery tour that you can start or stop at anytime and not feel like you're holding up a tour group full of folks who, although, publicly smile at your kids are secretly wishing you hadn't brought them.

For older kids, who have caught the save-the-planet fever we all do at some point in our youths when we still think we can single-handedly change the world, you can regale them with the impressive details of Tinhorn's concerted effort in going Green. They are Canada's first 100% carbon neutral winery which includes an emphasis on recycling water and composting all materials. That should satisfy even the most cynical teenager in the group who's pissed they can't drink and you can.

Key wines to try:
Cabernet Franc
Oldfield Series 2Bench Red
Gewurztraminer

Rosé Elevated

Sales for rosé wines are on the rise yet sadly too many wine drinkers still associate blush wines as either overly feminine or unsophisticated (the later excuse being ripe with sexist undertones). Personally, I am not afraid to say that I love rosé wines and don't think twice about ordering it in a restaurant in plain sight of other patrons. Does this mean I'm more in-touch with my feminine side or more comfortable with my masculinity? No, of course not. To say 'yes' would be to lend credence to the concept that the light cherry, cranberry or salmon coloured wines are exclusively feminine to begin with. I simply enjoy the unique body, texture and refreshing qualities a good rosé can offer and I hope to encourage others to put aside their prejudices and explore its wonderful ability to pair with (nearly) all foods.

Decent, satisfying and food-friendly rosé wines are produced all over BC but three producers have managed to elevate its production to an art form. The much anticipated release and quick sell-out of said wines speaks to the quality that consumers have grown accustomed to from Stag's Hollow, Tinhorn Creek and JoieFarm, the latter perhaps being the most responsible for the style's rebirth at the till.

Partially, what makes these three wines so special is the fact that all are planned, not happened upon. There is no "well, this Cabernet block is crap and under ripe, maybe we can make a rosé out of it" conversation at these wineries. But rather they ask, "What will make our rosé better this year?"

Tinhorn Creek Spring Preview

2011 was another tough and intriguing cool-climate vintage for the Okanagan Valley. One that started even later than 2010 which was one of the hardest and coolest growing seasons in 15 years. Through 2011, things were shaping up to be very much the same as 2010 with a late, Indian Summer providing just enough heat and sunshine to ripen the grapes before the onset of frost, which was devastating for the producers who gambled on a longer hang time for their crop. Except, the frost didn't come in 2011. At least, not to the degree it did in 2010 when a sudden drop in temperature in October wreaked havoc for many. The result was a longer than normal harvest with some vineyards leaving fruit hanging well into November and even into January of 2012 for a few Icewine harvests.

Previewing upcoming releases, including the much anticipated and inaugural release of the Oldfield Series Pinot Noir from the 2008 vintage, winemaker Sandra Oldfield and viticulturalist Andrew Moon paced invited media through the range of  the newly bottled 2011 white varietal wines to be released in May.

Cab Franc Block - Black Sage Bench

The backdrop for the preview tasting included visits to the winery's vineyards on the Black Sage Bench and the Golden Mile Bench where the winery is based. The tour was interspersed with the new wines and discussions about the winery's concerted effort to remain a steward of the land from which their product is sourced rather than a profiteer? Few wineries put forth the effort that Tinhorn Creek does to achieve a conscious-appeasing carbon-neutral result from the production of their wines. It's an expensive endeavor but one they seem committed to maintaining and even improving as projects like the winery's on-site composting mature.

Full reviews will be posted on http://www.iconscores.ca/ as the wines are released.

2011 Gewurztraminer - $17.99
Hard to improve on the 2010 Goo, but first impressions are they managed to do it. Lower alcohol and slightly drier than previous vintages - a welcomed change. Produced from fruit grown on the Golden Mile property, just up the hill from the winery.
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2011 Pinot Gris - $17.99
Possibly the best Pinot Gris the winery has yet to produce. First impression was the balance of RS-to-acid-to-body seemed absolutely spot on.
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2011 Chardonnay - $17.99
We tasted the new vintage of Chardonnay only a day after it had been bottled resulting in a bit of bottleshock. The acid levels and ripeness seem to be where they should be, but an overall impression was hard to construct.

2011 2Bench Rose - $23

Made from Cabernet Franc grapes with minimal skin contact, the 2011 version does not disappoint. In fact, it's the best one yet. Production is higher this year so you should be able to find this wine a little easier than in the past - look for it, you will not be disappointed.
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2008 Oldfield Series Pinot Noir - $35(est)

Waiting four years before releasing a wine to the consumer is mostly unheard of in the Okanagan Valley as wineries can't afford the cost of holding back product that people are ready to purchase. Tinhorn decided to bite the bullet and hold-out for an extra year for the standard Pinot Noir and two full years for their new Oldfield Series Pinot Noir, much to the chagrin of their finance and marketing people. Alas the wait is (nearly) over and it was worth it. This reserve Pinot is just that much more refined and elegant that the varietal series Pinot Noir. The result is more depth, more character and more presence in the glass. Yum. Look for a June or July release date.

 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2012 IconWines.ca

Of Stelvin and Corks

A Tale of Two Bottles...

The Debate
In North America, the screw cap bottle enclosure (or "Stelvin cap" as it is often referred to in a Kleenex sort of way) is still associated with cheap, "jug" wines to many wine drinkers and thus is rarely seen on quality, mid-to-high range products worthy of one's cellar. It's a perception that the Okanagan Valley's Tinhorn Creek Vineyards would like to change.

The winery's love affair with the screw cap began 10 years ago when they bottled half of the winery's first reserve level wine, the Oldfield Series Merlot, with traditional cork and half using the Stelvin metal enclosure. With the foresight and attention span that few producers have (or can afford) cases of both wines were squirreled away to gauge the aging ability of the screw cap wines against their identical corked brethren. The results have convinced Tinhorn's CEO and head winemaker Sandra Oldfield to switch the entire portfolio over to Stelvin - including their small-lot, age-worthy Oldfield Series releases. The only exception is the winery's 200ml Icewine/Late Harvest bottle which is expected to also switch to metal enclosures once a suitable replacement has been found.

The benefits of screw caps are many, ranging from ease of use (yes, not everyone enjoys uncorking a bottle of wine) to the financial piece of mind that when your wines that leave the winery, none will come back due to a tainted cork. But can screw cap enclosures truly allow the wine to evolve and live out its normal life-cycle of youthful-to-peak-to-unavoidable decline?

As with all living things, the key is oxygen. Too much will make the wine age fast and spoil. Too little will halt the natural development altogether. Cork does this very well allowing minute amounts of oxygen through its porous fibers allotting wine the controlled access it desires. The long track record of cork is mixed with both success and failure. Corks can dry-up and shrink over time which can lead to too much oxygen reaching the wine and they can taint the wine with trichloroanisle (or TCA) which makes the wine undrinkable. Both of these problems are avoided using a metal screw cap enclosure which, contrary to popular knowledge, does allow the wine to "breath" and therefore promotes the same evolution over time. However, so few age-worthy wines have been bottled under screw cap that little practical proof is available. Until now.

The Wine
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2001 Oldfield Series Merlot
At 11 years old, this Merlot, produced from fruit grown on the Golden Mile and Black Sage benches, serves to debunk two myths: 1) that Stelvin cap wines can't age and 2) BC wines won't survive a long incubation. The result? A resounding "Yes they can!" on both fronts.

When comparing the two wines side-by-side, I was amazed to find that the colour, from the core to the quarter-rim, was exactly the same tint and clarity of dark garnet. Both the screw cap and cork bottle had evolved beautifully with a lovely bouquet of raspberry-mocha, graphite and spices with fine mellowed tannins, spicy oak and dark berry fruit flavours on the mouth watering palate.

Was the screw cap wine better or worse than the cork bottle? No, the quality remained exactly the same - and isn't that the point? The wines did evolve differently with the screw cap bottle retaining slightly more elevated fruit character on the nose and the cork enclosed bottle offering a tad more spice on the palate. Otherwise, the wines were identical.... equal.

The Conclusion
The Tinhorn experiment is far from scientific with only one vintage and one variety selected for the double bottling. Yet, the result is pretty persuasive with the main point being that the wine was proven to age as if it had been enclosed by cork without the 10-15% of heartache involved with spoiled wine. Hopefully more folks will accept screw cap enclosures on cellar worthy wines over time, but admittedly, there will always be wine lovers who will prefer their wines enclosed with a material that pops when pulled rather than one which cracks when twisted. Perceptions are hard to change.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2012 IconWines.ca

Tinhorn Creek Oldfield Series

The first word that comes to mind when envisioning Tinhorn Creek remains "value" for me. No one else in the valley can top the consistent value-for-money-to-quality ratio executed by Tinhorn Creek with their impressive line-up of varietal wines priced at $20 and below. Yet, each Fall I am happily reminded with the release of the winery's Oldfield Series red wines that there is much more to the Golden Mile institution than simply well-made, well-priced crowd-pleasers. They also produce challenging, high-quality, refined wines which, ironically, do nothing to shake the winery's "value" association for me due to their relative affordability.

The Oldfield Series red wines are afforded plenty of time in barrel and an impressive 18 months in bottle prior to being released. Essentially, Tinhorn has done the aging work on your behalf leaving you free to open them upon release knowing that you won't cut short the potential for the wines growth if you hold on to it, just a little bit longer.

Stelvin cap enclosures are used for all Tinhorn Creek wines (with Icewine and Late Harvest wines being the only exceptions) to lock in the freshness and avoid any faults from extensive aging and tainted cork. To some, this may lessen the appeal of these high-end and cellar worthy wines as the screw top enclosures have yet to fully break-down the stigma attributed to cheap, bulk wines. A perception I hope changes soon as most wines, even those purchased to adorn home cellars, will be consumed in the 5 years anyway. The Oldfield Series wines will make you a believer.

2008 Oldfield Series Merlot - $25
Big tannins, due to a prolonged jam session in oak, blend nicely with juicy, ripe mixed berry flavours and sultry, savoury notes of spice and smoke.
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2008 Oldfield Series Syrah - $35
Bold yet refined, extra spicy Syrah with a medium-plus body - one that leans more Rhone Valley than Barossa Valley.
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2008 Oldfield Series 2Bench Red - $30
A blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc delivering a potpourri of savoury and fruit elements, wrapped-up in a mouth-watering, sweet spice and sandpaper sprinkled texture.
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Oldfield Series wines released earlier in the year:

2010 Oldfield Series 2Bench Rosé - $22 (sold out)
The 100% Cabernet Franc adds seductive crushed flower aromatics and complexity to the wine's classic rosé nose of Maraschino cherry, cranberry, grape skins and raspberry seeds. Certainly a contender for the top rosé in BC. Available via the winery's "Crush Club" and tasting room only.
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2010 Oldfield Series Kerner Icewine - $30 (200ml)
Nice acidity is present for 2010 adding essential tartness to counter-balance the full bodied, sweet palate oozing with concentrated fruit and a splash of savoury notes, adding complexity.
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 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2011 IconWines.ca

Oldfield Series Shines

There are a number of star winemakers in BC. Men and women who make fantastic wines, year-after-year, no matter which winery they move to. There are few, however, who are as synonymous with their winery as Sandra Oldfield of Tinhorn Creek.

Winemaker, and co-owner, Sandra has been making wine in the Southern Okanagan since 1995 focusing on single varietals like Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris that grow well on their Golden Mile and Black Sage Bench vineyards. Her eponymous "Oldfield Series" brand is her playground where she can show-off the best-of-the-best of Tinhorn Creek, a winery that may be better known for "good value" than "high quality". I'm happy to report that in tasting the new Oldfield Series releases (October 2010), the wines should be known for both value and quality.

The Oldfield Series offers two single varietals, three blends (one white, one rosé and one red) and one ice wine. The wines are all small lot releases from the best batches and receive the most attention in their oak program. The success that Tinhorn has achieved over the years allows them to release their top wines when they are ready, rather than when they need to sell them. Good for them and good for us.

2007 Oldfield Series 2Bench Red - $29.99
Released in October 2010. A Bordeaux-style blend of 42% Cabernet Sauvignon with equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The intense nose offers classic Meritage aromas of cassis, dark berries, dark chocolate, toasted oak and licorice with aromatic perfumed notes. The dry palate offers an echo of sweetness from the concentrated dark fruit and toasted oak flavours. Plum, vanilla and a lingering spice compliment and add complexity. The tannins are round and well integrated, framing the fruit flavours nicely. 91+pts
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2007 Oldfield Series Syrah - $29.99
Released in October 2010. An intense nose of dark cherry, vanilla, blackberry jam, pepper and cooking spice. The palate is dry with good tannins and natural acidity - just the right amount of bite. Juicy flavours of dark fruit, vanilla, leather and toasted oak with a chalky, smoky texture. The finish is moderate and balanced with lingering pepper spice. 90pts
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2007 Oldfield Series Merlot - $24.99
Released in October 2010. A stunning nose of dark berries, cherry, slate, gravel, savoury herbs and coffee with big oak and vanilla latte notes. The palate offers well structured, smooth and slightly green tannins with classic dark fruit flavours. Patient decanting will help bring out more layers of complexity revealing more earthy notes along with French oak and bitter chocolate flavours. 88pts
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2009 Oldfield Series 2Bench White - $22.99
Released in June 2010. Given time to open-up (and warm-up - don't serve this gem too cold) the nose blooms, offering aromatic and perfumed aromas of blossoms, ripe pears, apricots, minerals and roasted mellons. The Sauvignon Blanc is evident with typical notes of grass and gooseberry. The palate is round yet crisp and has great acidity with pear and minerality continuing from the nose. The complexity is evident with further expressions of green apple and light lemon. 89pts
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2009 Oldfield Series Kerner Icewine - $29.99
Released in August 2010. Intense apricots on the nose with a touch of smoke and lemon rind. Lacks the concentration of flavour and acidity on the palate of the best ice wines, however, it checks all the boxes for an enjoyable experience. Serve on vanilla ice cream to spice-up a basic desert. 86-87pts
Full Review - Coming Soon

The Varietal Series contains six single varietals with both red and white selections. The whites are generally released the following year and the reads are held back for an extra year (at least) of bottle aging. No Pinot Noir this year due to a change in the oaking and aging application. The 2008 Varietal Series Pinot Noir will be released in 2011 and the 2008 Oldfield Series Pinot Noir will be released in 2012. Patients is a virtue.

2008 Merlot - $17.99
Released in October 2010. A dark ruby coloured, crowd-pleasing, smooth-as-can-be Merlot. Less refined on the nose as its big-brother Oldfield Series Merlot and not as complex on the palate, but a fantastically easy-drinking wine. Will pair beautifully with many grilled meat dishes or a deck of cards and good company. 87pts
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2008 Cabernet Franc - $17.99
Release in August 2010. Altogether different than the 2007 version. Less funk and more refinement. Very Loire Valley, cool climate in character with excellent aromatic herbs on the nose. This varietal does very well in the Tinhorn Creek vineyards.Let us be the first to publicly request an Oldfield Series Cabernet Franc. Until then, we'll be happily placated with this tasty red. 87pts
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2009 Chardonnay - $16.99
Released in July 2010. Classic aromas of luscious melons, buttery ice cream and orchard fruit with quiet herbaceous notes. Flavours of pears, apples, sweet pineapple and light toasted oak spice and with piquant, lemony acidity; very refreshing. 87pts
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2009 Pinot Gris - $16.99
Released in July 2010. Green apples, crisp peaches, canned mandarins and a heathy dose of steely mineral notes, an intriguing nose makes. Followed by a medium-plus bodied, creamy textured palate with intense flavours of orchard fruit, melon balls minerality and green-apple tartness. 88pts
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2009 Gewurztraminer - $16.99
Released in May 2010. Aromas of sweet citrus, lychee, honey, pears, rose blossoms and the spice of crushed cardamom shells on the nose. The oily textured, full-bodied palate offers youthful flavours of tropical acidity, lychee, stone fruit, spice and minerality with excellent balance and a long finish. 87pts
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Tinhorn Creek 2010 Spring Release

The 2009 growing season in the Okanagan Valley (see the 2009 Vintage Report) was a phenomenal one, especially for the white varietals. A warm September and October gave the wineries and growers the ability to allow the fruit to ripen to their specifications rather than the weather dictating the harvest. A great position to be in. The result is a fantastic line-up of 2009 white wines from BC wineries that are slowly being released this Spring.

Tinhorn Creek's 2009 vintage whites are available now, but you may have to go direct to the winery to get them. Perusing the shelves at your local BC Liquor Store you may find mostly 2008 vintage whites taking up valuable shelf real estate. Could be the BCLDB is waiting for the 2008's to sell out before stalking their shelves with the new releases. If so, consider this a preview of what you have to look forward to or get a jump on the liquor store and order direct from the winery (either in person or online).

The Tinhorn Creek 2009 line-up is full of fruit-forward, food-friendly, professionally finished, nicely acidic, quality wines that are very well-priced. We were pleasantly impressed.

2009 Gewurztraminer - $16.99
Aromas of sweet citrus, lychee, honey, pears, rose blossoms and the spice of crushed cardamom shells on the nose. The oily textured, full-bodied palate offers youthful flavours of tropical acidity, lychee, stone fruit, spice and minerality with excellent balance and a long finish.  87pts
Full Review

2009 Pinot Gris - $16.99
A quality wine with excellent concentration and a balanced, moderate-plus finish offering good value for the price. 88pts
Full Review

2009 Chardonnay - $16.99
Classic aromas of luscious melons, buttery ice cream and orchard fruit with quiet herbaceous notes. Flavours of pears, apples, sweet pineapple and light toasted oak spice and with piquant, lemony acidity; very refreshing. 87pts
Full Review

2009 Oldfield Series 2Bench Wine - $22.99
Overall this wine is complex and refreshing with fantastic minerality as one might expect from an estate grown Chardonnay driven blend. There is a lot going on in this wine. 89pts
Full Review

To learn more about Tinhorn Creek wines and winery events, including their fun concert series, visit their website: http://www.tinhorn.com/
 - Liam Carrier